Parking on WA State Ferries
Last weekend we took the Port Townsend to Coupeville ferry, with a reservation and got there early. We like to that because we usually get placed in the front row with a great view. We were loaded...
Forum Discussion
TucsonJim wrote:romore wrote:
We wanted to go upstairs to enjoy the view but the vehicles were so tightly packed we could not open the doors.
On October 20th, 1976, I was in the U.S. Coast Guard and involved with lifesaving activities related to the George Prince ferry disaster. 77 people died that morning when a tanker and the ferry collided. The majority of the people who died were still inside their vehicles when the collision occurred. It was a chilly morning, so people had their windows up. The ferry capsized and the cars were strewn into the Mississippi river. The majority of the 18 survivors were outside of their cars or at least had the windows down and could swim to safety.
So anytime you're on a ferry boat, I recommend getting out of your car and locating the life jacket storage. If you are crammed in so tightly that you can't get out of your car, at least keep your windows down so you can get out of the car in a disaster.
Jim
I believe that tactic is now against the C/G safety rules.
