| Since antiquity, man has encountered streams and | | | | cable or free ferries are still in use worldwide. |
| rivers barring his path and has found ways to cross | | | | Sail power was also used. When the steam engine |
| them. Some of the time, with time, manpower, and | | | | was invented, it was also pressed into service, and |
| material available, he was able to build bridges. If it | | | | the first steam ferry began shuttling passengers |
| wasn't possible to make them for whatever reason, | | | | between New York City and Hoboken in 1811. By the |
| he found other means of surmounting the obstacle. | | | | end of the nineteenth century, propeller-powered |
| Sometimes, it meant a long detour to skirt or avoid | | | | ships were replacing paddle steamers. Waterscrews |
| the water or to find a suitable fording place. Other | | | | were easier to operate and maintain. |
| times it meant using watercraft to take him from | | | | Because of the limitations inherent in the reciprocating |
| one bank to the other. Without the use of ferries, it | | | | steam engine, the turbine gradually replaced it. It was |
| would've been much harder to get from one place to | | | | during and after World War II that the steam |
| another - even to the afterlife, as the legend of the | | | | turbine's eventual replacement, the oil-fired engine, |
| Underworld ferryman Charon and the river Styx tells | | | | was developed to maturity, becoming so successful |
| us. | | | | that by 1960 no more steam-driven ships were being |
| Throughout history, many types of watercraft have | | | | built. Oil-powered engines eliminated the heat losses all |
| been used to ferry people from one place to | | | | steam engines have and are able to burn cheaper, |
| another. These ranges from the coracle, an ancient | | | | lower-quality fuel. Because of rising fuel costs and |
| circular boat which is still used in some parts of the | | | | environmental concerns, today's ferry designers are |
| world, to huge double-hulled catamarans, mechanical | | | | looking to alternative power sources to drive |
| marvels which displace more than 70,000 metric tons | | | | tomorrow's ships such as hybrid engines, wind, and |
| which are able to take on board thousands of | | | | solar energy. |
| passengers and their vehicles and travel for hundreds | | | | Types of Ferries |
| of miles in speed, comfort, and safety. With the | | | | There are several main types of ferry. Water taxis |
| development of aviation and the rise of fuel prices, | | | | and buses ply carry passengers over short routes, |
| the age of the fast transoceanic liners is long gone, | | | | such as in harbors like Hong Kong, Sydney, Bristol, |
| but the shorter-range ferry is still a very important | | | | Osaka; and Roll-On Roll-Off ferries, or ROROs, are so |
| mode of transportation throughout the world, | | | | called because they have a car deck and ramps |
| whether it be across a river in India or from across a | | | | which open and enable vehicles to simply drive onto |
| sea, from one country to another. For example, in | | | | and off them. Double-ended ferries are a variation on |
| Sydney, Australia, the inter-harbor ferries carry some | | | | this, with identical bow and stern sections which free |
| 18 million passengers every year. | | | | the ferry from needing to turn around after docking. |
| Ferry Power | | | | Hydrofoils, hovercraft, and catamarans are also used |
| The level of available technology has always dictated | | | | as ferries because of the high speeds they are |
| what sources of motive power were used in ferries. | | | | capable of reaching. Cruiseferries are large ships |
| The first ferries used either muscle power in the | | | | combining features present on cruise ships and car |
| form of a rower or punter or were pulled across a | | | | transporters. |
| short distance by a rope or chain. Many of these | | | | |