One more strory from Jens

I have met some sailors that boast they have never run aground...everyone goes aground sooner or later. You just don't want the chart maker to name a rock after you!

Story by Jens Bagh



Are You Listening?

Single handed sailing is to many a fools game and it is not without its hazards. On the other hand having a crew on board brings on its own problems as well as it increases the requirements of fuel, water and supplies to be carried. Some people thrive on solitude while others find it hard to survive without the continuous excitement and change which company brings about. Most modern human beings seem to thrive with lots of noise around them and nowadays it is hard to go anywhere without being exposed to music or noise in one form or another. By adopting this life style have we failed to learn what nature is prepared to teach us if we just kept silent and listened for a while?
One of the reasons I like to sail is the fact the noise level under most conditions is quite tolerable with the wind in the rigging and with water lapping against the sides of the boat.
However, there are times when it is necessary to use the auxiliary engine such as when coming into harbour or anchoring in a confined space and then of course the noise level increases considerably.
I had been cruising all day in moderate winds and a fairly heavy swell and towards nightfall I approached an anchorage of which the sailing directions told of sandy bottom and clear waters. Hence I had no qualms about steering into a very sheltered bay and putting down the anchor into the dark waters as I from the chart and the colour of the water assumed ample depth for my 5' draught. In most places one can hear some sounds from the denizens of the deep in the form of clicks of various loudness and frequency and here I heard these noises very loud and very clear. Shortly thereafter the boat gave a sort of a bump and I immediately realized that the water was too shallow and the boat was aground. I went on deck right away and with the anchor and capstan tried to haul the boat out to deeper water to no avail. The tide was going out and soon the boat was inclined at an angle of better than 20 degrees. I checked the tide tables and found it would be another couple of hours before the tide again would rise and meanwhile there was little I could do except to make sure that the boat rested evenly on the sandy bottom. This I did and then took to my bunk, resting in the angle formed between the bunk and the side of the boat. Around midnight the boat was again on even keel and I got the engine started and went out to anchor in deeper water, this time making very sure that I had plenty of water under the keel to allow for the full range of the tide. I have since then been accutely aware of noises coming through the hull and should I again hear loud clicks I shall immediately check the depth and the tide status for nature may well be telling me that my boat and I are out of our depths - if we will only listen!