Aground at Elbow Cay

[earlgray]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

You make it more and more clear that you have never navigated through a reef in the dark in a rage and have no understanding of the conditions. Close to the island on that side there is a hill between. the lighthouse is probably not visible at closer than 1/4 mile from the reef. I suggest you look at that chart before you belittle others that have less than your perfect skills.

What you are talkin about, what reef.
They had been lost at sea for 5 days. were traveling without appropriate weather information and the ability to communicate. They were flat *&^ lucky to survive. It's people like this that unnecessarily put the SAR community at risk. They apparently left PR with all sorts of issues.

Or it is not good to read posters criticising other "captains".

If we go along feeling sorry for them to the point we exonerate them from the consequences nothing gets instilled in anyone else that has them reconsider their tact.

[flee27]

What we do not need to do is criticize and judge the people on the boat. We will never be able to relive their exact circumstances, mental and physical states.


I am all for diagnosing the situation to learn what we can. This knowledge learned will enable someone in the future avoid mistakes others have made and not end up in the same state. So lets all share our constructive experiences and opinions and help each other be more informed and more safe. Not for the purpose of defending our opinions and pride.

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by earlgray

What you are talkin about, what reef.


Or it is not good to read posters criticising other "captains".

"what reef" ? you still have not looked at that chart have you ?

Criticising others when you have know knowledge of the situation is ...... well, you choose the word to insert here.

You are now on my "ignore" list you simply are not worth responding to.

[earlgray]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

"what reef" ? you still have not looked at that chart have you ?

Criticising others when you have know knowledge of the situation is ...... well, you choose the word to insert here.

You are now on my "ignore" list you simply are not worth responding to.

you are telling me all time some mumbo jumbo, reef. rage. rage reef. I just ask and wont to know when they lost "power", how far they were off shore and what time of the day or night.

nothing else.

....and here is comment from some other "Caribbean" forum. You also wont to put them on ignore list.


BOLO for the S/V ELLIPSIS

Seven Seas Cruising Association’s HF Radio Service KPK has been asked for assistance in locating the S/V ELLIPSIS which departed Puerto Rico on December 26, 2017 on a voyage to St Augustine, Florida. The vessel is a 32’ Westsail cutter rig sloop, light tan hull, maroon stripe below the rail, with tan bark sails.

There are two POB. The Captain is xxxxxx age approx 55, accompanied by crew xxxxxxx, approx age 30. Neither men are known to have medical issues, although xxxxxx is believed to have a hernia

The vessel has a 6 person life raft, however no EPIRB, SSB or HF Radio, or other means of communication other than two cell phones. They have no way to receive weather information since departing Puerto Rico. xxxxxx’s cell phone is xxxxx.

The vessel sustained major damage during the hurricanes in Puerto Rico, including damage to its rigging which is believed to have been repaired prior to departing Puerto Rico. It is believed the vessel may have a cutlass bearing issue.

Their intended route was to pass close enough to the Turks and Caicos to allow them to call their emergency contact via cell phone. The contact expected hearing from them on or around January 2nd. From the Turks and Caicos they planned to continue through the East Bahamas into the Gulf Stream to St Augustine, Florida.

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by flee27

I am all for diagnosing the situation to learn what we can. This knowledge learned will enable someone in the future avoid mistakes others have made and not end up in the same state.

I am all for informed criticism however, criticism from someone who says "what reef? " is hardly informed and contributes nothing but noise.

[Cadence]

Who was there? A pissing contest over this and that seems juvenile. Sad no matter what the cause.

[earlgray]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

I am all for informed criticism however, criticism from someone who says "what reef? " is hardly informed and contributes nothing but noise.

this is my last post here so I wont to ask one more time...

where is that famous reef, there is a beach, where is the reef.....

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by Cadence

Who was there? A pissing contest over this and that seems juvenile. Sad no matter what the cause.

There are quite a few inexperienced cruisers on this forum who may be misled into believing they can navigate a narrow channel through reefs ,in an Abaco rage in the dark by the methods proposed.

These reefs are so widespread in this area (entire Atlantic coast of the Abacos) that the chart shows many crosses and is marked as "unsurveyed". I would gladly accept a critique by someone with actual knowledge of the area (like my self) but uninformed, arrogant speculation is mean spirited to the crew involved in this mishap and a disservice to those who wish to learn.

Last word, thanks for listening, unsubscribed.

[boatman61]

Maybe the problem lies in the statement.. aground on the North beach at Elbow Cay--
Not-- 'ashore on the North beach in the lagoon Behind Elbow Cay..'
East of Elbow Cay.. which is part of the reef is deep water.. poor reporting.???

[steamgoat]

I did this trip,with a sextant,back in the 80’s,it was not easy to exactly find my position and the weather was good. In bad weather,no electrics,no engine,they we’re in deep s**t

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by steamgoat

I did this trip,with a sextant,back in the 80’s,it was not easy to exactly find my position and the weather was good. In bad weather,no electrics,no engine,they we’re in deep s**t

Thanks for somrthing realistic.

[AJ_n_Audrey]

S/V Motu Iti said they went over the reef to land on the beach, so I think that means from the Atlantic side, not in the lagoon. And I agree with whoever said the Elbow Cay Lagoon is a very pretty spot. When I sailed the Abacos I was warned by locals about going through the inlets during a rage, or even in normal rough weather. I never tried it, and don't want to. If it is true that they left PR with only cell phones for communication, I think the picture is getting clearer.

[Matt Johnson]

The boat is right about here on the chart:

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

You make it more and more clear that you have never navigated through a reef in the dark in a rage and have no understanding of the conditions. Close to the island on that side there is a hill between. the lighthouse is probably not visible at closer than 1/4 mile from the reef. I suggest you look at that chart before you belittle others that have less than your perfect skills.

Knowing how difficult it is to get a good shot of the sun in heavy weather from a 500 foot vessel (not to mention stars) I would think a vertical sextant angle off the Hopetown light from a 32 sailboat bobbing about would be useless. Anyway, just a distance off wouldn't help much. But it sure looks good in the textbooks that armchair sailors love.

[boatman61]

Damn.. and there's me thinking for 69yrs that the sheltered water behind a reef is classed as a lagoon.. how silly