Mobile Bay Ferry the coolest ride from one side of the bay to the other
DAUPHIN ISLAND, Ala. (WKRG) — It’s a scenic route unlike any other along this part of the Gulf Coast.
“It goes a lot faster than I expected it to,” first-time rider Jacob Stokes said. “I thought it would be much slower.”
Jennifer Kessinger from Kentucky was unsure about a ferry ride.
“I was very nervous when I pulled up to see just all the water, but it’s been OK,” she said.
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And then there are the consequences of riding the ferry when the winds are up and the water is choppy.
“We got a nice soaking when we got out of the car, which we weren’t expecting,” laughed Natalie Sadler.
4.5 half miles long, across the lower portion of Mobile Bay, it’s a trip Capt. Joe Kula has traveled for years.
“You think you’ve seen everything, but there is always something new out here,” Kula said. “You will always see something that you never thought you would see.”
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The first ferry on Mobile Bay was privately owned and began after Hurricane Frederic took out the Dauphin Island bridge in 1979.
“They got the ferry service up and running from Dauphin Island to East Fowl River and with the completion of the bridge, the private owner decided to make this trip across, and it’s been here ever since,” Kula said.
Much to the delight of first-time ferry rider 8-year-old Emily Sadler.
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“It’s good so far,” she said. “I’ve never been on a ferry where cars come in here.”
Like most riders from Fort Morgan, it’s a day trip to the island.
“We’re staying in Gulf Shores for the week, so we thought to come out and have an explore and see what it’s like,” Natalie Sadler said.
“We have never been there,” Stokes said. “We didn’t do any research. Somebody said, ‘Go there, it’s cool.'”
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By ferry, the trip is easy enough.
“Eight round trips a day with this vessel and seven with the other, so we have a ferry every 45 minutes departing from either side,” Kula said.
According to Kessinger, the only thing you don’t want to do is: “We hope we don’t miss the ferry on the way back because I don’t want to drive all the way around.”
Check out the daily ferry schedule on their Facebook page, Mobile Bay Ferry.
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