Another Navionics Victim in Georgetown

[Captain Bill]

A little past 7:00 this evening a 49 ft French Catamaran called Mayday, which I responded to in Georgetown Exuma. The captain claimed he didn't understand why he hit the reef because he was following the recommended route. I asked him if he was using Navionics charts and he said yes. This is the same recommended route that lead a lagoon onto the reef between Guana cay and Fowl cay about three or four years ago. I don't know if the Captain never updated his charts or if the erroneous route has reappeared on Navionics charts as I'm not a user of the product. I will contact some fellow cruisers that do use them in the morning and see if the route has reappeared.

Fortunately the boat hit the reef near high tide and was not a fixed keel cat and made it across the reef instead of being stranded on it and destroying the restoration efforts from the last grounding. The boat was taking on water in its starboard hull through the engine room (reportedly around the shaft)and had lost lost steering. They managed to get the flooding under control and a local salvage vessel responded with gasoline powered pumps so the vessel is no longer in immediate danger. It was well after dark before they got a couple of tow vessels on it and got it to a safe anchorage.

So Bottom line if any of you out there have Navionics charts that show a recommended route to enter Elizabeth Harbor in Georgetown Exuma that goes between Guana and Fowl Cays DON'T USE IT, it will put you on a reef.