OOPS I am on a reef!

MAJOR OOPS I am on a reef that is shown on the charts!

MAJOR OOPS WITH KNOBS ON I am on a reef that is shown on the charts, AND I am on the wrong side of the channel markers!

The megayacht Pumula

was heading in to the dock at the Catamaran club in Falmouth harbor at the close of the day. For some reason she went the wrong side of the channel markers and found the well charted 7 foot shallow spot that has claimed many others.

The process of refloating a keel boat in this situation is a simple one. Take a line from the mast head, heel the boat to reduce it's draft and get a tow from something with a bit of grunt.

We, the cruisers, with dinks and 15hp, can help with a 7 ton 35 footer but this big girl

needed some heavier metal. The Antigua rescue RIB with a few hundred hp did the heeling and Double Header a big sports fisherman provided the grunt.

The lines were rigged, the rescue RIB churned away, Pumula revved her engine hard, the sports fisherman grunted, the lines creaked and for an anxious few moments Pumula remained unmoved. Then she stirred and with few crunchies she slid off the reef and back to the channel side of the markers.

OOPS moment over. Or perhaps not. Does the skipper have to come up with an explanation for the owner? I guess too that maybe divers will be having a look at the keel and rudder checking for damage.

Here is an other oops moment this time from the Valentine Regatta. OOPS we just ripped our kite, leach to luff!

We had a worrying alert yesterday, an earthquake measuring 6.5 on the Richter scale hit near Barbados. Some chicken little issued a tsunami alert for 3 m waves. I found out about it when a friend in Maine hunkered down in a snowstrom and surfing the weather channels found it and email me.

But everything was irie as the local rastas would say. No perturbations in our laidback lifestyle at anchor in the sheltered and secure waters of Falmouth. Our major worry was the choice between a roti or a Thai style noodle dish as we wandered the buildings and flagged courtyards that date back to Nelson's time. DECISIONS DECISIONS!

Another megayacht that is in Falmouth is the fabulous ketch Hetairos who has been industriously working up outside the harbor in preparation for the RORC 600. I last saw her competing in the St Barts Bucket where she had the misfortune to hit a rock and wipe off the bottom 10 feet of her complex multi stage lift keel. I understand she draws 30 feet with it down!

I also see the J class yacht Rainbow on the dock.