We arrived at Kent Narrows just a bit after sunset... really wish the days weren't getting shorter! We were very close to the place we planned to anchor... we could see it just up ahead. The chart said there was 10 feet of water in the path between us and the spot... plenty because we only need 5'3".
It had been a great, albeit long, day of sailing and it appeared that the day would wrap-up nicely. That is until things came to a sudden halt.... soft, but sudden.
The boat stuck in a shoal that wasn't supposed to be there. We were in about 5 feet of water, as best we could tell, with our keel stuck in the muddy bottom.
Jake - always the voice of reason - suggested calling Tow Boat US. He has his very own Tow Boat US hat and has come to be fond of this service having used it twice before. Sounded like a good idea to me; after all, we are paying for unlimited coverage!
Pat on the other hand felt it would be best if we tried to get ourselves unstuck. Here's a quick replay of the events that followed...
Perhaps we're not really all that stuck...
-one sail up; engine in reverse/forward
-one sail up; attach rope to mast and pull with dinghy
-boat v. dinghy round 1... boat wins
If we could just get the boat to lean a bit, we'd be free!
-engine in forward/reverse
-two sails up now
-Jake asks again about calling Tow Boat US
-two sails up; try pulling on mast again with dinghy
-boat v. dinghy round 2... boat wins again
How about those great guys at Tow Boat US???
-Jake and Emily go below to color
-Jo suggests taking all sails down
(perhaps the wind in the sails is what is keeping us stuck she suggests; or maybe she just doesn't want to have to deal with the sails later in the dark and this is a good way to trick Pat into taking them down)
-Pat and Drew take sails down
-Drew goes below to hang out with Jake & Emily
-Jo goes below to find phone # for Tow Boat US
Reality begins to settle in...
-radio call to Tow Boat US, but no reply
-Pat considers what else we could try
-Jake considers where he put his Tow Boat US hat
-Jo hands Pat the cell phone
-more thinking on Pat's part, while alternating stares between depth meter and chart
Finallly, another radio call to Tow Boat US...
-Tow Boat US answers!
-Tow Boat US arrives!!
-Jake returns to the cockpit wearing his red Tow Boat US hat
-Tow Boat US is puzzled; their chart also suggests we are in 10 feet of water; but clearly this is not true
-Friendly banter regarding chart accuracy and related issues
We're moving again - hooray!
-Tow Boat US guides us to the spot we had intended to anchor just to be sure there are no more surprises along the way
-more friendly banter, this time regarding high and low tides and the tricky channels in the area
-a bit of paperwork confirming our unlimited tow coverage
A fond farewell...
-Tow Boat US leaves us a cell # just in case and heads home
-Kids wave goodbye as if to say, "hope we'll see you again soon!"
-Jake asks Pat if the Tow Boat US guy can come over for dinner; he was very nice
-Pat asks Jake to remove his Tow Boat US hat and get ready for bed
It had been a great, albeit long, day of sailing and it appeared that the day would wrap-up nicely. That is until things came to a sudden halt.... soft, but sudden.
The boat stuck in a shoal that wasn't supposed to be there. We were in about 5 feet of water, as best we could tell, with our keel stuck in the muddy bottom.
Jake - always the voice of reason - suggested calling Tow Boat US. He has his very own Tow Boat US hat and has come to be fond of this service having used it twice before. Sounded like a good idea to me; after all, we are paying for unlimited coverage!
Pat on the other hand felt it would be best if we tried to get ourselves unstuck. Here's a quick replay of the events that followed...
Perhaps we're not really all that stuck...
-one sail up; engine in reverse/forward
-one sail up; attach rope to mast and pull with dinghy
-boat v. dinghy round 1... boat wins
If we could just get the boat to lean a bit, we'd be free!
-engine in forward/reverse
-two sails up now
-Jake asks again about calling Tow Boat US
-two sails up; try pulling on mast again with dinghy
-boat v. dinghy round 2... boat wins again
How about those great guys at Tow Boat US???-Jake and Emily go below to color
-Jo suggests taking all sails down
(perhaps the wind in the sails is what is keeping us stuck she suggests; or maybe she just doesn't want to have to deal with the sails later in the dark and this is a good way to trick Pat into taking them down)
-Pat and Drew take sails down
-Drew goes below to hang out with Jake & Emily
-Jo goes below to find phone # for Tow Boat US
Reality begins to settle in...
-radio call to Tow Boat US, but no reply
-Pat considers what else we could try
-Jake considers where he put his Tow Boat US hat
-Jo hands Pat the cell phone
-more thinking on Pat's part, while alternating stares between depth meter and chart
Finallly, another radio call to Tow Boat US...
-Tow Boat US answers!
-Tow Boat US arrives!!
-Jake returns to the cockpit wearing his red Tow Boat US hat
-Tow Boat US is puzzled; their chart also suggests we are in 10 feet of water; but clearly this is not true
-Friendly banter regarding chart accuracy and related issues
We're moving again - hooray!
-Tow Boat US guides us to the spot we had intended to anchor just to be sure there are no more surprises along the way
-more friendly banter, this time regarding high and low tides and the tricky channels in the area
-a bit of paperwork confirming our unlimited tow coverage
A fond farewell...
-Tow Boat US leaves us a cell # just in case and heads home
-Kids wave goodbye as if to say, "hope we'll see you again soon!"
-Jake asks Pat if the Tow Boat US guy can come over for dinner; he was very nice
-Pat asks Jake to remove his Tow Boat US hat and get ready for bed
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