rcknecht
Well-Known Member
When you boat, especially when things don’t go as planned, it helps to travel with others, it especially helps when the folks you travel with are experienced boaters, who remain calm, and have tools and know how…
I thank God that yesterday we were traveling with Alex F and his wife… I am proud to say Alex and Juliana are our friends… We were at the CSR AC rendezvous yesterday and were traveling home on what was a very hot and calm day. We left AC at 11:30, when out the Absecon inlet into the Ocean. We caught up with the Diana, Alex’s friend Paul and Olga, in their 35’ Beneteau; we drifted and swam in the ocean… The water was warm with 3-4’ rollers from the South East… After, our short swim, we heading in the Little Egg Inlet and stopped a Beach Haven for gas. From there we went north, and cut through the double creek channel to High Bar harbor, by the Barnegat Inlet. We anchored in a beautiful anchoring spot near a beach in about 8’ of water…
Alex had about 50’ of rode out at this time, with 2-5 knot winds out of the south east… After a swim and lunch, we noticed the dark clouds North West of us. We planned to wait for the Beneteau to arrive before continuing on our journey… As the clouds darkened we decided to put up our Isinglass. I was on the bow when the winds picked and changed direction (180 degrees). I immediately dropped my anchor as the winds picked up. Alex let out his anchor rode. Alex has out, at this time, about 100’ and I had out 100’ of chain. We began dragging the anchor, at about 5-7 knots, headed through the anchorage directly at sailboat. I ran to the cockpit, and we both started our engines. My 11 year old daughter was on the bow. As we headed on a collision course with sail boat, my baby girls legs were over the side. Alex’s wife, Juliana jumped over the rail and pulled her out just before the collision. I my rail bent, but my daughter was not hurt. We continued to drag our anchors in 40+ knot sustained winds… We were all praying the anchors would hold. Finally, about 15’ from a sledge island the Alex’s anchor held. We dragged more than 500 yards. The rain and the wind were relentless. Our praying then went to our friends in the Ocean, trying to enter the Barnegat inlet. After about an hour they made it, thank God… We later learned the taking waves over their boat with full throttle only making 3-4 knots… This was not the end, as I was letting my anchor rode out, a huge knot got stuck in the windless and jammed it. The breaker tripped… In the pouring rain and intense wind, Alex broke out this tools, and we (he) dissembled the windless to get the knot out… My wife and were amazed how calm Alex was during this adventure… Then, we found the breaker in the engine compartment, and in my nervous state, I broke my breaker… Alex remained calm and broke out his tools and jumped the breaker with a wire, so I could retrieve my anchor. The winds and rain finally subsided and I was able to pull my anchor up… Alex was afraid that we hooked a navigation marker chain was dragged past it, fortunately he did not, and was able to retriever his anchor too… We head home… My port engine temp began to rise, and we stopped just inside the inlet in the Barnegat bay… Alex suggested that is might be eel grass in my raw water pick up, since I had cleaned my strain when we were anchored. I dove in and pulled some grass out of my strainer. We all made in home… I have a broken anchor light base, a bent rail, a breaker to replace, and heat exchange to clean, but everyone important is safe… My thanks to Alex F and Juliana, who we met on CSR… I would travel anywhere with Alex…
BTW, I will post picture when I get home tonight..
I thank God that yesterday we were traveling with Alex F and his wife… I am proud to say Alex and Juliana are our friends… We were at the CSR AC rendezvous yesterday and were traveling home on what was a very hot and calm day. We left AC at 11:30, when out the Absecon inlet into the Ocean. We caught up with the Diana, Alex’s friend Paul and Olga, in their 35’ Beneteau; we drifted and swam in the ocean… The water was warm with 3-4’ rollers from the South East… After, our short swim, we heading in the Little Egg Inlet and stopped a Beach Haven for gas. From there we went north, and cut through the double creek channel to High Bar harbor, by the Barnegat Inlet. We anchored in a beautiful anchoring spot near a beach in about 8’ of water…
Alex had about 50’ of rode out at this time, with 2-5 knot winds out of the south east… After a swim and lunch, we noticed the dark clouds North West of us. We planned to wait for the Beneteau to arrive before continuing on our journey… As the clouds darkened we decided to put up our Isinglass. I was on the bow when the winds picked and changed direction (180 degrees). I immediately dropped my anchor as the winds picked up. Alex let out his anchor rode. Alex has out, at this time, about 100’ and I had out 100’ of chain. We began dragging the anchor, at about 5-7 knots, headed through the anchorage directly at sailboat. I ran to the cockpit, and we both started our engines. My 11 year old daughter was on the bow. As we headed on a collision course with sail boat, my baby girls legs were over the side. Alex’s wife, Juliana jumped over the rail and pulled her out just before the collision. I my rail bent, but my daughter was not hurt. We continued to drag our anchors in 40+ knot sustained winds… We were all praying the anchors would hold. Finally, about 15’ from a sledge island the Alex’s anchor held. We dragged more than 500 yards. The rain and the wind were relentless. Our praying then went to our friends in the Ocean, trying to enter the Barnegat inlet. After about an hour they made it, thank God… We later learned the taking waves over their boat with full throttle only making 3-4 knots… This was not the end, as I was letting my anchor rode out, a huge knot got stuck in the windless and jammed it. The breaker tripped… In the pouring rain and intense wind, Alex broke out this tools, and we (he) dissembled the windless to get the knot out… My wife and were amazed how calm Alex was during this adventure… Then, we found the breaker in the engine compartment, and in my nervous state, I broke my breaker… Alex remained calm and broke out his tools and jumped the breaker with a wire, so I could retrieve my anchor. The winds and rain finally subsided and I was able to pull my anchor up… Alex was afraid that we hooked a navigation marker chain was dragged past it, fortunately he did not, and was able to retriever his anchor too… We head home… My port engine temp began to rise, and we stopped just inside the inlet in the Barnegat bay… Alex suggested that is might be eel grass in my raw water pick up, since I had cleaned my strain when we were anchored. I dove in and pulled some grass out of my strainer. We all made in home… I have a broken anchor light base, a bent rail, a breaker to replace, and heat exchange to clean, but everyone important is safe… My thanks to Alex F and Juliana, who we met on CSR… I would travel anywhere with Alex…
BTW, I will post picture when I get home tonight..
