Fort Fisher-Southport Ferry Rates Going Up-- Part 2

The Fort Fisher-Southport Ferry (FF-S) gets 4-5% of its operating budget from fares, now $5 a car load. In the 2009-2010 year, the FF-S ferries carried more than 167,000 vehicles and 455,000 passengers.

Captain Sandy Mitchell is a 24-year veteran and works 12 and a half hour days for a week and then is off for a week.

I have read that Southport is afraid of the negative impact an increase will have on their local economy because of a drop in tourists. No doubt Fort Fisher will likewise see a drop, although I think most people visiting the area are primarily there for the beach and nearby North Carolina State Aquarium.

And, like I said, to drive from Fort Fisher, back through Wilmington, then back down the west bank of the Cape Fear River to Southport is about fifty miles. And then, there's that horrible Wilmington traffic.

Here's Hoping for a Smaller, Non-Chicago/Illinois Rate Increase. --Old B-Runner