With new engines in 2024, the Ocracoke Express offers a whole new way to explore Ocracoke Island

On hot summer days in 2023, when the anticipated wait to catch the vehicular ferry from Hatteras to Ocracoke was 2-3 hours, a number of visitors in the lengthy lines jumped ship.

Instead, they turned around, left their vehicle at the Hatteras ferry docks parking lot, and quickly made a last-minute reservation for the passenger ferry, where they were able to board and be on their way to Ocracoke Island before the vehicular ferry lines even moved.

“About a quarter of the people waiting in line [for the vehicular ferry] get out of the line, and make a reservation to get onboard the passenger ferry,” said Catherine Peele, Planning and Development Manager for NCDOT Ferry Division. “Part of the reason why we started this service was because we knew that on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and even Tuesday, people get burned on the beach, and they want to take a day trip to Ocracoke. Having this service makes it easy to get there and back in a day.”

2024 marks the sixth season for the seasonal Ocracoke Express passenger ferry service, and since it was launched, the ferry has carried more than 75,000 visitors across Hatteras Inlet to the heart of Ocracoke village.

According to statistics from Peele, 97% of respondents who took a ride rated the passenger ferry service as excellent or good, and 98% said they would recommend the passenger ferry to a friend.

After a wave of issues interrupted the vehicular Hatteras-Ocracoke ferry schedule in the first few months of 2024, (and namely N.C. Highway 12 closures and flooding on the north end of Ocracoke Island), the passenger ferry is a more attractive option than ever before.

There are some major improvements for the 2024 passenger ferry season, too.

In the past few months, all four engines were replaced, (due to a company recall), which will eliminate the engine maintenance issues that popped up sporadically during the 2023 summer season. In addition, a fourth crossing has been added to the schedule, to make it even easier to secure a ride on the ferry, which can carry up to 129 passengers, as well as pets and bicycles.

And these days, the passenger ferry provides a shorter trek across the inlet. While the Hatteras-Ocracoke vehicular ferry takes around 80 minutes to complete the crossing, the passenger ferry trip averages 65 minutes, with the vessel cruising at speeds up to 30 knots.

Despite these advantages and upgrades – and the total lack of having to wait in a hot car to board the vehicular ferry – there are still a few misconceptions floating around when it comes to the easiest option for exploring Ocracoke Village. (And, for Ocracoke day-trippers, for easily exploring Hatteras Village.)

Crewmember Patrick Dely has been the passenger ferry host since the ferry first launched in 2019, and he’s one of the main reasons why folks keep coming back year after year.

“I always get questions about whether the passenger ferry is going to drop people off at the [northern Ocracoke Island] ferry terminal,” said Dely. “I assure them that, nope, you won’t have to worry about walking 13 miles to get to Ocracoke Village.”

You’ll see Dely’s name sprinkled throughout the rave online reviews. This is because of his storytelling, his deep historical knowledge, and his commitment to making sure that everyone on board has a great time.

He’ll start every trip to Ocracoke with a brief safety speech, and then transition to explaining the history and attractions that surround Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands. He’ll talk about Blackbeard if there are a lot of kids onboard, or the must-see attractions if there are first-timers, and he’ll point out the 1942 shipwreck that is barely visible as the passenger ferry cruises into South Dock on the edge of Ocracoke’s Silver Lake Harbor.

“I tailor it to whoever’s on board,” said Dely. “I’m like Captain Stubing on ‘The Love Boat…’ because the trip should be part of the fun.”

Dely will hang up a Happy Birthday banner, (and may have cupcakes and candles on board), if someone is celebrating a birthday. He gives out treats to the furry pet passengers, and has impromptu and free “Chocolate Chip Cookie Days” to accompany the drinks and concessions that are already available on the ferry to purchase.

Occasionally, he even hosts trivia contests, with prizes for folks who can pronounce some of the region’s more difficult names, (like Chicamacomico or Rodanthe.)

Dely also serves as the emcee and DJ of the ferry’s music system – a noteworthy asset for music fans. Like his historical talks and stories, the music is tailored to the crowd. For example, a younger crowd might have Taylor Swift in the background to set the tone, while a giddy and slightly intoxicated crowd returning home after an Ocracoke pub crawl might catch a sunset to the tune of “Margaritaville.”

“I had the whole boat doing ‘YMCA’ one day, and we’ll do the Neil Dimond ‘Sweet Caroline’ song too,” said Dely. “We do have a local group from Hatteras who gets on board – about 30 of them – and they’ve been on every year, and I’ll let them do karaoke, as long as the songs don’t have any swear words.”

“And they’ll be back again this year,” he added. “I’ve seen a few of them in the village, and they shouted ‘Patrick, we’re coming back!’”

Delay loves his job, and it shows. Dely’s official title is able-bodied seaman, and he’s also a licensed captain, but his ‘Captain Stubing’ host role on the passenger ferry is where he shines.

“I’m getting ready to retire, but I love this so much,” he said. “So, when I retire, I’m going to come back and just work on this ferry. This is what I love to do.”

With concessions, indoor and outdoor decks, occasional dolphin and shipwreck sightings, and a ferry host who is on a mission to make people smile, the trip on board the passenger ferry is certainly a departure from the vehicle ferry. But this is not the only distinction between the two ferry experiences.

The passenger ferry lands at Silver Lake Harbor in the four-square-mile Ocracoke Village, next to Ocracoke’s two vehicular ferries that connect to the N.C. mainland – the Swan Quarter and Cedar Island ferries.

From here, there are two trams standing by to transport passengers to ten different and strategically placed stops throughout the village.

Longtime tram drivers Jennifer Rich and John McKenzie will likely be at the wheel, and like Dely, they are also committed to ensuring a wonderful day-trip exploration.

“The first boat gets here about 10:30, so we’ll make sure we’re here waiting for them,” said Rich.

The tram generally runs from 10:00 a.m. until around 8:00 p.m. to ensure that all Ocracoke Express passengers have an easy ride back home to Hatteras.

“To my knowledge, we have never left anyone behind,” said McKenzie. “But it’s like I tell them, ‘There’s always another ferry, until you get to 7:30 p.m. And if you miss the 7:30, you can just catch the first one the next day.’”

Any history or lingering stories that Dely may have forgotten to pass along will be picked up when the tram ride begins.

Rich and McKenzie will point out all the can’t-miss shops, attractions, museums, and restaurants, as they cruise through the village in a roughly 20-minute loop, allowing passengers to hop off or hop on along the way.

“You really get a full tour of the village on the tram,” said Rich. “It’s usually a good mix of people who know their way around, and people who have never been here before, and we try to point out all the different things to see, and the places to go.”

There may be minor waits to board the trams, which can fit about a dozen people comfortably, but even if riders have to linger, the tram stops are covered, comfortable spaces that are a minute’s walk from Ocracoke’s many attractions and sights.

“Every stop has something to see – the lighthouse, Springer’s Point Nature Preserve, the [Working Watermen’s Exhibit] at the Community Square,” said Rich. “It’s an easy way to see all of Ocracoke.”

The tram also avoids the driving and parking headaches that are an inherent hurdle when the summer season is in full swing, and the island is flooded with waves of visitors.

When Ocracoke is at its busiest, N.C. Highway 12 is crowded with pedestrians, bikes, golf carts, and vehicles of all sizes, but the village tram is an easy-going mode of transportation where an experienced Ocracoke Islander is guiding the way. “It’s the easiest – and in my opinion the best – way to see Ocracoke,” said Rich.

The day trip to Ocracoke wraps up with a trip back home onboard the Ocracoke Express to Hatteras Village, and if timed correctly, passengers will catch a sunset on one of the two evening crossings. “The funny thing is that sometimes you’ll be on here, and it will be cloudy, and it doesn’t look like it’s going to be a nice sunset,” said Dely. “I always tell them to wait about 10 minutes until after it’s down – that’s when you’ll see all the colors.”

Conversely, Ocracoke visitors who want to take a quick trip to Hatteras Island will be deposited right at the ferry docks, where shops, restaurants, and a new-in-2021 pathway is waiting.

With the northern Ocracoke flooding issues that persisted throughout the winter and spring months, and the recent engine improvements to ensure smooth sailing in 2024, stakeholders are hoping that this summer’s visitors will take the Ocracoke Express out for a spin.

It’s a whole different adventure than the vehicular ferry, and it’s a stress-free way to uncover everything Ocracoke Village has to offer.

“The passenger ferry is just a different experience, because it’s a nice build-up getting to the village, and when you get dropped off in the village and have the tram, you can easily plan your day around coming and going,” said NCDOT Communications Officer Tim Hass. “For locals and visitors, it’s a new kind of trip.”