This Navy guy and his wife on a boat 3 days ago and the anchor stuck on an old wreck just like mine was Christmas morning, he jumps in with wet suit, mask, diving belt, and goes down to free it, I only had swim trunks on my trip, and the current is like almost 3 knots, his wife waits up top, he never comes back up. A 1000 coast guard still looking for his body today, look it up, Tampa Bay waters, true. Gave me a nice memory dream last night, my anchor line still pink with blood from my almost jumping in to free my anchor that morning trip here, I needed to keep anchor for brake cause engine was out, feels like yesterday for some reason. This boat stuff is so freaking dangerous. I was lucky, God and his Angels looking after me, I had hired a strong homeless man named Kevin and I am great full to him, we together were strong enough too get the anchor up close enough so I could cut the old wreck lines. A day Jesus saved me under the SkyWay bridge, Amen.
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- Thread starter Oliver
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That is a horrible story glad you good sorry about other guy I say let anchor go put a buoy on it with warning for others and sail the boat into dock keep hands and feet inside it will stop if you come about right as getting to dock the boat slows down
I doubt I would ever breath-hold dive to the bottom to attempt to free an anchor there even if in only 10 ft of water especially if I could not size up the problem from the surface. People in "normal" physical condition can barely make 15-20 ft, and then must return within just a few seconds (using myself as an example); but of course, I'm way past 40. Now if I practiced breath-hold diving to > 10 ft a few times a month--maybe a different story. I do carry a 80 cu.ft. aluminum dive tank with a 25' hose, in addition to my basic snorkeling gear, which I might be tempted to use in the shallower water, but the boat would probably have to be brought up short for me to reach the anchor. Even if you never use it, a pennant made of floating line attached to the anchor crown, and with an eye-splice & thimble floating up a foot or two at the other end, is a good precaution. If you did breath-hold dive on it, at least you'd be clear of the bottom, and could snap-on a line to be worked from the surface.
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That's funny! I was thinking the same thing!
I call it the Pinellan Pinhead syndrome, having lived there for more than a decade.N27*37.171* W082*40.457 about, maybe. The wreck has many bad lines, caught 2 with 1 anchor. I have decided to buy 2 more anchors, I'll cut it. Why don't the most powerful police force in the united States pull the ship wrecks out to a coral riff with the trillion dollar boats we gave them when there not doing anything but lying around on there boat with there elbow on a pillow hand on chin, I should of got picture, 6 of them, West dock, St Pete Marina, tax payer money not well spent
So last Christmas Eve about 11 am we almost to SkyWay Bridge north side, trailing gas, I put gas with ethanal in it and it ate the o rings, my bad. So motor done, I have sails no big deal, park here just west north side of bridge for night. Next morning 1 knot wind from south east against us, so try to tach under bridge, current turned us 3 times but made it through right side of bridge, crew looking for rocks, not right place to go under. But got through. The story continues....
When I was a teenager my dad almost got into trouble diving for a stuck anchor. It was in a small reservoir too, no current to speak of. The water was murky, he followed the line down, he estimated 15-20 feet; when he "turned around" to head back up, he couldn't tell which way was up with the murky water and having let go of the anchor line he followed down. He got kind of panicky but not too much because it occurred to him to follow his bubbles. Scared the heck out of him, and he's one of those guys who doesn't show fear.
OK, we passed under the SkyWay Bridge, tach to the right, 1 mph wind from south east, heading west some day to get out on gulf and head north, slow go. Dam Cruise and tankers coming through, we are to slow to move out of the way, I as Captain and a crew of 2 safety is first. Crew, I new I was greenhorn, first trip out under the SkyWay, so I went to homeless park at Petersburg and found a strong yuond dude named Kevin about 32 and a girl named Karen about 37. Next page
So we just crossed under the SkyWay Bridge tach right to North but 1 mph wind is slow go, land too close, I have a 6 ft draft, a 6 ft keel that weights 600 pounds, 2 300 lb weights on a it don't move keel in sand bar country, and no engine to wiggle me off. So we tach South across the giant ship Lane at 1 mph, God help us. Next page please
So we are crossing channel north to south west side of SkyWay Bridge very, very slow, no motor, almost no wind, we see big city size ship, he must wait to go under bridge, rules say it must be clear and he or she can see us. Mean while Karen just talking away out loud down below to her self, it's OK cause she sounds like TV is on and no sound at all would have been worst. 3 pm, Chistmas Eve December 24th, 2015 I think, Love bugs, billions of them. Next page please....
OK, sorry new head but not connected cause need new tank, use the bucket, night 2 on a 1 day trip to St Pete Beach, life is a beach! Almost to where we get anchor stuck, getting dark..... Plenty food and water, no alcohol allowed on board, I have to tablets so I play Christian music then sleep till 5 ft waves hit us, is this a joke? Front of boat going 10 ft high..... For real, Christmas Eve. Page please
So we are like a hundred yards north of gG 3 Q G Bell, 200 yards north Egmont Key and it is night. Anchor is down! We eat, starting to get a bit bumpy. An hour later we are flying in the air like astronauts, real? Someone got to be messing with us, 6 hours later it gets down to about 3 ft rolls. I try to pull the anchor up.... No way, current bad, rolls bad, trying not to fall off. Keven! Come help me! We get the anchor up to like 2 ft under the water but can see it has 2 extra lines hook on it, let go!!! Next page please.
5 am Christmas morning, we already brought the anchor up to about 2 ft below the water line, Keven is whit me at front of boat, his face is a bit not happy, we can here Karen talking like the news channel, I say to Keven... Should I ask her to turn the TV off? There is are blood everywhere and we just started laughing and could not stop for like 5 or more minutes!!!! OK, let's get this anchor up, still laughing a little. Next page please
OK, 5:30 am Christmas Day, Karen still talking out load down stairs to no one, sounds like TV news channel. Keven and I at front of boat, hands all blood, don't no buddy say anything about gloves, I now have a case. So We try again to pull up the anchor Keven and I. 3 foot rolling waves, current and my 6 foot keel do not get along, we are twisting and turning every direction but we are double teaming it and it is coming up, I see it !!!!! Let go!!!!! I go and get a nice big sharp knife. It is hooked on not 1 but 2 lines, I'm upset now, your not getting my anchor development jerk.
So this is where I thought maybe to just jump in follow the line down and cut the sea monster off...? Well...! Anyone one ever tell you they are not afraid of sea monsters, they are not honest to say the least. Keven! We will pull it up again I will hang down and cut the lines! OK! OK! And it worked, blood every where but we are free and still have are brake! Next page please
Well I won't tell ending, I'm no spoiler, true stories are truly the best. Want more, I have one more short story, not as good as this one but humorous, love you, safe always and beware the sea monsters!!!!!
The person in question had extensive dive training as a member of the special forces attached to Macdill AFB. NCIS investigators were at the scene and will be conducting an investigation about the circumstances leading to the accident.
BTW there is no wreck marked on any of my maps. The two lines I hooked on my anchor and cut were old school, you know the ones, course, like they go through a double wooden pulley. About three quarter inch I guess. Storm must of brought her up. About 100 yards East of the bell. I get a souvenir you find something. listen, it is 20 foot deep there, current is like 3 knots, you go from 1 foot to 5 foot white caps in less than an hour. Ship must be old transport so it had cargo at one time. It is the worst place in the world to anchor, beware my friend, beware. the only reason I wasn't trash on the rocks is cause my anchor caught this wreck and stopped me!
listen, it is 20 foot deep there, current is like 3 knots, you go from 1 foot to 5 foot white caps in less than an hour. Ship must be old transport so it had cargo at one time. It is the worst place in the world to anchor, beware my friend, beware. the only reason I wasn't trash on the rocks is cause my anchor caught this wreck and stopped me!
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