Did I make a mistake

[Jim]

We anchor at our favorite crowed anchorage last Sunday for a relaxing swim. The depth gage read 7 feet as I when up to set the anchor. I quickly became concerned when I notice I could see bottom clearly and screamed to my wife, “how depth is it”. She replied, “7 to 8 feet”. I have never seen the water so clear in my 8 years of boating at this location. Ok, on with the question.

I put my mask, fins and snorkel on and when for a long skin dive. I found a big CQR plow style anchor with a large chain rode in good shape; still set at the bottom and set but not attached to a boat. My first thought was to salvage the anchor and rode. Then I notice the sea life that was living on the anchor and decide it made a nice man-made reef. I told my friend at work and he called me a dope and told me how much it was worth. Did I make a mistake?

By the way, I did pick up a couple of plastic bags from the bottom to keep fish from eating them.

 

[sailaway78]

You should have

You certainly should have salvaged that anchor. That is perfectly legal and noting wrong with doing it. They are worth quite a bit of money.

 

[Jim]

Nice N Easy, I didn't know how much it was worth

I didn't need one and didn't think I could get $100 for it. I was wrong!

 

[Ross]

I paid 75 for a 35 pound cqr 15 years ago

probably worth 3x that today.

 

[Jim]

Ross, this was a big boy

could have been 70 to 100 lbs with a lot of chain. I was far from the boat when I found it. I think I am going to carry a punching ball and some rope if I try to look for it again. That way I could make it and come pick it up with the boat and it's windless and into the anchor locker.

 

[Pete]

here is my two cents worth

I would have salvaged it based on your saying it was in good shape. Here is my reasoning; it was not a natural or normal entry to the sea bed and not large enough to be a "man made reef" of any real consequence. If it was a positive to the marine environment it was not put there with the blessing of any marine management authority. That said some one will snag on it or dive on it and retrieve it sooner or later so your loss will be there gain. To spin it another way you could look at it like you were doing a public good to remove it because someone may have put out there anchor, hooking the chain and falsely thing they were anchored securely and in truth they could pull loose from the unsecured chain and lose there boat ! I would have taken it in a New York minute !!

 

[Pete]

for what it is worth !

Jim, not to make you feel any worse then you all ready do but in the Defenders 2008 catalog a 75 pound galvanized CQR list for $1602. discount at $1122. Got to think if it was in decent shape it would be worth at least half (not including the chain or hardware ! ! Not exactly chump change ! !

 

[Jim]

Pete, I didn't have a GPS location

I was a good 1000 yards from the boat. I didn't think about it being a hazard to other boat. Now I do feel bad to top it off. I am not sure I could have got it up away. I would have to of tryed to mark the location. Swim back to the boat and get a fender and some line. Got the boat and used the windless to get the anchor.

To anyone that want to look for it, it was at Tices Shoal. Look on the chart just south of the 39.50' line. Look for the two 5 foot depth east and west of each other. It is close to the shollow side of the east 5' mark..... I think!

Also, I am not sure on the size. Everything looks bigger under water.

 

[tcrespo]

What I want to know...

is who left it? If the depths were that shallow, why would you give up on your anchor and leave it behind? I bet there's an interesting story here...

 

[Rob19574]

Let it go

Jim -

You did the right thing by leaving it alone. You had a relaxing swim and afternoon with you wife....leave it at that. Sometimes we over complicate things to the point where we forget to just enjoy a Sunday afternoon with the family. That would have taken at least an hour out of your afternoon to haul-in - and it seems like you already have a working anchor so why fuss? Then getting it home and cleaning off the marine life...another hour at least.

- Rob

 

[EatDrinkHealthy]

CQR

We couldn't give CQR away around here. I have mine decorating the flowerbed.

Chains I would keep. BTW You have salvage rights.