Exciting Couple of Days on the Bahama Banks

Details on Bob & Ilona's Really Exciting Adventure on the Bahama Banks.

WARNING – Frightening narrative ahead.  Many cascading Holy Fucks. Do not show to small (or big) children.

And yes, Mark and Neil – you did warn us about this. Oh, well --

12/30/13 – With the Wrights, crossed the Gulf Stream from Lake Worth Inlet to West End.  Left 4am, arrived 2:30pm.  Not enough wind to sail, but enough to bring the seas up to maybe 3 feet as we arrived (winds were supposed to die down).  No problem.

12/31/13 – Wonderful New Years Eve in West End.  Lots of sailors.  Junkanoo Party at the restaurant/bar (see facebook). Fresh lobster bought on the dock, cooked on our boat.

1/1/14 – More time in West End.  Pool.  Beach. Perfect weather. This place really feels Caribbean.  Saw an Ursula Andress-type emerge from the water at a beach, carrying snorkel, fins, mask -- Dr. No country for old men? Like being in a James Bond movie.

1/2/14 – Left at 7:30 am for Great Sale Cay, with the Wrights.   HLF [Holy Fuck] #1 - Should have checked the weather better – was supposed to be good until tomorrow, should have had good protection in Great Sale (did not).  Got some good sailing in on the Banks.  Winds strong when we anchored. 

HLF #2: Windlass broke!  I (temporarily?) fixed it for direct drive, since the clutch would not grab with the free-fall setting.  Because of this, we may not have set the Rocna 33# anchor well enough [HLF #2.5]. Planned to work on it the next day.

1/3/14 – HLF #3. Predicted norther hit at 5 AM with wind shift to north, of at least 40 knots!  [Predicted: 25, 30 max.]  Anchor dragged. Drifting towards Wrights' boat.  They slept through this, and they were dragging too!  To avoid hitting them, I used the engine. BIG MISTAKE. STUPID! [Hey, it's dark, I'm still asleep, Wrights sleep through VHF and our horn. While they are dragging.]

HLF #4.– I wound the chain around our prop, killing our engine.  The anchor reset; we were hanging sideways (chain fastened to the prop).  Winds continued all day.  Wright's anchor also reset (they didn't even know they had dragged until they woke up!)

Initial assessment: We were royally fucked!

Engine still started and ran in neutral.  Decided not to use it to charge the batteries; new solar collectors worked for the day. Could not do anything all day – too rough for us to launch the dinghy to set a second anchor; too rough for the Wrights too (they had a 9 hp motor).  Anchors held. Winds 25-35 all day.

Put through a phone call (sat phone) to Towboat US.  They relayed it to Knowles Marina in Freeport (closest tow and repair facility, 70 miles away).  Knowles said it was much too rough for them to come get us.  Agreed to maintain contact.

HLF #5. Our satellite phone stopped working!  Wrights only have a BGAN cell phone, which only works if pointed directly at a satellite; no rocking; only works in port when tied to dock. We now have no communication, except EPIRB – and we are safe, for now – not a Mayday.  Could try VHFing a PanPan, but nobody was in range anyway. We are the only two boats anywhere near here. Oh, well.

Holy Fuck!

Can't do much today.  Just staying on the boat – hoping the anchor would hold us.  Turns out that wasn't a problem – see tomorrow's story. 

Got out the second anchor; tied bitter end of the rode to a bow cleat, so it is ready to toss overboard if the primary anchor does not keep holding.

Packing a ditch bag today – nothing else to do; just in  case…  Glad we have the 33 foot lifeboat (s/v Tranquility standing by.

Good thing we installed a solar charging system.  Sunny all day, so it kept the batteries up.  Didn't want to run the engine to use the alternator for battery charging.

1/4/14 – Up before dawn.  Winds down to 16 knots.  7 am: Launched dinghy, set second anchor (Bruce clone) off the bow.  Wrights came over with their dinghy to help. 

Facemask, snorkel, wetsuit – I dove to see what was up.  Chain was wrapped many times around our prop.  We took the pressure off the chain and prop by hanging on our second anchor.

First order of business was to get the main (Rocna) anchor up – no hope of freeing the prop until anchor was up. Or getting a tow. Or sailing anywhere.

We tried fishing for the anchor chain between the prop and anchor, next to the boat.  Boat hook (12 feet depth).  No luck.  I finally suggested that we tie a weight to two lines, to hold the lines down, then walk the lines back on both sides of the boat – weight should keep the lines below the keel and prop.  This way, we had lines under the chain running from the prop to the anchor.  Now grabbing the chain, we took dinghy (theirs) as we pulled ourselves over the anchor.

HLF #6. Tried to pull anchor into dinghy.  Too well set.  Tried to motor it off with dinghy. No luck.  Tightened the rode on the second anchor, to pull us close to the first anchor.  Put chain on jib winch; could not raise the anchor.  [Windlass probably would not do it either – this was correct, we found out later.] 

I took a deep breath, then pulled myself down the chain, 12' to the Rocna – I hoped to pass a line through the hoop and bring the bitter end up with me.  This would give us a trip line, to maybe raise the anchor.  BUT – feeling around 12' down, all I could see was the chain going into the mud.  Could not feel the anchor or its hoop.  Tried a few times, wiping mud away, but could not find the anchor! Enough.

Well, we couldn't get towed or sail with the anchor still set, so debated cutting the chain.

I took another look under the boat (I'm getting close to hyperthermia now).  Good news, finally!  All that pulling on the chain unwound the chain from the prop, and the chain was only snagged on the bulb on the bottom of the keel.  Another "pleasant" half-hour or so in the water and I got the chain free from the keel. 

And more news: I examined the prop.  Hard to tell, but the shaft (short shaft; saildrive) may have been bent.  Can't tell. Maybe it is good enough to get us somewhere.  Ran engine and slowly engaged forward and reverse for a second – the prop seemed to be turning correctly. But was it going to work? Would running the engine cause more damage?

We now have a straight run of chain from the windlass to the well-set anchor.  Windlass seems to work, when not under pressure.

All four of us have been working for about 5 hours now – it's about noon.  We are far beyond total exhaustion (plus I was wet and cold; dry clothes now).  Break for lunch, Wrights went back to their boat. Plan was to attempt to use our windlass, with our engine running (neutral) to provide more power to the windlass.  If this worked (it did not, we found out later), then spend the afternoon with a hacksaw and cut the chain. [Then what?]

More good news!  Finally! The cavalry arrives! Knowles Marine (Towboat US affiliate shows up).  They have come 70 miles in 5 hours, since they could not contact us back.  Knowles has a repair facility (rated good in the guidebooks), and Towboat US will pay for a tow to Freeport if we wanted it. We did, of course.

With Knowles' help, we attempted to raise our Rocna.  Our windlass was not strong enough, even with the engine (neutral) revved to provide power.  Knowles finally got our anchor up, using their big engine(s) on their big towboat.  It was covered with solid mud, all the way up to the hoop – and, on a Rocna, that means maybe a foot thick!  No wonder I couldn't find the anchor or hoop when I dived down the chain earlier.

Absolutely no way we wanted to stay there and wait for the next big norther (due in 1-2 days), and no way we wanted to attempt motoring (or sailing?) 50+ miles to Green Turtle Cay (east) or back to West End (west).  Not when we could get a tow!  YES!

HLF #7. Wrights were worried that they also would have trouble getting their Rocna up the next morning if it had set like ours did, then sailing/motoring to Allens-Pensacola Cay (which would be bad holding and bad protection), or on all the way to Green Turtle Cay (marinas, repair facilities?, towing?).  We said goodbye, for now.  Promised to keep in touch by e-mail. Waiting to hear that they are okay.  We are worried about them, but they have been here before – twice, once on a 25' and now on their 33' Tartan – and he says he knows what he is doing.  Too much for us, though.

Rigged a bridle and got a tow from about 1pm until after midnight.  70 miles. Exciting going through the Indian Cay/Rock shallows – well after sunset, pitch black out. Tide was rising as we passed through about 2 miles of a narrow, mostly unmarked channel - relaying depth soundings, chartplotter courses, and our track coming through here (higher tide, in daylight) a few days ago.  Minimum depth I saw was 6.2 feet (we draw 5 to 5.4?)

Was very glad to see hundreds of foot depths again as we got outside (east edge of the Florida Straits / Gulf Stream), although the 4 to 5 foot seas we were plowing through for the last hours into Freeport were pretty rough.  Fortunately all we had to do was hang on; Knowles was doing the work.  Bahamian sleigh ride.

Arrived at their marina after midnight.  Needed to run my motor (and prop!) to help get us towed through the inlet and marina. Tied up to a floating dock –yes!  Exciting landing – I couldn't see (or hear) anything as they towed us into the dark marina.

These two guys were terrific.  We have never given anybody this big a tip before (and hope to never do it again).  But they sure earned it.  They were out from Freeport for about 18 hours, not only towing but helping us retrieve and save our $350 anchor.

I slept like a Bobby – really soundly.  After a really big hit of rum. Really big.

1/5/14 – On a floating dock in Knowles Marina, Freeport, Grand Bahama Island. Showers. Electricity. Floating dock. Unlimited water! We're in heaven (even if we are in a working boatyard with few facilities nearby).  Our boat is so dirty that it fits right in here.  Spending the day reorganizing / cleaning / removing salt and mud from everything.  First good meal (Ilona cooked in a couple of days – she cooked, but now I'm relaxed enough to be able to eat.  It's Sunday.  Time to catch up on Internet/e-mail now.

1/6/14 – A day ago, I had a wonderful dream but woke up to a nightmare.  Last night was the opposite.  Warm. Dry. Safe. Boat will survive. And I have the perfect First Mate – we helped each other when we both were barely functioning.

Today, we tried running the engine while tied to the dock.  Gave it short bursts of full power, forward and backward.  There seemed to be plenty of power on the docklines, and no detectable vibrations or other noises beyond what we always had.  SO, it looks like me might have lucked out and won't need extensive repairs.

I will check the tranny fluid in the saildrive later.  If still full, that might be good.  If low or no fluid, then we know we have a problem - but don't expect any.  Looks like we might have been able to make it to safety without the tow, but glad we didn't have to find that out.

Knowles will haul our boat on their travel-lift, probably on Wednesday, and have the mechanics check out the shaft and propeller. If okay, we relaunch.  If not, they say they can do the repairs. Maybe we win this because the exposed drive shaft on a saildrive is only a few inches long (unlike having a stuffing box and long drive shaft to bend, like most boats).

I'm optimistic.

We can live on the boat while this goes on.  Or rent a car, or find a resort, or whatever – plenty to do in Freeport/Lucaya, just not real close by. Meanwhile, we are more than safe here.  Supplies are within a few blocks walk - food, bar, BTC phone company, huge clean laundromat.

Couple of miles walk to bus stop, but there are taxis and car rentals.

Plan to explore, go into Freeport/Lucaya downtowns, hang out.

Natives are extremely polite, friendly, and helpful.  We're certainly not in Florida anymore.  Reminds me of the Yoop (Michigan), or Costa Rica, Mexico, or the Dominican Republic.

Still washing the boat (free water here!) - mud, salt, diving gear, foulies.  And getting re-organized.

Expecting more BFN [Big Friggin Northers] maybe tonight or tomorrow, for a few days, so just as well we are doing land things.

RESOLVED: I have no intention of seeing Robert Redford's movie – ever.

Future plans – unknown.  Depends on repairs needed. 

Sat phone works sometimes now.  Still checking it out. Need a satellite phone or something for emergency communications – working with Global Marine Networks to figure out what the (intermittent) problem is. 

Waiting on the weather.  Northern Bahamas (Abacos) cruising is definitely out for us this winter.  Might go south to the Exumas, might join either buddy boat (Wrights, Albanis) south of here. Might hang here for awhile, might go back to Florida. Might trade the boat for a condo in Death Valley.  Might even enjoy a winter in Minnesota (not THIS winter).

More news later.  Don't worry if you don't hear from us; Internet isn't too good here.

We hope to hear from the Wrights soon.  Hope all is well with them too. Haven't heard from Laurence and Joan; they have had 2 days of good (for here) weather, so they might make Marsh Harbor today before the next BFN hits tonight or tomorrow.