I left Washington in the rain but with a promise of clearing that was gradually fulfilled as I ran down the bay. I’d only seen a couple of crab pots on the way up so I mostly sat on the top companionway step reading and watching the GPS, sticking my head out for a look around at the end of each page. It was nice to be back in open water.
The sun came out as I started up Pungo River and I anchored under dramatic clouds in the creek just west of G 23 at the entrance of the canal. A large left over shower was going by to the south and there was a rainbow over the intense sunset light over apparently untouched swamplands. The joy of cruising was back.
I woke to clear skies and sun but clouds suddenly moved in before I even covered the quarter mile distance to the ICW. It was a long gloomy run up the canal. I’d planned to anchor off Tuckahoe Point in Georgian Bay just at the end of the land cut but decided to go up and check the next anchorage which looked like it might provide slightly better protection if the frontal winds were from the north as I expected. It was about 10:30 and a light easterly wind was just beginning to stir.
As I came up to the beginning of the anchorage, the wind veered and increased slightly. I looked back over my shoulder and instantly put the wheel hard over. By the time I was halfway through a 180 degree turn, Strider was heeled to sailing angle under bare poles. By the time I had completed the turn, the waves were large enough to start throwing sheets of spray back in the cockpit.
I don’t know how hard it was blowing but I saw several dust devils like swirls of water rise up into the air, something I have only seen a few times in my life. I went out a few minutes ago, now that it has calmed down considerably, and measured a 38 mph gust. I was unsure, as I struggled back up the waterway whether I should attempt to anchor or get into the partial lee of the land cut. My eye glasses were drenched with spray and I couldn’t read the sounding on the chartplotter.
I opted to anchor and followed my pre-plotted route (times like this are when they are really useful), which I could make out on the screen, up to my planned anchorage and let out my 22 pound Delta primary anchor on generous scope. As soon as I felt the set, I went down to shed wet clothes and recover.
By the time I’d pulled my pants and long underwear off, it was clear we were dragging both by the feel of the boat and the GPS. Here is the anchorage and my track:
I pulled on a dry pair of pants and went back on deck. Even though I was only half a mile from shore, it was like working in open water as I got the Fortress FX 16 un-stowed from the bow and made up the chain and rode stored in the cockpit locker. This is when practicing with anchors pays off big time. I started the engine and assisted the boat out on one of the wild swings she was making to try and get a good “V” dual set. The second anchor went over and took hold. I went back below to have some lunch.
It didn’t take long watching the GPS to see that we were still dragging, although much more slowly. I looked out and the two anchors had been pulled together with both rodes running parallel from the bow. I went up and let out more scope, well over 10:1 now, and then got the big Guardian out of the bilge. I’ve forgotten what size it is but it’s rated for a 47 foot boat and too big to stow anywhere on deck. The pieces had corroded a bit and getting it assembled while pitching more than on most power legs dead to windward with the dead tree snags of the lee shore getting closer and closer was exciting.
I got the Guardian over the side and it appeared from its behavior that the other two anchors had finally taken hold. I let out some more scope so I could set the Guardian and took its rode back to the stern to jerk set it in. Strider was clearly holding now so I let us back a bit more with the other two anchors to stretch out the chain of the third and put the Kellett on the end of the chain. It’s now sitting there, just in case.
Here’s the track detail of the anchor setting:
We’ve held for the last three hours but it’s blowing a steady 30 now and I just measured a gust over 40. The crab pot I’ve been keeping an eye on has stayed pretty much in the same place. There are nasty looking clouds on the horizon though and the heeling and motion could be a normal day under sail. According to the weather report, the wind should be starting to ease now but it just seems to be getting stronger.
The sun came out as I started up Pungo River and I anchored under dramatic clouds in the creek just west of G 23 at the entrance of the canal. A large left over shower was going by to the south and there was a rainbow over the intense sunset light over apparently untouched swamplands. The joy of cruising was back.
I woke to clear skies and sun but clouds suddenly moved in before I even covered the quarter mile distance to the ICW. It was a long gloomy run up the canal. I’d planned to anchor off Tuckahoe Point in Georgian Bay just at the end of the land cut but decided to go up and check the next anchorage which looked like it might provide slightly better protection if the frontal winds were from the north as I expected. It was about 10:30 and a light easterly wind was just beginning to stir.
As I came up to the beginning of the anchorage, the wind veered and increased slightly. I looked back over my shoulder and instantly put the wheel hard over. By the time I was halfway through a 180 degree turn, Strider was heeled to sailing angle under bare poles. By the time I had completed the turn, the waves were large enough to start throwing sheets of spray back in the cockpit.
I don’t know how hard it was blowing but I saw several dust devils like swirls of water rise up into the air, something I have only seen a few times in my life. I went out a few minutes ago, now that it has calmed down considerably, and measured a 38 mph gust. I was unsure, as I struggled back up the waterway whether I should attempt to anchor or get into the partial lee of the land cut. My eye glasses were drenched with spray and I couldn’t read the sounding on the chartplotter.
I opted to anchor and followed my pre-plotted route (times like this are when they are really useful), which I could make out on the screen, up to my planned anchorage and let out my 22 pound Delta primary anchor on generous scope. As soon as I felt the set, I went down to shed wet clothes and recover.
By the time I’d pulled my pants and long underwear off, it was clear we were dragging both by the feel of the boat and the GPS. Here is the anchorage and my track:
I pulled on a dry pair of pants and went back on deck. Even though I was only half a mile from shore, it was like working in open water as I got the Fortress FX 16 un-stowed from the bow and made up the chain and rode stored in the cockpit locker. This is when practicing with anchors pays off big time. I started the engine and assisted the boat out on one of the wild swings she was making to try and get a good “V” dual set. The second anchor went over and took hold. I went back below to have some lunch.
It didn’t take long watching the GPS to see that we were still dragging, although much more slowly. I looked out and the two anchors had been pulled together with both rodes running parallel from the bow. I went up and let out more scope, well over 10:1 now, and then got the big Guardian out of the bilge. I’ve forgotten what size it is but it’s rated for a 47 foot boat and too big to stow anywhere on deck. The pieces had corroded a bit and getting it assembled while pitching more than on most power legs dead to windward with the dead tree snags of the lee shore getting closer and closer was exciting.
I got the Guardian over the side and it appeared from its behavior that the other two anchors had finally taken hold. I let out some more scope so I could set the Guardian and took its rode back to the stern to jerk set it in. Strider was clearly holding now so I let us back a bit more with the other two anchors to stretch out the chain of the third and put the Kellett on the end of the chain. It’s now sitting there, just in case.
Here’s the track detail of the anchor setting:
We’ve held for the last three hours but it’s blowing a steady 30 now and I just measured a gust over 40. The crab pot I’ve been keeping an eye on has stayed pretty much in the same place. There are nasty looking clouds on the horizon though and the heeling and motion could be a normal day under sail. According to the weather report, the wind should be starting to ease now but it just seems to be getting stronger.
Next couple days look better!
