The Grafton Ferry Experience

Arriving at the Ferry Landing
Boarding the Ferry Barge
The Ferry Voyage
Exiting the Ferry Barge
Leaving the Ferry Landing

We want your voyage on the Grafton Ferry to be enjoyable, convenient, and most of all, safe.  You can help us by paying attention, using common sense and following the basic guidelines listed below.

Arriving at the Ferry Landing

When you arrive at the landing and no other cars are in front of you, please pull all the way up to the sign and STOP.  Do not pull beyond the sign, because the traffic lanes need to be kept open so vehicles can depart the ferry.  Do not pull up to the landing, point your car at the ferry and flash your headlights; this really annoys the crew.  Equally annoying are cars that park too far back from the sign or too far behind the cars in front of them.  Just park at the sign, and keep the space between cars to a minimum.  This way more cars can make it into the ferry parking lot, reducing traffic backups on the road.

If you arrive at the Illinois landing at night, turn off your headlights, as they can blind the captain as he tries to land the boat.  This is not as much of an issue on the Missouri side as the cars do not point directly at the river.  It is okay to leave your parking lights on and it may help us see you from the other side of the river.

If you arrive at the landing just as the ferry is leaving the shore, the captain MAY decide to come back and get you, or he may not.  It all depends on weather and river conditions, river traffic, and how busy we are.  If you are on the road approaching the landing and see that the deckhand is closing the gates, flash your lights to let us know you want to ride.  We will do our best to accommodate all our customers.   

Our operating hours are listed on the homepage.  Last trip from the Illinois landing to Missouri departs fifteen minutes before closing, and the last trip from Missouri to Illinois departs on the hour at closing.  Please note that the captain will most likely NOT deviate from this schedule; if you arrive at the Illinois landing five minutes before closing, you've missed the last boat.

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Boarding the Ferry Barge

When the ferry reaches the shore, cars must be unloaded before the next round of vehicles can board.  The deckhand will go through several docking procedures BEFORE cars are unloaded, including chaining the boat to the landing, removing blocks from vehicle wheels and locking down the gates.  WAIT until all vehicles have been unloaded and the deckhand signals you to drive on to the ferry.  Remember that the boat is on the river, and the river MOVES, so even though it may appear that the boat has "docked", the captain must constantly compensate for river conditions and wait for the boat to "settle in" before the deckhand will signal you to board.  

Note that low-chassis vehicles may "scrape" the ground driving on or off the ferry, so DRIVE CAREFULLY.

Pay attention to the deckhand as he guides you on to the ferry.  Follow his instructions regarding which lane to take.  Many factors impact how the deckhand loads the boat, including the size/weight of vehicles, captain's visibility, and weather conditions.  Don't just assume that you are following the vehicle in front of you; PAY ATTENTION.

DO NOT stop halfway on and halfway off the boat, as this is VERY dangerous.  If you have a question for the deckhand, STOP your vehicle on the shore BEFORE driving on the boat, roll down your window and ask your question. 

After you drive on to the ferry and your car is stopped, continue to wait for instructions from the deckhand.  On busy days (usually weekends) we try to board as many vehicles as possible, and the deckhand may ask you to slowly move your car forward a bit to allow room for more vehicles.  Once all vehicles are boarded the deckhand will place safety blocks under the the wheels of the front and rear wheels.  

Please remain in your vehicle until all cars are boarded and the ferry is underway.  Turn off your ignition and set your parking brake.  If it's dark, turn off your headlights (they interfere with pilot visibility). 

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The Ferry Voyage

After the ferry is underway you may exit your vehicle, however, please remain in or near your vehicle until the deckhand collects the fare.  On busy days, this is probably the crew's biggest "pet peeve".  The deckhands have many responsibilities besides collecting fares, including making sure the boat is functioning properly, acting as the captain's "eyes and ears" on the deck, and most importantly, passenger safety.  Having to run all over a fully-loaded barge tracking down "who belongs to what vehicle" interferes with these other important tasks.  So please, pay the fare before walking away from your vehicle.

It is interesting and fun to watch the towboat swing around from one end of the ferry barge to the other.  Be aware that the towboat will sometimes "bump" the barge with a bit of force, and this can be surprising if you're not accustomed to being on a boat. 

Once all fares have been collected and any tasks have been taken care of, the deckhand will be happy to answer your questions about the ferry, let you know about local attractions and events, and provide directions to your destination.   

Small children must be attended by an adult at all times.  Please remain a safe distance back from all gates and railings, and refrain from standing on the short ground-level beams (painted yellow) on each side of the barge.  

In severe weather conditions the deckhand may ask you to remain in your vehicle.  For your safety in an emergency, personal floatation devices ("life jackets" or PFD's) are located in three large boxes on the side of the barge opposite the towboat.  Instructions for using the PFD's are posted prominently near the boxes.  Life rings and fire extinguishers are located on both sides of the barge at either end.   

Do not leave trash on the boat for the crew to deal with; clean up after yourself, please.  Throwing trash into the river is against federal law; violators are subject to fines and imprisonment.

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Exiting the Ferry Barge

As the ferry approaches the landing, return to your vehicle and prepare to exit the barge.  When the ferry reaches the shore, the deckhand will go through several docking procedures BEFORE cars are unloaded, including chaining the boat to the landing, removing blocks from vehicle wheels and locking down the gates.  Start your vehicle and release your parking brake.  If it's dark, turn on your headlights.  If your vehicle is in the front, be sure the deckhand has removed the wheel blocks.  WAIT until the deckhand signals you to drive off the ferry.  Remember that the boat is on the river, and the river MOVES, so even though it may appear that the boat has "docked", the captain must constantly compensate for river conditions and wait for the boat to "settle in" before the deckhand will signal you to exit.  

Pay attention to the deckhand as he guides you off the ferry, and follow his instructions.  Generally, the deckhand will try to unload the boat in the same order it was loaded.  However, other factors impact how the deckhand unloads the boat, including the size/weight of vehicles, captain's visibility, and weather conditions.  Don't just assume that you are following the vehicle in front of you; PAY ATTENTION.  

Again, DO NOT stop halfway on and halfway off the boat, as this is VERY dangerous.  And remember, low-chassis vehicles may "scrape" the ground driving on or off the ferry, so DRIVE CAREFULLY.

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Leaving the Ferry Landing

Keep to the right as you drive off the landing.  On busy days, traffic may be heavy exiting the parking lots on both sides of the river, so DRIVE CAREFULLY.  Especially pay attention to the YIELD signs on the Missouri side.

Have a nice trip, and come and see us again soon!