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After Tuesdays failed attempt to haul VESPER out of the water before Hurricane Felix hit Nicaragua I decided to anchor VESPER further outside the bay in safer water. Hurricane Felix would hit the east coast of the country and bring death and destruction along with it.
Though out of the storms path on the West side of Nicaragua, the southern wind pattern of the hurricane would draw in heavy westerlies on the Pacific Coast.
I also wanted to set a second storm anchor in the event huge seas did in fact roll into the harbor as forecasted. Preparation and prevention is a sailors peace of mind.
With Juan's panga we backed down VESPER hard astern to set both anchors.
By 10:00 a.m. the south west wind and sea started to blew into the harbor.
 I didn´t take long for conditions to worsen. Once we had all anchors set, Juan and I jumped back in the panga and headed for shore. VESPER would ride out the storm alone.
By now, Hurricane Felix was already wreaking havoc on the East Coast.
At 14:00 hrs shoreside, I was visiting Rosio and our children at the mother inlaws rat shack. My cell phone rang. "Eric, its Darlene, your boat is aground on the beach". My heart skipped a beat. "OH MY GOD, NO PLEASE NO…HOW CAN THIS BE POSSIBLE". The last word a sailor wants to here is “aground”.
The first time ever, my life flashed before me.
The rat shack is one block from the beach at its southern end. I ran as fast as a human in panic could run. The rat shack clan ran behind.
In the moments of my sprint I kept thinking to myself, "How in the world could
both anchors have tripped? Thoughts for an explanation ran through my grey matter.
We laid out a 22 lb CQR on 130 feet of “all” chain rode, plus we deployed a second
Anchor; a 25 lb Danforth, 45 degrees to port with 60 feet of chain and 100 feet of rode.
We also put VESPER in the safest spot in the bay away for other boats that could potentially drag down on her.
I got to the beach with rubber legs shacking and panting out of breath. Huge breakers
were starting to crash ashore. The largest breakers were in front of the previous location
where VESPER had been anchored for the past few months.
I could see...SV Ivy Rose heeled over in the surf.
 Directly shore side at the north end of the beach, I could see the Seattle based sailboat SV Ivy Rose heeled over in the surf. Monster waves crashed over the stricken yacht as she pounded relentlessly. I peered seaward to find VESPER securely anchored and content.
Though I feel bad for Sid, the owner of Ivy Rose, I dropped to my knees and thanked the gods of the universe it wasn´t VESPER in peril.
 My cell phone rang once more. "Eric, its Darlene again, Roy radioed to say it wasn´t VESPER that went aground but Ivy Rose. They can use your help".
"Thanks Darlene, Yes I know. I´m on my way right now”.
Too be continued...
Capt. Eric “Chickadee” B.
San Juan Del Sur
Nicaragua
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Box
839, Dana Point Ca 92629 |
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Phone:
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011
505 668-1501 (Nica)
959 374-0803 (USA) |
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