Comments about the Bokeelia Boat Ramp
To the editor:
The Bokeelia boat ramp, renamed Lavenders Landing, should be called, Lavenders Folly. This area was purchased for $3 million then redesigned and “improved” for $1.5 million. The boat ramp was widened so two boat trailers could load or unload at one time. Problem is, you cannot do either at low tide. This is the same problem the ramp had before it was redesigned and improved. The end of the ramp has a drop-off of two plus feet. If you go over the end and you may damage your boat trailer. I have personally witnessed this happening several times and have been told it happens all the time at low tide. If you think the county will take responsibility for the damages to your trailer, you would be wrong. They had one small sign at the end of the ramp telling boaters to not go past that particular spot. Why not? Go over and find out for yourself. After one boat trailer was damaged a couple weeks ago, they put up another sign with another warning about the end of the ramp. You get all this for a fee of $10. I think if you are going to pay for the privilege of putting in your boat, you should have a reasonable expectation that your trailer would be safe. Something needs to be done.
I notified the office of Commissioner John Manning, District #1, Lee County, reference this problem. I was contacted by is Executive Assistant, Nan Gonzales, who did follow up on the problem at the Bokeelia/Lavenders Landing boat ramp. Mr. Roger Clark, Land Stewardship/Coastal Areas Manager, stated via email, “Parks and Recreation is working with design and construction and AIM Engineering to come up with a repair solution to the ramp. We are waiting for cost estimate from AIM on a solution that we all agree should work. The problem was caused by boaters powering on and their prop wash caused a large hole beyond the ramp slabs.”
It seems it’s always our fault. This ramp had the same problem before the $1.5 million “improvement” and the problem was not fixed. So boaters beware. The ramp is dangerous and the county will take no responsibility for your damages.
Thomas R. Davis
Bokeelia