[quote=Geoff Schultz]I lay awake last night thinking about Skip and Lydia and worrying that
people would mis-construe my comments. This event has really bothered
me and I just keep thinking about it. Believe me, I'm not trying to
second guess Skip's decisions or bash anyone. I've just been trying to
understand.

The first thing that confused me was where they were. I've only been up
and down that section of coast 2 times and I've never considered
approaching Marathon from the Gulf side. Maybe I would do it now with
30,000+ miles under my keel, but conditions would have to be perfect.
Not on my first real trip in the dark with 8' seas and 20+ kts of wind.

I just can't imagine the terror of going aground in those conditions.
I've gone aground in rather benign circumstances and know how much my
heart was pounding. With 8' seas, there must have been a huge surf line
and to be caught in that must have been incredibly scary.

I also can't imagine what it would be like to be hoisted off my
boat...my home...that I have lovingly worked on for years...while
watching the sea pound away at it. Every time that I've seen video of
this before, it's always been of people that I didn't know. This is
different. This is someone that I've corresponded with for years as he
worked on the boat.

I've been watching Skip's efforts for years and was cheering him on as
he got ready to leave. I was stunned when this happened. Maybe it's the
feeling that "there but for the grace of God go I." Anyone who has
spent enough time on the water can reflect upon poor choices that
they've made. Many times you get away with them relatively unscathed.
Rarely is it a single item that caused the event. Generally it's a
cascade effect. I mean, what would have happened if their water pump
hadn't broken and they left when they had planned? Maybe the same
thing...maybe not. Who knows?

Anyhow, my heart and sympathies go out to Skip and Lydia. Please let us
know what we can do to help.

-- Geoff


Geoff Schultz wrote in
6:
[color=blue][i]
I've been looking at the charts too. The only route that makes sense
for me is to have headed down the Rocky Channel which is just N of
Content Cay. The charts show that it carries 15' until you get N of
Little Spanish Cay at which point you've got 7+ feet. Unfortunately
this is virtually unmarked and who knows what the hurricanes have done
to it. This is an area that I would never pass unless I had great
light. It appears that it was around 5 PM when they went aground and
there wouldn't have been much light at that point.

I must admit that I also don't understand why they left when they did.
The NWS forecast was for 20-25 kts and 6-8' seas. I know that they
wanted to get going, but I always say:

"You can't pick the weather that you sail in, but you can pick the
weather that you leave in."

All in all this is a very sad day for them and my sympathies go out to
Skip & Lydia. I just wish them the best.

-- Geoff

I too have been following their adventure over the years as well and wish them all the best.

Based on their description of the salvage craft I think I know who they are using and if true, they are in good hands.

Sadly they may be in for another rude shock, because as well as a salvage bill they most assuredly will get assessed by the state and depending on the location of the grounding, the federal government as well, for any damages to the bottom of the area they went aground on. And if it involves live coral, look out!
Either way these fines can easily be in the tens of thousands of dollars.

Hopefully their insurance will cover it. Many policies do.

As others have pointed out, there are lessons to be learned here. Or in fact relearned for many.

Leaving with that kind of weather coming in the Gulf, especially when you have no schedule, is not wise to say the least.

Look at the charts for the Gulf side of the Keys closely and you will see that it is not the place you want to be with a 6 1/5 foot draft during the night or day with out a good bit of local knowledge. We have had a lot of hurricanes over the last few years and things have changed.
Add in the large and rapid swing in depth you get in 8 foot seas and you're asking for trouble.

That said, I hope their boat can be put right and they will soon be underway again.

The bright side is (trying to be positive here) that it looks like they got their big boating disaster over with early. And hopefully they will have smooth sailing from now on.