OXFORD, Md. - It’s a new beginning for the nation’s oldest privately operated ferry, as the Oxford-Bellevue Ferry launches its 343rd season with a new captain at the helm.
Longtime owners Judy and Tom Bixler, who ran the ferry for nearly 25 years, have officially passed the torch to Jim Andrews, a Coast Guard veteran with deep ties to the water.
"It's bittersweet. And as Tom likes to say, it's getting sweeter, though," Judy Bixler said.
The Bixlers announced last season that it would be their final year operating the historic vessel. Since then, they’ve been searching for someone who could not only run the ferry but also respect its long-standing legacy.
"I think the professional skills were important to us as Tom said, the people skills. That was also very important and someone who really had a heart for the history," Judy Bixler said.
After reviewing 20 to 30 applicants, the couple says they prioritized passion over profit.
"We've had some people very interested. We had people that we had to say, 'I'm sorry.' We wouldn't sell it to you. You know, there was like, money groups. A lot of people wanted to invest in it. And the ferry is more than an investment," Tom Bixler said.
Eventually, they found the right fit in Andrews, whose life has long revolved around the water.
"I grew up in a Coast Guard family. My father was in the Coast Guard, career Coast Guard, and I went into the Coast Guard when I graduated from high school. So really moving around and being close to the water and being on boats has been in my blood," Andrews said.
Now the fourth owner of the ferry, Andrews says he plans to preserve its legacy for years to come.
"There might be some changes here and there, maybe bring in some technology or try to find some technological efficiencies. But by and large, we're just going to take people across and try to have one river," he said.
As for how much the historic boat sold for, the Bixlers said they would like to keep that between themselves and its new captain. They added that finding the right person outweighed the highest bidder.