Bald Head Island Ferry Operations Final Update: Suspension, Removal, and Service Resumption

Bald Head Island Ferry Operations Update

February 5-6, 2026

Brunswick County, NC — Bald Head Island Transportation suspended ferry operations at 10:30 AM on Thursday, February 5; the reason was not initially given.

The suspension prompted questions about a previous grounding incident involving The Patriot, the ferry that became stuck after striking rocks in the channel. That earlier event involved 105 passengers, all of whom were safely transferred to another ferry.

One passenger described the experience, saying, “Nobody was hurt. I was on it. It just got stuck on the rocks.”

Officials have not linked the February 5 suspension to that grounding.

UPDATED INFORMATION from baldheadislandferry.com:

• Due to environmental conditions and for the safety of crews and equipment, removal operations for The Patriot were suspended for the day on February 5.
• Passenger ferry operations resumed with the 1:30 a.m. departure from Deep Point on February 5.
• Contractor/employee ferry service was suspended for the afternoon and evening of February 5 based on safety assessments.
• All ticket classes are being accepted on the passenger ferry during this suspension, but passengers should expect higher capacity and possible boarding delays.
• Due to one boat operating instead of the usual two, the passenger ferry service ran continuously with quick turnarounds at each dock to clear the buildup of passengers from the island.

Additional UPDATE for February 6:

• Ferry and tram service will be suspended beginning at 9:00 a.m. on February 6 to allow for the removal and relocation of The Patriot from the Bald Head Island entrance.
• The contractor ferry will not make the 8:30 a.m. departure from Deep Point, and the final passenger ferry departure will be at 8:30 a.m. from Bald Head Island.
• Officials apologized for the inconvenience and encouraged passengers to monitor the app and website for further updates.

UPDATE from the U.S. Coast Guard Sector North Carolina:

“Yesterday, Coast Guard Sector North Carolina received a report of a vessel aground with 105 passengers on board near Bald Head Island, North Carolina. Coast Guard personnel are monitoring the situation and conducting an investigation into the cause of the grounding. There were no reported injuries, and the channel remains open.”

FINAL UPDATE for February 6, 2026

On Friday, February 6, 2026, passenger ferry operations will resume at 11:00 a.m. from Deep Point. This follows the safe removal of the vessel named PATRIOT from the Bald Head Island entrance channel. The service provider thanks everyone for their patience and understanding during this process. Passengers are encouraged to continue monitoring the website and mobile app for further updates on service status.

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