This is the one called Fort Gates Ferry and actually it's a campground and fishing camp as well as home to the ferry.
This is the on ramp to the ferry which crosses the Saint Johns River just north of Lake George. The ferry's east dock is located in the Gateway Fish Camp just north of Fruitland, Florida. The ferry docks on the west side of the river, at the end of the dirt Salt Springs Road in the Ocala National Forest.
The river is wide and the current very strong.
You'd be amazed at the size of this ferry and it's reportedly been in service in some form or another since the Seminole war and during the Civil War she carried Confederate troops across the river. It's name comes from Fort Gates that was located on the west bank during the Civil War. All remains of Fort Gates are now gone.
Confidence exudes from the appearance of the old barge and a tiny tug boat that is attached to the barge on a pivot. The mighty tug boat pulls the barge carrying two cars at a time from one shore to the other. Once docked, a rusty old ramp is lowered down onto the ferry for the cars to get off and the tug boat swings around on its pivot to change direction.
Yep! That's the captain of this fine vessel at the helm.
...And no.... We didn't go across!
Not very good quality, but these vintage photos were posted in the window of the 'office'.
I have tried to Google the ferry and Fort gates, but as little as the ferry is.... is the information available.
All of these photos were again shot and loaded directly from my Nikon P90 and then posted without alteration of any kind.
