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Daufuskie residents urge county to act on ferry service, pricing and dock safety
Summary
Multiple Daufuskie Island residents told Beaufort County council that ferry service has been unreliable, passenger and baggage fees are harming island residents’ ability to bring groceries and supplies home, and the Melrose Landing dock on Daufuskie requires inspection and repair.
Residents of Daufuskie Island used the public‑comment period at the Beaufort County Council meeting on Hilton Head Island to press the county for changes to ferry service and to flag safety and cost concerns.
Michael Hubbard, chair of the Daufuskie Island Council, told the council the ferry contract with the current operator has not improved during its first year. “The situation has not improved,” Hubbard said, calling for termination and replacement of the Lowcountry ferry contract; he said the vessel did not return to service until Saturday after the recent storm and that passenger charges and fees were causing financial hardship when residents had to bring groceries back to the island.
Longtime island resident Sally Ann Robertson described repeated out‑of‑pocket costs for transporting essential items. “I’m not just asking, but I’m pleading with each and every one of you to please understand our situation,” Robertson said, saying groceries and household goods spoil or become unaffordable because of new baggage rules that sometimes require extra fees.
Yvonne Wilson, who said she has worked for Beaufort County and has family roots on Daufuskie, described the island’s reliance on reliable, affordable service. “Now we don’t feel like we are people because we’re not treated like people,” Wilson said, citing high on‑island prices for basic staples and the cost of fuel and transportation.
Speakers asked the council to inspect and repair Melrose Landing’s dock on Daufuskie, saying ownership and inspection responsibility were unclear. Hubbard said the dock there had not received an inspection and described the dock’s condition as poor; he asked the county to identify the responsible agency. Several commenters also said ferry fees add additional costs when residents return with groceries or supplies.
Alex Cruden, a Hilton Head property owner attending his first council meeting, expressed support for transparent, responsive leadership and said he believed council should respond to the community’s concerns.
The council did not announce immediate contract changes during the public meeting. Several council members and staff later discussed coordination with town officials and other stakeholders, but no formal direction to terminate or re‑bid the ferry contract appears in the public record from this meeting.
