the ferry was always cheaper than the tt but it is now up there with the tt price's as demand gets bigger they can exploit this and charge more
as for camping many actually camp in the same field as the race paddock but as this is also getting busier im sure this will stop at some stage but you can camp at stadium corner at castletown football club for a donation to the club
i dont know of any offical camp sites close by but there is the option of the foot ball club on the coarse which isnt too far away from pits
ive always camped in the field where the race paddock is but it is intended for racers and there helpers most of the time i have had a friend who was racing so i always had the connection if any questions were asked
the southern 100 in many ways is better meeting than the tt but in there own right they are both brilliant events