The old hand pulled ferry in San Pedro Town, long ago
Who remembers this fun ride to the north side? It was amazing how many carts, bikes and workers they could get on. There was an ongoing pool at the Hammock House (upper right) on how soon before the next golf cart ended up in the water. Sometimes the low tide caused a cart to load on a downward slant. If the front cart didnt have their brake set and got bumped, ooppps! Surprise swim!
Did you ever try getting on the pull ferry at 5pm heading towards town? What about when the rope broke in high wimds and the entire ferry was blown down the river. In the older days you could walk across from where the park is even though you may be crododile bait. It was a slower time, only two carts per crossing and nothing larger.
Look at how beautiful that open land in the background looks without the buildings that are there now. Back then, the north side was all coconut trees and mangroves. What a treat it used to be to cross on a bike to have lunch at Sweet Basil. Peaceful. In Dec 1996 the City Worker got $2 a day for the job, there were two and the fee was 50 cents w/ a bike. Way back then there was not much to do on the other side. Sweet Basil, great food and a crap road way up to just Capricorn. Way back when the toll was just paid when you were headed south, nothing collected heading north.
Glenn Schwendinger:
slept on the dock when it was too late, more than once!
Nan Hallmark Updike:
I was first there in 1987. You just had to wade across then!
Chris Berlin:
The original pull ferry was built and paid for by Bob Kjorlein so that he could peronally get back and forth from his Cloisters 'condo' project in boca del rio to town. It was a rudimentary one golf cart plywood floating box with an equally rudimentary guy he paid to pull you across. The small fee paid for the pullers and upkeep. Some of us who lived north used it once in a while as it was novel to not have to boat back and forth as it gave us the excuse to buy land transportation. One evening my wife and I were going back home on our quad (4 wheel atv) loaded to the hilt with groceries and as well as our cat in a carrier strapped to the front rack (vet visit). When I drove on the 'ferry' the puller started pulling before I had center balanced on the barge. When we got into deep water the weight of the 4 wheeler tipped the barge backwards and in the drink we went upside down underneath the 4 wheeler. shit! the tires of the atv were like big balloons that kept the quad floating and my wife who popped up to the surface amongst floating legumes yelling 'get the cat get the cat'! Anyhow it was rather embarrassing but luckily no one was around and it was pre smart phone/video days or we would have been youtube stars. The cat survived. Dinner was a bust.
Dave Kujawski:
Barefoot Skinny had a bar called the Hammock House at the ferry. They had a pool to see when a golf cart would drive off the ferry into the water. It was so much fun. I won twice.
Ralston Reynolds:
I remember working bartender at Journeys End, getting off, walking, swimming across to town to go to Tarzans.
Stephen Claire Kelley:
I remember Bob Kjorlien built the first one and then town board took it I've a couple of years later. He an Larry Thorpe put in the road from the river to the Palapa where the 22 was docked! I believe that was in 1992.
Top photograph by Stacie Travel Pics
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