From Captain Billy Market:
Just a few points to make about the upcoming week.
1. Yes, it is going to be unusually busy with the Race Car Reunion, Toby Keith and Labor Day coming up (this is on top of all our normal purveyor and regular traffic).
2. I expect extremely heavy traffic to be inbound to the island Monday & Tuesday, heavy traffic both ways on Wednesday and of course Thursday because of the TK concert. Plan accordingly. On Thursday coming to the island, we will be limiting the amount of vehicles that the boats can carry to accommodate passengers during the inbound “rush”.
3. Parking will be at a premium on Catawba. Car pooling is highly recommended. On Thursday we have arranged additional “shuttle” parking at the old Winke Boat storage (presently owned by CIC), located 3/4 miles south of our Catawba Dock, on NE Catawba Rd. Parking there will be free, however the shuttle will be $5/person each way. The last shuttle to this parking will leave the Catawba Dock at 1:20am Friday morning. This lot will be a one-night only parking for the concert with all vehicles required to be removed from this lot by noon on Friday.
4. We will have the 3rd boat ready to go everyday this week in anticipation of all the traffic.
5. With the end of the concert on Thursday night at 10pm, we will have all 4 boats ready to handle the exodus of passengers with the LAST passenger boat leaving PIB at 1am Friday morning. We will then start transporting all the associated vehicles/trucks/semis/food vendors/law enforcement off the island for the remainder of that night into Friday morning. NO personal/private vehicles will transported off the island that night until 6am Friday morning or until all the concert and associated vehicles are gone.
6. Additional lighting and porta-potties will be located at both docks.
7. There will be a large presence of “badges/law enforcement”at both docks and surrounding areas to help facilitate both vehicle and passenger flow.
8. Bear with us as this will be a “historically” busy week for Miller Boat Line. It is going to be an exciting, fun, challenging, long few days heading into the long Labor Day weekend. Plan ahead and give yourself extra time.
9. Most important, pray for good weather!