DESHAIES

OK Done with all shenanigans, motor is working normally again, weather has settled down [ pic below is what happened in the South] autopilot is over it's hissy fit and the anchor chain came up on demand. Good sail down to Deshaies at 7 knots and even got one of the free mooring buoys.

Shenanigans and fuckery indeed.

No divers available. So went down again and realised that the chain was making a figure 8 around two pieces of L shaped angle iron. Despite this being a very sheltered anchorage with minimal tides there is a distinct current which must reverse at times. So on a calm period we were waltzing around this bit of wreckage. So back up and laid a second anchor to take the tension off the chain and went in again with a telescopic boathook and a weight belt. 2 minutes work and we were free.

2 hours and we anchored in a new spot, second anchor retrieved dismantled and stored. The second anchor was my big aluminium Fortress and it was really reluctant to release from the bottom and I had to put it on the winch and even then it needed a nudge with the engine to break it out.

WAVES AND FOULED ANCHOR CHAIN.

The wave that has caused serious flooding in the islands has gone through and I was ready to leave.

The latest problem to overcome is my anchor chain which is caught up in some wreckage on the bottom. It is just beyond my comfortable free diving range and I got really tired quickly trying to free it.

Time to call a diver!