GILLIGANS ISLAND
17 July 2008
FLORIDA # 4 - GILLIGANS ISLAND......
Well here we are, anchored in Sarasota - lucky for us the blues band quit early last night at the pub because of a pending storm that was going to strike within minutes- while they hurriedly unplugged all their electrical instruments we made a dash for the dinghy and headed back to the boat - if not for the weather emergency we would be enjoying one hell of a hangover today!
Yesterday we set off from Venice and headed north to Sarasota. It was a calm and hot day and there was no wind so we motored all the way - kind of boring actually but it was only a 13 mile trip so it was not long before we were heading into Big Sarasota Pass. We're old hands at the boat thing now and are supremely confident about our navigation skills. So much so, that we decided to "re-invent the wheel" and do it our way. Not such a good idea - forgetting momentarilly that the harbour entrance buoys at most Florida destinations are continually repositioned because of constantly shifting shoals of sand, we chose to believe our GPS map and not follow the buoys in.
The water depths were averaging around about 10 feet (which is considered DEEP here in Florida) and then it started getting shallower and shallower - Jim & I discussed briefly at that point what the true meaning of those red and green buoys over there meant when all of a sudden - boom, boom, boom. Oh my God, we were hitting the bottom and the boom was a sickening feeling and all hell breaks loose. Fast reverse - no such thing with such a itsy bitsy little motor - where is the 300 hp when we need it? Boom, bang - apologies to the boat right and left - look at the GPS and chart again and right there in big bold letters are the words "BREAKERS" - I am quite certain that they appeared only after we hit the shoal - neither one of us had noticed them earlier!!!!
We quickly put in a call to Tow Boat US and they dispatched a rescue boat. We are so glad that we became members - we have unlimited coverage for towing and grounding with no deductable for the entire year (looks like we are going to need it) and it cost $109. What a deal!
While waiting for help we launched the dinghy and Jim took an anchor out so that we could winch ourselves into deeper waters - what a fiasco that was - the anchor rope in the anchor locker got all caught up in a spare anchor and I had to go below and clear up the tangle. I flung the anchor and extra chain out of the locker and into the forward head - all the time wondering if something worse might happen while I was below decks - bilges were dry and we kept checking on them. Jim gets the anchor set and started to pull the boat round. Our "rescue rangers" arrived and passed a rope and slowly but surely we were pulled into deeper waters (7 feet). Jim dove under the boat to check out the rudder and stuff and all was well. The Mendrias, very quiet and very subdued, motored very carefully into Sarasota Harbour and dropped the hook.
Recovery comes fast with a can of beer and a few glasses of wine. A nice cool swim around the boat really helps too. Decision made to have dinner ashore. Day is done. We are alive and hopefully the Emerald Seas will forgive us.