On the 4th of July there were 5 people (3 men, a 10 year old boy and a 22 year old woman) in a 14 foot fiberglass boat (type of motor unknown). They were near the beach in Santa Rosa Sound where they were part of a group picnicking at Naval Live Oaks National Seashore.
The boat was swamped by an unknown boat's wake.
Two of the five drowned when they were thrown into the water--apparently in a matter of minutes. I suspect that the only one with a life jacket on was the boy.
Was the boat overloaded? I don't know, but it goes to show that a boat's wake or combination of wakes can swamp/capsize a small boat in relitatively calm conditions--and a very good idea for operators of boats to be aware of boats of this nature which they may encounter.
This is a plea for boaters to slow down to a minimum wake speed when approaching a boat which has low freeboard or looks as if it may be subject to swamping or capsize.
The boat was swamped by an unknown boat's wake.
Two of the five drowned when they were thrown into the water--apparently in a matter of minutes. I suspect that the only one with a life jacket on was the boy.
Was the boat overloaded? I don't know, but it goes to show that a boat's wake or combination of wakes can swamp/capsize a small boat in relitatively calm conditions--and a very good idea for operators of boats to be aware of boats of this nature which they may encounter.
This is a plea for boaters to slow down to a minimum wake speed when approaching a boat which has low freeboard or looks as if it may be subject to swamping or capsize.