Day Trips
The Los Ebanos Ferry takes passengers from the U.S. to Mexico and back again with the simple tug of a rope
By Gerald E. McLeod, Fri., Oct. 21, 2005
The Los Ebanos Ferry glides across the Rio Grande southwest of McAllen with the grace of the plot of a good romance novel. Except for the slapping of the water on the ferry's steel hull and the occasional shout of one of the men tugging at the rope, the car- and passenger-laden boat slips quietly from one nation to another without the roar of an engine.
"Why change something that still works?" asks Capt. Oscar Simo. He is a member of the Reyna family, which has operated the ferry since 1950. It is the last Coast Guard-licensed ferry in the U.S. to be powered by the tug of a rope.
Actually, the bargelike vessel is moved across the hundred feet or so of water more with a coax than a tug. The three or four guys lean back while gripping the thick rope, letting their weight apply just enough pressure to start the boat moving along the metal cable that secures it to dry land. The rust-colored tub seems to know what to do once it gets started. Going from the American side to the Mexican bank has more of the river's current working in its favor than when it heads back.
"We have a 25-ton limit," Capt. Simo says. "That's three cars, unless a lot of VW bugs show up at once." The five-minute ride costs 50 cents for pedestrians and $2 for a car and driver; each additional passenger is 25 cents extra.
For the locals it is more than a 40-mile round trip to the closest international bridge at Rio Grande City when the ferry isn't operating, Capt. Simo says. The trip to the stores and doctors in McAllen are another 17 miles when the ferry is working.
For the tourists, the short ride is like traveling back in time. The border guard on the American side, who asked that her name not be used, says a retiree shows up about once a week with his golf cart pulling a trailer loaded with other retirees headed for La Vallarta, a restaurant in Ciudad Díaz Ordaz.
"The restaurant has fabulous seafood and steaks served Veracruz style," Capt. Simo says, "and at very reasonable prices."
There isn't much else in the Mexican village about 11Ú2 miles from the river to attract visitors. Taxis make occasional visits to the pavilion on the steep bank above the ferry crossing, but you're more likely to get a ride from a friendly local with a pickup truck. The farming and ranching community of Diaz Ordaz
doesn't look much different from the town of Los Ebanos, population 100, on the American side. Both are little more than a small cluster of homes.
Named for the ebony trees that line the riverbanks, the ford on the Rio Grande has been used since before the two nations existed. Spanish explorers crossed the river here, as did Mexican troops. Bootleggers and other smugglers utilized the crossing until the customs station was added when the ferry began operating 55 years ago.
Most days the ferry crossing sees a slow parade of cars and pedestrians going back and forth across the border. Immigration officials say that every year the ferry transports around 3,350 cars and 8,500 passengers, many who come just for the cheap round-trip.
There has been talk of replacing the hand-drawn ferry with a motorized ferry or a bridge, but locals on both sides of the river seem to prefer leaving the crossing like it is. "We have the best safety record of any ferry in the United States," Capt. Simo says. "Why would we want to change?" One thing that will change are the fees, which are expected to rise by the end of the year.
The Los Ebanos Ferry runs seven days a week from 8am to 4pm. It is more likely to close because of high water than low water, Capt. Simo says. It is often closed in March and April when the river is flooded to provide irrigation water for farmers. To get to the ferry landing, follow FM 886 about three miles south from U.S. 83 in Sullivan City through Los Ebanos to the river. To check whether the ferry is operating, call 956/485-2855.
749th in a series. Day Trips, Vol. 2, a book of Day Trips 101-200, is available for $8.95, plus $3.05 for shipping, handling, and tax. Mail to: Day Trips, PO Box 33284, South Austin, TX 78704.
