November 1, 2012
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| Gotta Smile & Bon Voyage grounded in the channel. |
Just as we were thinking, "Wow, two perfect days in a row", we came to an abrupt stop! There we were in the middle of the channel riding the magenta line (on electronic charts the center of the course is marked in magenta). We went aground and so did the 39 Krogen traveling with us. We both tried to wiggle and jiggle to get loose, but it wasn't to be. Tow Boat US monitors the radios and heard us discussing our situation. Since we are both members, we agreed to be pulled off by them.
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| Tow Boat Tom to the rescue! |
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| 350 horsepower can really churn up the bottom! |
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| Almost free, the first time..... |
The captain backed his boat up to us and put his two 175 horsepower engines at full throttle. He sat there and let his big engines dig the sand out from under us. Once we were free, we moved to the starboard side of the channel where it was supposed to be deeper and we grounded again. The tow boat was still next to us. This time he attached to our bow and pulled us until we were definitely in deep water. As we sat signing the paperwork, the Coast Guard arrived. They were measuring the water depth and buoy placement. Apparently this has been a problem spot for other boats too.
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| The Coast Guard surveying the channel. |
Shoaling is a constant threat on the waterways. As the water moves, it carries sand and redistributes the bottom. Move enough sand in an area and a shallow spot is created in a location that makes no sense from the surface.
Still a beautiful day -- just a little hiccup or what I call a memory maker!
Gotta smile -- we're lovin the ride!
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