WHEN A DREAM BECOMES A NIGHTMARE

DAY 67 TUES AUG.9, 2011
DEP. BENJAMIN I. 07:50  ARR. BEARDROP HARBOR 11;45
COOL, CLEAR, CALM  FORECAST  NOON W. 20K SW, NIGHT W. NW 20KD. 22.4sm/1175.8

We left a beautiful anchorage on a cool cloudy day for Beardrop Harbor, just another stop along the way west towards the end of the North Channel.  The forecast when we left was for winds out of the west at 15 to 20 mph.  Beardrop would offer good holding and protection.  NOT!  The forecast kept getting worse, then a high wind warning was issued, but we were anchored already and all was well.

ENTERING BEAR DROP HARBOR

DAY 68 WED. AUG.11, 2011

AT BEARDROP H.  THE DAY IN HELL.

I’d like to say today started like every other day, but it didn’t.  We awoke at 05:30 to a thump and rushed out of bed to find Dockers Inn’s bow in our cockpit.  Our anchor had dragged during the night 50 yards right into Dockers Inn.  Fortunately, she was there or we would have wound up on the rocks in another 15 minutes with considerable damage.  Thank goodness neither boat had any damage, and Dockers’ anchor didn’t come loose.  We immediately started the engine and with the help of Sharon and Ken shoved off and reset the anchor further away.  This was just the beginning of what became a real nightmare day.  The forecast called for 25k wind out of the SW with gusts to 40K diminishing in the late evening.  The anchor was holding, but we were about 100’ from a lee shore strewn with boulders, so anxiety was the emotion for the day.  Around noon I broke out the Guardian danforth anchor and took it out with the dinghy about 200’ to set it.  This gave us some comfort, but around 3:30 the wind started gusting to 40K and the Delta broke loose.  We were now some 50’ from the lee shore, in 10’ of water, but by some miracle the danforth was holding us even though we were swinging wildly.  We got our bearings and monitored our position by the GPS every minute until around 5:30, when a really strong gust of wind broke us free. Fortunately I had the engine running.

Pat and I rehearsed what to do in this event and Pat was able to get the anchor aboard as we circled looking for another spot with more swing room to reset the anchor.  The wind became so strong that Dockers Inn dragged her anchor, as did several sailboats.  We tried several times to reset the Delta anchor without success.  Finally, around 7:00 the Delta set and held with the wind still around 25K.  With Pats help we got the Danforth into the dinghy and dropped it about 15 degrees away from the delta.  Sometime around 8:00 the wind died down to around 15K so we had a quick supper of Ramen noodles and set up an anchor watch.  We have made plans as to where to run the boat aground should we break loose during the night, and packed up our valuables to take with us if necessary.  I slept for 2 hours while Pat stood watch.  It is now 11:15, Pat is sleeping and I am watching.  All is good so far and should continue to be so if the wind doesn’t pick up.  Sorry, no pictures.