- Joined
- May 11, 2019
- Messages
- 3,623
- Location
- United States
- Vessel Name
- Muirgen
- Vessel Make
- 50' Beebe Passagemaker
We're currently at anchor at in Ocean Falls, British Columbia. Tucked up at the end of the bay in 90' of water with 300' of 1/2" anchor chain out. Fat dumb and happy on the boat, 2:30 in the afternoon. Forecast for the next day or so is max winds of 6 kts, overcast, and rain. Currently 3 to 5 mph winds, light ruffle on the water, raining off and on, about ready to go ashore for walkabout.
Then in the space of about 10 minutes we have two foot seas, and gusts up to 61 mph. . . . That's Force 10 winds on the Beaufort Scale! Needless to say, our pucker factor went up quite a lot. Anchor didn't budge, but it was pretty harrowing. Kept up for about 2 hours, then calmed down to 15 to 20, occasional 30 for two hours, then calmed to less than 10 mph, seas maybe half a foot.
We were ready to start the engine if the ground tackle had a problem, or we started dragging, but except for swinging around a bit, we didn't move at all. I had bearings on shore, and the plotter, and nav pegged for anchor watch, but we didn't move.
We're thinking we're liking our new anchor a LOT!
We checked Windy.com, WX forecasts didn't predict it or show it, although my wife posted on facebook and someone said they had 51 mph winds in Sidney Harbor, BC that weren't forecast as well . . .
I've got video of the Wind Speed Gauge, but can't post it here on TF. The link to it on dropbox is:
Login - Dropbox
It actually was higher than 61, but it couldn't push the peg over any more, so I don't know what the max was.
Really got our attention!
Then in the space of about 10 minutes we have two foot seas, and gusts up to 61 mph. . . . That's Force 10 winds on the Beaufort Scale! Needless to say, our pucker factor went up quite a lot. Anchor didn't budge, but it was pretty harrowing. Kept up for about 2 hours, then calmed down to 15 to 20, occasional 30 for two hours, then calmed to less than 10 mph, seas maybe half a foot.
We were ready to start the engine if the ground tackle had a problem, or we started dragging, but except for swinging around a bit, we didn't move at all. I had bearings on shore, and the plotter, and nav pegged for anchor watch, but we didn't move.
We're thinking we're liking our new anchor a LOT!
We checked Windy.com, WX forecasts didn't predict it or show it, although my wife posted on facebook and someone said they had 51 mph winds in Sidney Harbor, BC that weren't forecast as well . . .
I've got video of the Wind Speed Gauge, but can't post it here on TF. The link to it on dropbox is:
Login - Dropbox
It actually was higher than 61, but it couldn't push the peg over any more, so I don't know what the max was.
Really got our attention!
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