One of the fun things of visiting Port Jefferson, is to watch the coming and goings of the Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Ferry. These are BIG boats, and it is fascinating to see how carefully and gently they are docked when they arrive. The first time I traveled on one of these boats was when I was a boy with my father. We drove to Bridgeport, parked our car, and traveled as pedestrians. That would have been back around 1952. I remember looking over the side up in the bow and seeing dolphins diving and following alongside the ship. I don't believe there are any dolphins in the sound any more.
The MV Grand Republic is huge. It is 300 feet long and 52 feet wide, and was built in Panama City, Florida in 2003. There are three ferries all together. The ferry company was founded in 1883, and it is one of the oldest operating ferry companies in America. The Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Ferry carries approximately 1.3 million passengers and 500,000 vehicles annually.
It almost takes several photographs to show how long the ship is. I wished this one had docked on my side of the pier, and I would be able to show the entire ship without the dock and pilings in the way. Oh, the "MV" in front of the ship's name? It stands for "Motor Vessel" and is only used for commercial ships.
Great photos and story. I have traveled from Bridgeport to Port Jeff on several occasions, but this last photo really shows how huge this ferry is. I will look forward to another trip when Betsey and Jenny are not working. Enjoyed meeting you for lunch a couple of years ago.
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Loved the trip from Bridgeport to Port Jeff. The ferry is huge. It was packed on a summer day when Joan, Jenny & I took the trip and you met us there @ years ago. Great day!! Thank you for all your information about the ferry. betsey
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