Warderick Wells to Pipe Cay
AJAYA'S CRUISE
Phil & Nikki Hoskins
Sat 15 Feb 2014 19:59
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24:15.28N, 076:31.21W Pipe Cay
We sat out two very bouncy nights just off Emerald Rock at
Warderick Wells. The wind was in the wrong direction for moving southwards and
more importantly it was too strong, kicking up nasty short seas on the banks. So
we sat where we were until things died down. We were then able to motor
to Pipe Cay in the Compass Cay area where we were to enjoy another
interesting night.
In our efforts to find some new places to drop the hook we
picked out a very long but narrow anchorage just off Pipe Cay. The anchoring
area just off the rocks was minimal before the shallow sand banks started. Add
to that a tidal current that either ebbed or flowed depending on the state of
tide (except when it was slack water). We either had to be brave and
position the anchor close to the shore and rely on the wind
to keep us away from the rocks at the change of the tide or drop
closer to the sand bank that ran along the edge of the island and
risk touching at low water.
As a harbinger for what was to come we ran aground on the way
into the anchorage with our starboard keel. That's the one that doesn't have an
echo sounder to indicate depths. We managed to power off and find the deeper
water wondering if this anchorage was really for us. But there was another boat
at anchor further along the cay which drew more than we do so we
ploughed on, so to speak. After deliberating we finally dropped the hook just
off the bank and dug in for the night.
  Sand, sand everywhere - the pinker
colouring in the water
As the tide slacked on the change from ebb to flood the wind
decided to play a part and pushed our starboard side partially
onto the sandbank against a ridge of sand - one keel on the bank, one keel
in deep water, and there we stayed for the evening, with high tide due sometime
around midnight. As the bank was very shallow we thought that we would stay just
as we were until the tide ebbed again and back round we would go. That wasn't
the case as around midnight the 'Admiral' woke 'Skip' to say we were softly
bouncing on the bank which was disconcerting. If the tide was now on
the ebb, that is out flowing, we didn't want to be left
sitting on the bank at the top of the tide held in place by the
wind. It would have been another 12 hours before we could get off
again. So, out went 'Skip', still in his birthday suit, to
start both engines and slowly drive the boat off the bank into the deeper
channel. Once off the sand the boat immediately backed round to face into
the now ebbing current and back to bed went 'Skip'. We suffered no further
problems even at the next change of tide but we left the following
morning!
 Surreal pic of the sand bank our starboard keel
was sitting on with the sand ridge clearly visible - water depth just
under 4 feet (we draw 4ft)
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