New Bald Head Island Mainland Ferry Terminal To Open June 2nd at Deep Point Marina

Bald Head Island, NC – Bald Head Island Limited announces that Deep Point Marina, the new mainland ferry terminal for Bald Head Island, will open to the public on Tuesday, June 2, 2009. Ferry operations from Indigo Plantation & Marina, the current embarkation point for Bald Head Island, will be suspended permanently at that time.

“The passenger experience at Deep Point will be a significant improvement over Indigo Plantation,” said Jim Henry, Director of Planning for Bald Head Island Limited. “The new facility is thoroughly modern, and will prove an easier loading and unloading experience as well as providing larger and more comfortable waiting spaces. During high traffic times, the facility will allow for more passengers to move through the space, which we hope will elevate the ferry experience for our passengers.”

 The 40,000 square-foot ferry terminal at Deep Point Marina consists of two levels, similar to an airport, with arrivals and departures on separate levels. It will feature an automatic baggage transfer system that will move bags from the upper departure level to the lower arrivals level for loading to the ferry. The terminal will also feature a snack bar, Deep Point Galley, which will offer grab-and-go food options as well as soft drinks, beer, wine and coffee.

 “The new terminal will truly be the beginning of the Bald Head Island experience,” said Henry. “Not only will passengers have access to more complete information about the island, its amenities and its history, they can take in epic views of the Cape Fear River from the observation deck.”

 The new terminal, which took 18 months from groundbreaking to completion, was designed by architects THW Design from Atlanta, a design firm known for its experience in designing airport terminals, and built by the Wilmington branch of Clancy & Theys Construction. Henry described the terminal’s shingle-clad architectural style as “coastal cottage,” reminiscent of the island’s vernacular architecture.

 In addition to becoming the hub for mainland ferry operations, Deep Point Marina will ultimately house a number of other functions for Bald Head Island Limited, including administrative offices, a marine maintenance facility, a shipping and receiving center and a harbour master building that will accommodate the recreational marina operation. The site also features a new 82-slip marina, which will also begin offering transient dockage, as well as short term and long term slip rentals, when the facility opens later in June.

 The Deep Point facility will have significantly more parking than Indigo Plantation—an increase of more than 500 spaces—with room for future expansion.

 “The opening of Deep Point Marina as the site of Bald Head Island’s mainland ferry terminal is one of our most important undertakings as developers to date,” said Kent Mitchell, President of Bald Head Island Limited. “The considerable investment in Deep Point represents our company’s commitment to the long term viability and well being of Bald Head Island, its property owners, and visitors.”

 Deep Point Marina is located at 1301 Ferry Road in Southport, just before the state-operated Southport-Fort Fisher Ferry landing. A ferry schedule for passenger ferry service to Bald Head Island can be downloaded from www.ferrytobhi.com.

 Bald Head Island is a year-round and vacation community located just off the coast of Southport, NC. With no bridge connecting the island to the mainland, visitors take a 20-minute ferry ride across the Cape Fear River. Because there are no cars allowed, the favored method of on-island transport is electric cart, bicycle, or walking. Bald Head Island has been thoughtfully developed and retains much of its wild beauty. Of the island’s 12,000 acres, 10,000 have been permanently preserved and will never be developed. To learn more about Bald Head Island, visit www.baldheadisland.com.