"Capri" wrote in message
oups.com...
In another post here a new sailor asked about what to do when he runs
aground. He was smart enough not to ask what to do WHEN not IF he runs
aground. For even though you have the best charts and atre the most
diligent about watching where you are going you will eventually run
aground. MY first experience with it was on the ICW south of Cocoa and
Just North of the Pineda Causeway. Beautiful day. Wind out of the east
all sails pulling full, Main, jib and Mizzen, running down what I
thought was the middle of the channel making at least 6 knots, when all
of a sudden we hit a sand bar in about 2 feet of water. Maggie Mae drew
about 4.6. so all of a sudden we were hard aground heeled over on the
side. I made sure everyone was OK then proceeded to call Sea Tow,
Thank goodness we had a contract with them so it didn't cost anything
for them to take us off. I had let the boat wander just a few yards out
of the channel. All my fault. Never happened again. Well, execpt for
the night the anchor dragged when we were all asleep onboard.......but
thats another story. Anyone else have any good grounding tales?

Was there no way to free yourself?

I've grounded a bunch of times. They were all a learning experience. The
best, or most interesting, was in the BVI. Anchored at Cooper, waited an
hour or so, because it's notoriously hard to find a good spot. Everything
looked fine. We went to dinner and got back about 11. The boat had moved
about 40 feet onto a sand bar. It took until 2 am to free her... Kedge with
the anchor on the main halyard. Then, we reanchord and I did a night dive on
the anchor.