Almost Home

5.20.11

We were woken up a 0600 yesterday morning to loud thunder. When we got up to check out the situation, we saw black ominous clouds looming just in the distance. We immediately got nervous (like I said, gun shy). We decided we didn't like where we were – we were anchored in a small cove surrounded by rocks, too close to shore and with a small boat that had anchored just off our stern. We put it in high gear, closed all the hatches, prepared for the worst, started the motor and started to pull the anchor in. Just as Brad had reached the bow, the wind gusted to 25knots and the anchor drug backwards about 50feet. We were quickly heading straight for the small boat behind us. To get the anchor out, we were going to have to get dangerously close to him. So, I made a judgment call and cranked the wheel in the opposite direction in reverse. This took us away from him and although we couldn't get the anchor up, with the engine and help from the wind, I was able to drag the boat, anchor in tow, safely away from the small boat. Once we were in a position to get the anchor up, Brad hauled it in. Whew – obstacle number one avoided.
But now we were headed towards the shallows. So, I had to steer in reverse out of the cove and through the rocks. I'm sure the other boats in the cove had quit the laugh at our antics so early in the morning, but I got us out safely! And no rain had even started falling yet.
Originally we were just going to drop anchor out in the middle of the bank so that if we drug we wouldn't hit anything, and then return to the island once the squall cleared. But a quick check of the weather said that the squall was 30miles wide and wouldn't be passing for quite some time. So, much to our dismay, we left the most gorgeous island in the Abacos and set out for the next anchorage.
We had also previously wanted to gunk hole and stop at all the small islands on the way up the chain, but we were tired and didn't want to anchor anymore than we had to, so we opted to cut the trip short and made a long day of it. With lightening and thunder at our backs, we raced the clouds to the farthest islands in the chain – we are only a bit over a 100miles from home.
We got to Double Breasted and attempted to get into this small anchorage, which involved going over an area of shallows of about 5feet – which is just what we draw. Well, we were unaware of the current that ripped through there and before we knew it, we were hard aground. As if the last few days hadn't exhausted us enough.
We struggled for an hour trying everything we knew to get off. Finally we had the good sense to throw out an anchor so that we wouldn't float farther onto the shallows and when the tide switched, we would be pushed off – or so we hoped.
As Brad was dropping the anchor 200feet beyond us, another dinghy came over to help. Thank goodness! So, while I revved the engine, Brad hauled on the anchor line and this little dinghy pushed on our bow, we finally managed to finagle the boat out of the sand.
It was now sunset and we still hadn't anchored. We found a spot of sand to the south of the island and dropped the anchor. And it held on the first try! Hallelujah!
We thought we were home free until the wind piped up again at midnight and threatened to blow us into the shallows. We were out in the open water and so our little boat was bouncing up and down like crazy. The anchor held firm, but neither of us got much sleep.
We are beyond exhausted and ready to back in the States. As soon as a weather window opens up, we will head for home. What a long, strange trip it has been....