Sapelo Island tradegy

[AA3JY]

https://apnews.com/article/ferry-doc...c51fc7aa853038

[massnspace]

I was cruising down the ICW in 2016 and decided to see downtown Savannah after leaving my sailboat at Thunderbolt. When I was sitting there downtown eating a ramp at the dock collapsed and sent a bunch of people into the fast-moving water right in front of me. One first responder died.

Is there something up with dock ramps in that state, or just a coincidence?

https://www.wtoc.com/story/33763359/...investigation/

[gonesail]

my take is that there were too many people on the ramp. Someone needs to be there or at least post a sign stating how many it can hold. Maybe they did

[GordMay]

At least 20 people went into the water, when the gangway collapsed Saturday afternoon. At one time, there may have been as many as 40 people, on the ramp.
A McIntosh County commissioner previously said a boat hit the dock, but a DNR spokesperson later told The Associated Press there was no collision, and it is unclear why the dock collapsed.

[MicHughV]

Those ramps are typically designed to a code, around 100 lb/sq.ft.
One would think a safety factor is applied to that number.
Hard to say where the break occurred from that one pic.

I'm sure the lawyers will be hovering around like vultures soon.

Without knowing more details any probable cause would be pure conjecture.

[5BTM]

Forty times the weight of an average Georgian would be...?

[GordMay]

According to NPR:
➥ https://www.npr.org/2024/10/19/g-s1-...-sapelo-island

Originally Posted by NPR

“... “It is a structural failure. There should be very, very little maintenance to an aluminum gangway like that, but we’ll see what the investigation unfolds,” Georgia Department of Natural Resources Commissioner Walter Rabon said at a news conference.

The gangway was installed in 2021, authorities said...

... The ferry dock was rebuilt after Georgia officials in October 2020 settled a federal lawsuit by residents of the tiny community of Hogg Hummock, who complained the state-operated ferry boats and docks they rely upon to travel between Sapelo Island the mainland failed to meet federal accessibility standards for people with disabilities.

The state agreed to demolish and replace outdated docks while upgrading ferry boats to accommodate people in wheelchairs and those with impaired hearing. The state also paid a cash settlement of $750,000 ...”

[AA3JY]

E.J.Grovner was ourguide and his wife taught sweet grass basketry when we toured the Island ..

https://www.yahoo.com/news/georgia-a...150643228.html

[mbianka]

Originally Posted by gonesail

my take is that there were too many people on the ramp. Someone needs to be there or at least post a sign stating how many it can hold. Maybe they did

One of my rules in life is to avoid crowds whenever I can. For various reasons. Avoiding this type of tragedy is one of them.

[sailorboy1]

makes me sad when anyone responds to these type of things with anything other than it being a sad tragedy

[massnspace]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

makes me sad when anyone responds to these type of things with anything other than it being a sad tragedy

It would be kind of boring if 40 people in a row all said “It was a sad tragedy”.

[AA3JY]

Obviously no one has had the opportunity to visit this very unique island and its culture from the posted responses.. Though on the surface it would be a simple every day news item ..but having been there and meeting the people I personally could feel the deep lose and deviation within this small and somewhat isolated community.

[5BTM]

Originally Posted by AA3JY

Obviously no one has had the opportunity to visit this very unique island and its culture from the posted responses.. Though on the surface it would be a simple every day news item ..but having been there and meeting the people I personally could feel the deep lose and deviation within this small and somewhat isolated community.

I have had the opportunity.

From the posted photo in the N.P.R fluff piece article it does not appear that the "community" spent the $750K on a S.W.L sign.

Personally, I am not surprised.

[jeanathon]

This pic looks to attest to the force of the current that rips through there.

[jcapo]

Originally Posted by 5BTM

Forty times the weight of an average Georgian would be...?

Probably less than the northern tourists on that ramp.