Kennebec Ferry question about your crossing times.

This question if for those that you have hiked the Appalachian Trail in Maine and crossed the Kennebec River.
Please stay on the topic of this question. Anything off topic will be deleted.

There is a great stop/backcountry campground w/ shelter the night before when going NoBo, a obvious place to stay especially with the nearby lodge which serves breakfast. It puts you on schedule for a morning ferry crossing.

We did the crossing at the beginning of a SOBO section. All we had to do was arrange a timely shuttle to Caratunk and catch the morning ferry.

Got there pretty early in the AM from Pierce Pond, watched the fog burn off. Waited for the ferryman.

Informed myself regarding the ferry & times it launched...arranged that day's schedule to show up before first launch...hung out short time, then enjoyed the canoe ride I'd been looking forward to since forever...wicked cool.

I have crossed the river in both the morning and the afternoon. I would advise people to go for the morning crossing, which means you can spend the previous night at Pierce Pond, a few miles south of the river, an absolutely beautiful place to stay.

I voted, but want to expound on my answer. I have made the crossing as a SOBO and as a NOBO, hitting the river at different times of the day. Both times I had looked up the crossing information so I knew when the service would be available. I made my plans around the hours the service was available. Had I missed the ferry, I was not on a deadline.

The first time I crossed I stayed at Bald Mtn the night before and had not planned on making the river in time to cross. I must have eaten my Wheaties because I found my groove that day and was able to cross the river just before the service ended for the day, so after 2pm.

The second time I crossed I stayed at Pierce Pond and put myself in a good position for a morning crossing.

When I helped Steve Longley the pattern was nobos in the morning, sobos and sectioneers in the afternoon.
Hiking, I always crossed in the AM. Before Steve there were phone numbers posted by the payphone, and there was always someone around to take you across.