Elwell Ferry is expected to reopen June 3, after maintenance and inspections have been completed on the cable.
The ferry runs between Carvers and Kelly on the Cape Fear River in Bladen County. State officials said a contractor was set to resume ferry operations after a pulley was replaced, but upon further inspections problems were found with the cable that spans the river.
Elwell is one of the last inland cable ferries in the state, and has been operating for more than 100 years. It’s popular with daily commuters as well as travelers between the east and west banks of the river. A Wildlife Resources Commission boating access area is on the Carvers side of the river, with picnic areas on the Kelly bank. The free ferry runs from sunrise to sunset daily except during times or high or low water.
