Ferry delayed after truck gets stuck

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The Martha's Vineyard was delayed for over an hour in Woods Hole, due to a truck getting stuck in the door. — Anthony Esposito

Updated May 17 @6:30 am

The MV Martha’s Vineyard, a ferry that’s faced a string of mechanical issues, had another problem Wednesday night, but this time it had to do with the tides in Woods Hole.

A tractor-trailer attempting to unload from the ferry got stuck in the doorway, blocking other vehicles from exiting, and delaying the ferry’s 9:45 pm return trip to Vineyard Haven.

The Times spoke with Anthony Esposito, an Island resident who was trying to get home.

Steamship Authority employees told him one of the reasons they’re redoing the slips in Woods Hole is so that incidents like this one don’t happen.

The Martha’s Vineyard was finally underway about an hour and 15 minutes late, Esposito said.

In an email to The Times, general manager Robert Davis, wrote, “Due to the extreme high tide, a tractor-trailer got hung up on the ramp while offloading. They were able to remove the vehicle after changing tractors. The MV Martha’s Vineyard just left for its return to the Island, and we are assessing what the delay will cause for the startup tomorrow morning.”

The Steamship Authority’s website included a notation on the schedule indicating that the ferry was delayed “30 minutes due to unforeseen reasons.”

There were 24 cars, one large truck, and a total of 76 people, including six children, waiting to go back to the Vineyard, Esposito said.