I'm at anchor on the ICW in Camp Lejuene, NC. I'm surrounded by a dozen other boats. We've been stopped because there are live fire exercises ahead. It sounds like a war zone. A guy on another boat says it'll be three hours before we'll be allowed to pass.
Nice. I'll be motoring in the dark to the closest anchorage.
Ross and his buddy Tom visited the boat two days ago. It was a pleasure to meet Ross who has contributed a lot of good information to the blog. We had an enjoyable time eating dinner at a dockside restaurant, driving to West Marine to buy a new anchor, and hanging out on the boat watching the sunset.
Ross mentioned that one of the reasons he likes the blog is that it is relatable. It's not just about what I did today and who I met.
I do try to have something to say when I write a post. I don't post just to hear my own voice. Unfortunately, I haven't had much to say recently. Maybe it's because I'm tired with trying to do lots of miles. Maybe it's because I'm covering the same territory again on the way North. And while I still run aground, drag and destroy anchors, and do lots of other dumb stuff; I've done it all, and written about it before.
Anyway, I'm thinking that if there is a book in the blog, it's already been written. Now I'm just writing the denouement. Or maybe I need a break. I'm sure there will be another chapter to write this summer with Amy aboard.
Ross took the pic after I attached my new anchor to its chain.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Yada Yada Yada
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4 comments:
Yes, Tom & I had a great time getting a tour of Split Decision, eating and especially hanging out with you on your new West Marine 'hook' while swilling a couple of beers in the Wrightsville anchorage area. It was a very pleasant evening - and one of the best things about boating.
Speaking of the new anchor, I have to report that I couldn't persuade Scott to give up the story of how the last one got bent. Apparently that story is resigned to the Davy Jones Locker of sea tales. OTOH, maybe Amy will have better luck.
We've certainly all done some stuff in our boating past that on reflection would seem too dumb to have been possible.
On one of my first chartering experiences as 'captain' I had a friend up on the foredeck paying out the anchor rode. I yelled for him to let out a good deal of line and the next thing I hear is him yelling back - 'all the line just went overboard'. I hadn't taken the precaution to check that the charter company had secured the bitter end and my crew (who had no prior experience) didn't know that he'd need to monitor the process so closely. I then knew why it was called the "bitter end" of the line!
I was then trying to motor into a strong tidal current while holding a fixed positon in the hope that we could dive down and recover the anchor/rode. I asked a couple of other guys on board to quickly get on their snorkeling gear and search for the lost ground tackle.
The next thing I know one of them had put the boarding ladder over the side to get into the dinghy but didn't secure it to the main boat. He didn't realize that the strong current could pull the ladder away. Well, sure enough, the unsecured ladder did pull away and disappeared into the depths somewhere off the stern!
We eventually did recover the anchor, but only after about three hours. The boarding ladder didn't fully sink to the bottom and was therefore lost for good.
It's funny how things learned in this manner stay with a person so well. I've never lost another anchor - in that same exact way - again.
Ross, have you found as many ways to lose an anchor as Scott has? It sounds like I really need to invest in anchor companies. Maybe Anchor Steam?
Great story, Ross. And that's exactly the kind of series of events I'm afraid I'll start when I'm on board this summer!
Reminds me of the episode of Gilligan's Island where they held an inquest into the shipwreck of the Minnow. One of the theories was that Gilligan forgot to tie the anchor to the boat.
I think Gilligan was absolved. I forget what they decided caused the wreck.
"And if not for the courage of the fearless crew, the Minnow would be lost!"
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