A NOTE FROM SHORE
Why this exists.
I wanted to take a ferry. Somehow, this became a research project.
The schedules were spread across several operator websites, so planning a simple crossing meant collecting tabs like souvenir postcards. Google Maps had plenty of information. I just wanted to know when the boat left, where to board, and whether I could get home again.
So I made TakeFerry. It seemed like a fun thing to build, and possibly useful to other people whose ideal day out doesn’t begin with a small administrative assignment.
There’s also the ferry itself: a cheap way to cruise the bay, get some fresh air, and briefly feel like a person with maritime interests. You get the views without having to own a boat, maintain a boat, or develop opinions about boat maintenance.
This guide brings the practical bits together so you can spend more time enjoying the crossing. It uses published schedules; check the operators for service changes and ticket details. I made a guide. I have not acquired a fleet.
Local business, bay-sized daydreams.
A small sponsorship could help keep this guide going. See the guide supporter pilot.
WHAT COULD BE NEXT
Actual boats. Less guesswork.
I’d love to show where your ferry was last seen on the bay. AIS—the Automatic Identification System—is a radio broadcast that can include a vessel’s identity, position, speed and direction. Think of it as a boat saying, “Hello, I’m over here.” The Coast Guard explains how AIS works.
A last reported position isn’t a guaranteed arrival time. Reports can arrive late, coverage can have gaps, and boats sometimes have plans of their own. Any future tracking would show when the report was received and clearly distinguish estimates.
It’s on the wish list, subject to reliable ferry coverage, data licensing, testing and cost. Support for the guide could help with data access and keeping schedules checked. No launch date, and no pretend boats cruising around the map in the meantime.
Somebody still has to check the tide tables.
Published ferry schedules refresh automatically. A failed refresh keeps the last usable timetable and its original retrieval date; dates outside published coverage are flagged. Island schedules, fares and parking notes still need manual review. You can see the sources and review dates in Before you board.