Bumper Boats in the Night - Post 5

The morning after we arrived, we woke up to see Rosalind surrounded by fog. We were snug at anchor, and being the fifth of July, the anchorage was crowded. We read in our cruising guide that as many as 3,000 boats come to Block Island for Independence Day.

One of our Close Neighbors - They Were to Get Much Closer than that...

After the fog cleared, we inflated our dinghy and went to shore to explore. We found the landing at Payne's Dock and quickly got the impression that Block Island was a small island, as it had a small island slow feel even though it was peak tourist season. 

The temperature was pleasant and the sky clear for our excursion to shore but the weather forecast called for a front to move over Block Island on Friday and Saturday, just two days after our arrival. So, on Thursday, we deployed our second anchor, a Danforth type, on 30 ft (9 m) of chain and 170 ft (50 m) of rode. 

Great Salt Pond, the Evening Before the Blow

The front Friday morning generated winds that gusted to 30 knots (55 km/h) but by midday the weather settled so we went to shore for more exploring before turning in for the night. At about midnight, the wind started whistling in the rigging, gusting to 30 knots (55 km/hr). Within minutes, horns were blasting and the VHF radio was buzzing with calls for help and warnings. There were concerns that a big 90+ ft (27+ m) old steel military tug was drifting. The tug, now privately owned, if loose, would cause tremendous destruction across the anchorage, as no one would have enough power to stop it. Also at the time it was not clear if anyone was aboard the vessel. Maybe, just maybe, the tug had just stretched her chain and was now holding put. Many eyes, including ours, were on her throughout the night.

The Old Steel Military Tug

At the same time, a sailboat drifted on another and the local TowBoatUS provided aid. The anchors of the two boats had gotten tangled and it took some effort to free the two boats and get them to secure locations for the night. Several boats on moorings were also reported drifting, but did not pose any immediate dangers. The TowBoatUS captain had not finished securing the first two boats when a second boat lost its holding and started drifting. This one got tangled with a sailboat just upwind of us and passed within 30 ft (9 m) of us. We were very concerned about both boats, all tangled up, starting to drift down on us. The port captain was called by the tow boat operator and was on his way in another boat to assist. The TowBoatUS captain managed to get the drifting boat under control and relocated it to an empty mooring while the other boat also moved away. The boats closest to us were now the big tug to the northwest, a 38 ft (12 m) motor yacht between us and the big tug, and a 56 ft (17 m) Hatteras motor yacht.

We were almost in the clear...

We had seen the Hatteras motor yacht anchor and I had been concerned about the limited amount of chain they had put out for the depth. While they were anchoring, I mentioned in a polite way that we used a scope of 5:1. This is important to know if you anchor very close to someone because if the scopes are different, the boats will swing differently and could possibly collide. My mention of the scope did not result in any additional chain being let out by the Hatteras captain.

The wind started abating and was now gusting to 20 knots (37 km/h). High tide arrived at 2:29 am. At 2:35 am, the Hatteras started dragging its anchor and moving towards us. At about 2:36 am, while folks around the anchorage were blasting their horns to wake up the captain of the drifting Hatteras motor yacht, I put Rosalind in reverse to lessen the impact of the impending collision. About 5 seconds before the collision, the Hatteras owner showed up on deck wearing a robe! In contrast, we, like most others in the anchorage, had been on watch for hours, monitoring the radio and instruments, and wearing our life preservers. We had our second anchor set since the day before, our engine running since the the wind picked up at midnight, our red deck lights on to increase nighttime visibility, and the AIS, radar and chartplotters running.

The Hatteras that Drifted and Hit Rosalind

The TowBoatUS captain was on the scene just after the Hatteras collided with our anchor rollers and bowsprit. Putting Rosalind in reverse helped and the collision was of limited impact. The TowBoatUS captain used his boat (a large 30 ft or 9 m Rigid Inflatable Boat -RIB) as a wedge and pushed the Hatteras away from us. The Hatteras continued drifting downwind with its anchor chain hanging and it caught our dinghy and did some minor damage to our stern light. The TowBoatUS then directed the Hatteras to a shallow area (an otherwise restricted area) to anchor for the night. We stayed up until first light, and turned in at 4:30 am. 

Minor Damage to Rosalind's Stern Light
(Light Post was Easily Straightened)

The captain of the Hatteras never even stopped by to check on the damage he caused or to apologize for the collision. He just left Block Island.

It took us a couple of days to recover from that adventure. We had to check Rosalind for damage and get some much needed rest. Cruising allows us to see new and exciting places, meet fascinating people, and get very close to nature. All this is amazing, but sometimes things can get a little crazy.