Boat and Ferry Travel

Seagoing folks travel the intracoastal waterway through the Outer Banks and the Albemarle region. The North Carolina coast hosts around 150 marinas, including Lambs Marina in Camden, near the Outer Banks; Manteo Waterfront Marina in Manteo, and National Park Service Silver Lake Marina in Ocracoke. From Ocracoke, vehicle ferries take off to Hatteras Island, Cedar Island, and the mainland's Swan Quarter. You need to reserve ferries by calling the N.C. Department of Transportation's ferry division.

The intracoastal waterway provides access to many Central Coast destinations, including Beaufort, Morehead City, and Emerald Isle. The region has many marinas, among them Beaufort Town Docks and the Morehead City Yacht Basin. New Bern can be reached via Neuse River from Pamlico Sound. Several marinas are available here, including the New Bern Grand Marina. You can dock for the day (but not overnight) at Union Point Park's public docks.

The Wilmington area has public marinas at Carolina Beach State Park and Wrightsville Beach, and a number of hotels provide docking facilities for guests. A state-run car ferry connects Fort Fisher, south of Kure Beach, with Southport on the coast. For information about the state-run ferry system and its schedules and costs, call the North Carolina Department of Transportation's ferry information line. NCwaterways.com provides an online listing of hundreds of marinas and boating services, as well as information about bridge schedules, tide tables, and waterway issues.

Boat and Ferry Contacts

Beaufort Town Docks (500 Front St., Beaufort, NC, 28516. 252/728-2503.)

Carolina Beach State Park (1010 State Park Rd., Carolina Beach, NC, 28428. 910/458-7770. www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/cabe/main.php.)

DB City Marina (340 Camden Causeway., Elizabeth City, NC, 27909. 252/338-2886. www.elizabethcityboating.com.)

Lambs Marina (152 U.S. 158, Camden, NC, 27921. 252/207-7302. www.lambsmarina.com.)

Manteo Waterfront Marina (207 Queen Elizabeth Ave., Manteo, NC, 27954. 252/473-3320. www.townofmanteo.com.)

Morehead City Yacht Basin (208 Arendell St., Morehead City, NC, 28557. 252/726-6862. www.mcyachtbasin.com.)

National Park Service Silver Lake Marina (2500 Fairway Dr., Ocrakoke, NC, 27960. 252/928-5111. home.nps.gov/calo/planyourvisit/boat-ramps.htm.)

North Carolina Department of Transportation Ferry Information (800/293-3779. www.ncdot.org/ferry.)

Outer Banks Ferry Service (326 Front St., Beaufort, NC, 28516. 252/728-4129. www.outerbanksferry.com.)

New Bern Grand Marina (100 Middle St., New Bern, NC, 28560. 252/638-0318.)

Union Point Park (210 East Front St., New Bern, NC, 28560. 252/639-2901. www.ci.new-bern.nc.us/RP/parks.php.)

Wrightsville Beach Marina (6 Marina St., Wrightsville Beach, NC, 28480. 910/256-6666. www.wrightsvillebeachmarina.com.)

NCwaterways.com (5 West Hargett St., Ste. 600, 27601. 919/715-7668. www.ncwaterways.com.)