White's Ferry

On our final day before the arrival of our main group we did a few things we hadn't really planned for. We had planned extra time to get plenty of shots of Antietam and had a rain day built into the trip. We did our full day at Antietam (which I will include when I post about specific areas of Antietam) and had this day to go wild. One thing we had heard of and wanted to try was White's Ferry. It is just upriver of Ball's Bluff and is well worth a visit. We parked the car nearby and rode the ferry on foot. 50 cents per person each way. By far the best dollar I have ever spent in my life.

The ferry boat is called the "Jubal A. Early." Early isn't exactly among the pantheon of great Confederate generals so the choice of name seemed odd, but kinda refreshing in its oddity. The views of the river are great from midstream. I've never been on a ferry before so that was new experience. I think the locals in their cars thought we were a bit odd. The ferry operator thought we were a bit odd too but we didn't get to talk to him much as he was busy working. On the ferry was a bumper sticker that said "I rode the Jubal A. Early" Unfortunately the store on the Maryland shore was closed or we would have had to buy one. How many people can say they rode the Jubal A. Early?

Speaking of the store they had markings on the building showing the worst three floods there, or at least since the store has been there. I think the Potomac would have to be 30 feet above normal to reach those marks, that was truly amazing to contemplate. Even though I've done it once now I would definitely go back, I still gotta get me that bumper sticker. :)