On 2007-10-27 08:22:45 -0400, Geoff Schultz said:

Skip certainly has had more than his share of problems, and many of
them are self inflicted, but he's out there doing it and hopefully
learning from his mistakes. Many of the so-called experts in this
forum spend all of their time behind a computer and quote text books
instead of actually cruising. Maybe Skip is crazy by documenting his
adventures and misfortunes in such a public fashion, but I give him
credit for not giving up.

BINGO!

I rag on him on occasion, but generally because I forget how new he and
Lydia are to cruising. They have researched things and intellectually
"know" so much that I expect more that can be reasonably expected.

BUT, even experienced sailors in their home turf can make mistakes.

Case in point: Last weekend, we sorta hosted a raft-up of Tanzers.
Someone else called the rendezvous, but I refined the location to the
anchorage nearest to our dock. This is an anchorage we anchored in
probably 30 days this season. (for those that know the Chesapeake, this
is Fairlee Creek.)

But, because it was after the powerboats' season, I chose to try out
just behind the sand spit, normally clogged up with "them".

'Tis a WONDERFUL spot. We could see everyone coming in the channel
through 3+ foot Chesapeake chop while we luxuriated in nearly flat
conditions on the other side of the spit. The view of the full moon
coming up was inspirational.

But, I neglected to consider what happens when 20+ knot winds shift
from southerly to northerly on the Bay. Been there before, but this
time I just didn't think about the effects of such a shift.

About 1 AM we noticed we were aground and at about 10 degree heel.

By 3 AM, that was 35 degrees by our inclinometer.

By 6 AM (with high tide at 9:30), things weren't better, so it's time
to call Towboat US. They got to us a bit before high tide and pulled
both of us off with pretty much zero problem. I don't believe he
actually dialed up to full power as we were spit like watermelon seeds
the 100 or so feet to sufficient water.

Our sister rafted up to us reported 50 degree heel, but I never saw
higher than 35 (and our mast was always further over than theirs.)

Which is part of an indication of our difference in acceptance of our
shared plight. Pat and I got pretty good sleep that night. We were
heeled over so had to sleep pretty much on the side of the boat in
separate berths, (separate berths always disturbs our sleep), but there
weren't any creaks or groans from the boat, we weren't pounding or in
any evident danger, so we slept as soundly as we normally do, waiting
for high tide.

Our sister's distaff admiral wasn't as sanguine. She was literally sick
that night, probably got no real sleep, and called for a land-ride home
the next morning. Their poor captain probably is still catching a load
of baggage from my mistake.

Oh, my primary mistake? Forgetting that anchorages can have different
bottoms and holding in different areas. I "knew" that anchorage so well
that I expected the bottom next to the sand spit to be like the rest of
the anchorage: so forgiving that I don't even bother to back down on
the anchor. any more Only after a bit of thought did I realize that an
area easily swept of all water would be hard sand rather than lots of
mud. My clue should have been no vegetation bouncing the depth
soundings to impossible shallows as I came in.

--
Jere Lull
Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD
Xan's pages: http://web.mac.com/jerelull/iWeb/Xan/
Our BVI trips & tips: http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/