Anchor Dragged, Hard Aground, All Plans Now Changed (Ep.193) The Foster Journey

Anchor Dragged Hard Aground During Strong Winds

The Foster family continues their Chesapeake Bay journey, cruising through the beautiful Choptank River and ending up in Oxford, Maryland. Things take an unexpected turn when they find themselves on a difficult day with their boat Cadence being dragged aground during heavy winds. “God dang it, I knew better. I knew way better.” Matt states about the grounding event. During the event, Cadence was in 7 feet of water with a scope ratio of 6 to 1 out on the anchor, but it wasn’t enough for the storm. This video transcription explains something essential about anchor security: The Anchor Security is based on the size of the anchor, the chain and the scope – scope being the amount of chain divided by the total depth. While many people often make a mistake by not calculating the total depth (water depth plus boat freeboard height + any waves), they only think in terms of water depth. To correctly calculate scope: Take 60 ft of chain, 6ft of water (depth), 4ft boat height and add 1ft for possible wave lift. Total is 11 feet or a 5.5 to 1 scope ratio – not enough for a storm if too short. Attempting Rescue And Getting Free Trying multiple ways, first by diesel motor and then with the dinghy, they pushed and pulled from both behind and in front but it wasn’t enough due to the wind. Later as the wind calmed down, they didn’t attempt a second rescue because a towboat was coming. Although hard aground on the keel (the bottom of their boat), Cadence still floated slightly with each wave encouraging sign that the situation may improve. Inspecting For Damage Post-Towboat Rescue After being rescued by the towboat, Matt decided to inspect bolts on the keel and any possible damages especially worried about the rudder. The bolts holding the boat onto the keel were fine with no signs of movement, an encouraging discovery for the family. Cadence’s winged keel (which sits under the bottom of their boat) is made of solid lead – a heavy material that shouldn’t take damage unless weight on it was too much for metal. Matt shares his thoughts throughout this process and considers how repairs will be needed since they’re going to reassess right after re-anchoring. If there’s any suspicion while being towed, they might go straight into hauled out status at a local boat yard without anchoring again. So the rudder checks in focus post-rescue. Evaluating Emotional Impact of The Event “It was tough to stay in control and not be too emotional about it.” Matt shares his experience. The family had mixed emotions after the rescue, especially their daughter Olivia who felt sad and upset at the event. But Matt feels proud of himself for staying calm and helpful during this difficult time. While evaluating happiness levels on a 1-10 scale (with bad being 1 and amazing being 10), Matt gave them both a solid two for the grounding day mainly because he managed to stay in control and calm while his wife was upset, even though he also acknowledged it wasn’t a zero – meaning it wasn’t good at all but not so terrible as to give zero happiness points. The Journey Continues Despite the rough day, The Foster family quickly moves forward by choosing to leave from Solomons Island and head south towards Deltaville – a beautiful anchorage spot that they have visited before. This is where their Chesapeake Bay journey has led them – facing unexpected challenges but also discovering resilience in adversity. Their positive outlook remains steadfast as they enjoy quick Walmart shopping trips, favorite meals at Olive Garden and beautiful anchorages all while continuing to document this special family sailing adventure. Summary In the latest episode of The Foster Journey, they experienced their most challenging day yet with heavy winds dragging their boat Cadence onto rocks. Despite facing fear and stress, they remained resilient together. Working together to find a solution for rescue, they inspected potential damages afterward before heading towards Deltaville, hoping that all would turn out well. As family members reflected on the incident, they rated their overall happiness at only two points due to emotional struggles but praised themselves for staying calm and united amidst adversity. Call-to-Action Join The Foster family on this unpredictable yet awe-inspiring sailing journey across the beautiful Chesapeake Bay. Stay tuned as they explore more exciting destinations, learn important lessons and create unforgettable memories along the way. For more engaging boating stories or to start your own adventure like theirs, subscribe now and never miss an update!