A curious thing

On my way to the beach, from the mountains, so about a 10 hour drive, I encountered a curious thing. I was following the Garmin to try to get me there via the shortest route. This meant that I traveled lots of roads that I had not been on (or even heard of ) before. I was on lots of 2 lane, small country roads as I got closer to the coast. At one point, L. was asleep, and I was following Australian Karen when she lead me down Old Elwell Ferry Rd. When I started on the road I had no idea why it was named this. It was NOT evident that the road ended into the Cape Fear River. About 3 miles down, the pavement ended, and a metal railing with at STOP sign was across the now dirt road. Water (at this point I had no idea what body of water) was in front of me. I looked around, saw a shack across the water with a man outside it and an old pick up with a man in it on my side a little ways away. I drove closer to the pick up and asked if there was a ferry. A man of few words, he said "Yep". Then I asked if it would be coming soon. He replied, "on it's way". So I asked where to get the ferry, behind him? "Over there (at which he pointed to where I had been)." So I drove back to the stop sign and sure enough, the shack had moved, it was now on my side with the operator (long hair, overalls, big guy, banjo playing in the background- just kidding) moving the metal railing. He told me to drive on, which I did, but I left my car running- not sure how that was going to help me but we had no cell service in this area and I needed and escape plan. The operator did not talk much either. I asked if I need to pay him and he said no. Then I asked what body of water we were crossing, to which he replied "Cape Fear". That was the extent of our conversation. Not big talkers down here I guess. The "car" ferry can hold only 1-2 cars and 6 people max. I found out later that it is the last flat cable car ferry in N.C. It started in 1905 and currently ferries 60- 80 cars a day with the "curious traveler" thrown in occasionally. Check out this site for more information: http://www.gribblenation.com/ncpics/ferry/elwell.html