Boot Key Harbor and "IRMA"

[smj]

From looking at post Irma satellite pictures of Boot Key it appears all mooring balls are still intact. This tells me the moorings held but the lines attaching the boats to the moorings failed.

[Briney Bug]

Further info- on NOAAs satellite view, https://storms.ngs.noaa.gov/storms/irma/index.html
scale down to the bridge in Book Key Harbor and you can also see boats wedged up against it.

[Scout 30]

Originally Posted by smj

From looking at post Irma satellite pictures of Boot Key it appears all mooring balls are still intact. This tells me the moorings held but the lines attaching the boats to the moorings failed.

Were there still boats on moorings? Do you have a link to the sat photos or is this a service you pay for?

[smj]

Originally Posted by Scout 30

Were there still boats on moorings? Do you have a link to the sat photos or is this a service you pay for?

https://storms.ngs.noaa.gov/storms/irma/index.html


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[Scout 30]

Originally Posted by smj

https://storms.ngs.noaa.gov/storms/irma/index.html


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

Thanks for the link. Looks like a lot of boats made it but a lot didn't. It appears to be a lot safer at a dock than a mooring or anchored. I agree that all of the moorings still seem to be in place. Great news there.

[tomfl]

Originally Posted by smj

From looking at post Irma satellite pictures of Boot Key it appears all mooring balls are still intact. This tells me the moorings held but the lines attaching the boats to the moorings failed.

From the looks of the pix the houseboat anchored East of the outside dinghy docks broke lose, took out the dinghy docks, and that mess took out several boats. If you look closely at the pix you can see the house boat sticking up with it's side dug in the bottom and a mass of boats in the mangroves behind it.

I would bet that while some lines did break more damage was done by the boats that broke lose hitting other boats and breaking them lose. As an aside did you see Charles seems to have found SOF in pix by the seaplane hanger in Key West; but clearly it will be some time before he can get there. Any news on SMJ?

[smj]

Originally Posted by tomfl

From the looks of the pix the houseboat anchored East of the outside dinghy docks broke lose, took out the dinghy docks, and that mess took out several boats. If you look closely at the pix you can see the house boat sticking up with it's side dug in the bottom and a mass of boats in the mangroves behind it.

I would bet that while some lines did break more damage was done by the boats that broke lose hitting other boats and breaking them lose. As an aside did you see Charles seems to have found SOF in pix by the seaplane hanger in Key West; but clearly it will be some time before he can get there. Any news on SMJ?

I saw SOF, sad sight. SMJ is fine and we will be heading that way in a couple of weeks. How did BS do?

[tomfl]

Originally Posted by smj

I saw SOF, sad sight. SMJ is fine and we will be heading that way in a couple of weeks. How did BS do?

Less a gallon of water leaked in to the locker thing below the shift levers that the shift lever cables go through and aft starboard locker below the aft starboard berth other cables pass through. There was also lots of leaves and small branches on the deck and in the cockpit. I had a new bimini built but it was delivered shortly before the storm so I did not put it up yet. The water level dropped lower than anyone had ever seen it and all the boats in the harbor were aground in the mud which probably helped reduce damage.

https://www.facebook.com/gene.kochan...0235057454838/

[brownoarsman]

Photos coming out of the mooring field/anchorage:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/3394...4793669701135/

[gwbull]

A LOT of damage. Vast majority (hundreds) broke from moorings. Tangled loose vessels swept the harbor in both directions as wind direction changed. A number of boats have not been located. Some boats survived in the mangroves of whisky creek. Many either slammed the bridge or were driven ashore, some lifted onto land and into mangroves. An unknown number of boats sank including ours. Most mooring balls still in place. Go to facebook boot key harbor cruisers group. Aerial views and video and many photos.

[sailjumanji]

Originally Posted by tomfl

Less a gallon of water leaked in to the locker thing below the shift levers that the shift lever cables go through and aft starboard locker below the aft starboard berth other cables pass through. There was also lots of leaves and small branches on the deck and in the cockpit. I had a new bimini built but it was delivered shortly before the storm so I did not put it up yet. The water level dropped lower than anyone had ever seen it and all the boats in the harbor were aground in the mud which probably helped reduce damage.

https://www.facebook.com/gene.kochan...0235057454838/

I had the same thing happen on my seawind, although it was about six gallons. Unfortunately that is where I store all of my motor and other spares and hardware. Seems our cockpit drains filled with debris which turned the cockpit into a shallow pool. Water ran into stbd hull thru the motor cables. That was the only "damage" we had. Lesson learned next time to empty that compartment.

[brownoarsman]

Originally Posted by gwbull

A LOT of damage. Vast majority (hundreds) broke from moorings. Tangled loose vessels swept the harbor in both directions as wind direction changed. A number of boats have not been located. Some boats survived in the mangroves of whisky creek. Many either slammed the bridge or were driven ashore, some lifted onto land and into mangroves. An unknown number of boats sank including ours. Most mooring balls still in place. Go to facebook boot key harbor cruisers group. Aerial views and video and many photos.

Do you get a sense that the amount of damage is going to re-invigorate the Florida anti-anchorage campaign? Even in the boot key Facebook group, I already some finger pointing going on amongst boaters.

Not to be crass about it or anything, but people are going to be looking for someone to blame, and they're probably not pointing the finger at climate change. The local government might see it as a chance at a 'blank slate'.