Bullfrog Ferry Crossing

We showed up and were first in line at the stop sign near the bottom of the landing. There was no other signage indicating anything: no instructions on payment or what to expect. We were 40 minutes early for the 2:00 PM Ferry to Bullfrog. While we waited, several other cars, motorcycles and a pickup towing a boat pulled up behind us. At around 1:40 PM the ferry arrived docked and rapidly disembarked the passenger vehicles. (Note: it was not terribly hot, but hot enough that it was uncomfortable to stay parked with the AC off.) The crew seemed to be taking care of some routine activity, but after a couple of minutes the crew of about 6 people (some appeared to be friends of the actual ctrw) began to loiter around on the ferry simply passing time. One of the crewman, a heavy-set man wearing a brimmed hat, was showing off to the crew his ability to walk along a metal pole as though it were a balance beam. There had been a couple on an adventure bike down on the landing (they were already there when we had arrived.) We recognized this couple as being guests in the San Juan Motel were we had also stayed the previous night. They were quickly let on to the ferry shortly after the disembarking of the arriving vehicles. As soon as they were on the ferry, the heavy set man placed the chain across the ramp making it pretty clear that they were not letting anyone else onto the ferry yet, or ever, for all we knew.

2:00 PM rolled around with no other sign that we would be allowed to board. We heard someone else in line behind us shout out “let’s go already!”, echoing our own feelings and probably those of everyone else in the line of waiting vehicles. I was getting concerned that they would simply not let anyone else on the ferry, and I was frustrated that we were not called to board. This would have permitted all of the passengers to park on the ferry and get out into the shade. This would have made the wait much more pleasurable.

We did not know how the delays of the ferry transfer would affect our arrival at our next stop where we may have to set up camp in the dark if we did not get moving soon. At 2:10 I made a command decision to pull out of line and make the 90 minute drive back to the main highway where I could at least be in control of my arrival.

The heavy set man on the ferry heard me start my vehicle and walked over to the chain making hand gestures to stay put, obviously he thought that I was going to pull forward and cause some disorganization. This goes to show that he was more or less “in charge” and that he knew we were all sitting in line waiting. A reasonable person would expect someone to walk up to the line of waiting passengers and explain what the process was or why there was a delay. He had plenty of time to do this as was evidenced by his showing off his prowess at balance beam walking.

To me it was offensive and a flagrant disrwgard for civility.

Thus, when I was making my u-turn and he was gesturing to stay put (how dare he!), I gave him the universal signal of my disapproval and headed back the way I had come.