Our buddy boat Sea Spice lifted anchor a few minutes before us at our cosy anchorage in South Caicos (Turks and Caicos). They hadn’t been more than 10 minutes around the point before they radioed us:
“….garbage, this is garbage…”
We could still see the tip of their mast rolling around like crazy behind the headland.
Yikes!
High fiving each other for we had chosen a different route.
The coveted short cut.
Abeona has a lifting keel, if I’ve failed to mention this detail in the past, she can go from 7’ draft to 4’ with the push of a button (hydraulic).
I had activated our secret weapon on the way out of the anchorage, we planned on crossing over the sand bank which read 3’3” on the chart. Yeah, I know, we draw 4’ feet so what were we doing attempting this unattainable short cut. Well…. we’re idiots.
Gosh it was beautiful. We ghosted with the wind traveling a smooth 2 knots across the shallow waters. It was so magical and soothing. To think our friends were in a washing machine just on the other side of the headland – suckers (insert evil laugh).
It was all fine and dandy until, crunch! Thant lovely grinding sound that can only come from a metal boat going over sand and a few rocks. Idiots.
I guess we really did need that extra 6 inches of wiggle room.
We bumped a few more times before we knew it was time for us to retreat with our tails between our legs and get served up some misery on the other side of the headland.
At least we were smart and attempted this “short cut” on a rising tide and knew we weren’t in any danger of being marooned. No volley balls to talk to around here.
Even though we had to back track and lost an hour of sailing time to our next destination we would do it all over again and probably will in the near future – we are now anchored for the night with 16” under our lifted keel.
So if you’re a catamaran in the Turks and Caicos and Bahamas, watch out because we’re going to bust up in on your shallow draft show, anchoring where the rest of you would crap your pants thinking about it.
Lifting keel – total game changer!
4 ft. I love it. I am jealous for that lifting keel. It makes wonders in many places. Do you want to sell it, I will buy it in no time. Immaculate.
If you would put Carl at the end of the boom to swing the boat extra 6 inch it will make that sand bar with no problem. Fantastic experience to follow.
We were thinking of dropping the dinghy and swinging the boom but I really think we wouldn’t of made it, maybe could have if we held out a couple of hours for peak high tide. All fun and games.
Hello Folks , Francis here at Fermeuse Marine . Yee popped up on my memory page , just like yee left a couple months back . Hard to believe it’s 3 plus years . Hope all is well , did yee paint her yellow since the blue yee put on here ?
Francis
Hey Francis, sorry Ive been ignoring the blog for a really long time and don’t think I ever replied to you. My bad. Has it really been 3 years, wow!! We still have those little overalls you gave us for Capri, Crew our (then) baby now wears them. Still going strong. Hope all is well with you and are busy as ever. Carly and Carl