I think I remember seeing the picture you are referring to.. I don't
remember the whole story..

However, the standard procedure for "dropping the anchor" is just that.

I spent many a cold and dreary hour or so on the anchor detail of several US
Navy ships.. The anchor chain is held fast by a pelican hook and the anchor
windlass brake.

The procedure is to insure that the pelican hook is in place with the safety
pin holding it closed, disengage the anchor windlass motor from the
'wildcat' or gypsy, all hands stand clear of the chain. Then upon direction
from the officer of the deck (OOD), on the bridge, to drop (release or let
go) the anchor, the seaman with a sledge hammer pulls the safety pin lanyard
from the pelican hook and knocks the latch off the pelican hook. The anchor
drops and the chain rattles out of the 'chain pipe', over the deck and down
the 'howse pipe'. The person in charge of the forecastle detail will count
markings and report the amount of chain that has been released. He can also
tell when the anchor has reached bottom and will report this. The brakeman
will begin slowing the chain with the hand brake on the 'wildcat'. Once the
chain is under control, the ship will back down while the brakeman lets out
more chain until the OOD is satified there is enough scope and the anchor is
set. Scope is then adjusted by either letting out more chain or by engaging
the windlass motor and hauling in chain.

You might wonder why the anchor is dropped rather than lowered, under
control.. The windlass motor is gears so low that it would take more than a
few minutes to reach bottom and if you lower it 'on the brake', it would
over heat and burn up in short order. It is important to get the anchor to
the bottom quickly, while the ship is in the desired position.

Ships have 'dropped anchor' for hundreds of years and most private boats do
the same.

Oh! Yah! Maybe someone should look over the bow to see if some work boat is
under the bow. Not in the SOP (standard operating procedure), but worth
while considering..


--
My opinion and experience. FWIW

Steve
s/v Good Intentions