Information

  • For everyone’s safety, the Captain has the authority to postpone or cancel and on-the-water service due to severe weather conditions. In the event of a hurricane, the by-water evacuation of Dog Island persons, will occur only when deemed safe for all crew, vessel and passengers. Depending on sea conditions or impending sea conditions, removal of gear may be limited to allow soles to be removed from the island. 
  • You will be loading and unloading your gear six or seven times during your whole trip (from your home and getting to and from Dog Island.) Rain and salt spray from choppy seas are not always predicted. To avoid wet groceries and clothes, we recommend packing everything in plastic totes. Make it easy on yourself and others by packing with this in mind.
  • The Ferry and Chartered Taxi Vessels run on a very tight schedule, please be on time and ready to leave when the boat arrives. If you are late, depending on their schedule, you may have to reschedule your ride. 
  • On the occasion when the boats are moving hundreds of people a day, the schedule may be thrown out the window. Please be patient, this usually only happens during holiday weekends. The boats will be running wide open back and forth from the island and taking full loads on their runs. They will pick up passengers on a first come, first serve order.
  • Please allow room on the docks for disembarking passengers to get their gear off of the arriving boat. Line up your gear down the bay side of the Dog Island Dock, and on the bay side of the Carrabelle Dock in the order in which you arrive. 
  • You may request your Captain to run errands for you. If he has the time, he can make an IGA, bait store, or liquor store run. Please note that they run to the stores for you on their own time, take their own vehicle, and pay for your goods with their own money.  Please reimburse them with CASH ONLY for their services and tip them well. Remember, you just avoided a Chartered Taxi to and from the Island and got to spent more time on the beach!
  • Ferry service and Chartered Taxi service does not include loading and unloading your gear. Like a porter at a hotel, this is task that our Captains and Deckhands perform for your convenience. Kindly tip them for this back-breaking service. (Note that Deckhands work for tips, only.) 

RULES

  • Your Captains work very hard seven days a week. Please respect their time off and only call them from 8:00 AM to 8 PM.
  • The Captain has the right to refuse any unplanned-for excessive cargo or any unsafe cargo. 
  • The Captain has the right to refuse passage for any intoxicated or otherwise high-risk passenger. 
  • No hazardous material, such as gas, will be allowed on the ferry. You must schedule a private Chartered Taxi to transport such materials.
  • No large cargo is allowed on the ferry. The captain will schedule your cargo loads.
  • No exposed sharp objects (including hooks on fishing rods) or glass containers allowed on vessel.
  • Contain or bundle all items so that they are no heavier than fifty pounds. No one needs a hernia here! 
  • Those thirty grocery bags you bring must be packed in large canvas or plastic totes.
  • Most rental homes have a washer and dryer. One suitcase under 50 pounds per person is allowed at no charge. Share a suitcase, pack light, you’re at the beach!
  • Cargo loads must be scheduled for. Any unexpected cargo may be rescheduled, as deemed by the Captain. Because cargo loads are not always described accurately over the phone, upon cargo arrival, the Captain will determine the cargo’s ultimate price and number of trips needed for transportation.
  • Crews are available for hire, and must be scheduled in advance, for loading and unloading the cargo, trucking the cargo to a house, taking the cargo up any stairs, and/or for installations. 
  • Chartered Taxi's that involve our vessel leaving Carrabelle before sunrise or returning to Carrabelle after sunset will be charged at least double price, or they may even be refused to run. Schedule your travel, flights and events accordingly. We are a seven-day service, not a 24-hour service. Our Captains work hard and need their dinner, down-time and sleep.
  • Please arrive at the dock 15 Minutes before the scheduled departure time, have your car parked, and all your gear sitting on the end of the dock.
    • When departing Carrabelle, place your gear on the south side (if you are facing the river, south is to your left and towards the bay.) This allows those disembarking room to unload their gear on the north side of the dock. 
    • When departing Dog Island, place your gear on the north (bay side) of the higher, fixed dock. Leave a path for the arriving passengers to get their gear up to their cars. Do not put your departing gear on the floating dock. Please have the carts emptied and waiting for them on the floating dock.
  • While the vessel is moving, keep all hands and feet inside the vessel. It is the law.
  • While the vessel is moving, keep all children seated and supervised by a parent or guardian.
  • The Captain will determine if seas are rough enough to make the call for all passengers to stay seated. 
  • When the vessel is approaching a dock, all passengers must stay seated and clear of the edges of the vessel. The pilings are bumped by the vessel and used as pivots to dock. 
  • Keep the aisle (path to the docking lines) clear for the Captain to be able to rush to the lines from the helm to secure the vessel. This has to be done very quickly, so please stay out of his way. Please do not try to help him with this, unless asked to do so. 
  • Cats and dogs must be short-leashed, constantly and closely held, or crated. If your pet is subject to excessive barking, be aggressive to other pets or people, you will no longer be able to use the ferry to transport them, but will be required to schedule a private Chartered Taxi. Due to pet hair clean-up time and liability factors there is now a $15 each-way charge for a pet.