Aussies' Grounded Boat Now Beneath High-Water Mark, and Geoff's Mucking About
Saga of Anna Marie, Left High and (Somewhat) Dry by 2019 Hurricane
This dispatch from Geoff Bradley and Jenny Kelly on Great Abaco was written by Kelly on May 31, 2023. The Australian couple has advanced their grounded motoryacht Anna Marie about six feet since our last story. If you’re new to Loose Cannon, you can catch up on the self-rescue saga through links to previous stories at the bottom of the page.
Life has been a bit crazy for a few weeks.
As a result of a number of small directional changes we now find the area under the bow, where the skates and jacks are positioned, is directly over the “boghole.” It gets flooded twice a day.
Our latest method to deal with it is:
Dig trenches to direct the water.
Use a submersible pump to remove as much water as possible.
Fill the hole that will be under the lastest jack positions with large rocks.
Cover with lots of 2-6 feet of lumber.
Jack up the boat, which usually starts with jacking down but eventually you get traction and start to move up. Sadly the latest four air hydraulic jacks we bought over were not up to standard, so we are back to hand jacking bottle jacks until we can get some replacements.
Put as many long logs under the keel. The long logs are needed at the moment to span across the boghole.
Position the skates on 2-3 inch lumber and metal plates.
Lower the jacks and pray!
The area is very slippery with clay like mud.
It is taking up most of our days with early starts and working on something most of the day.
Lucky for us the water is close so Geoff gets to scrub off the mud and change his clothes and gloves several times a day.
After the end of the day we celebrate with rum and BBQ and forget we own phones! Sorry.
BTW, as at today we are 28 feet from the mean-low-water mark so we are both very happy.
Up early this morning for a 6 a.m. start to watch Rugby League State of Origin Game 1 in Australia.
Previous Stories in Chronological Order
29 Months After Hurricane, Grounded Yacht Inches Seaward (Video), March 9, 2022.
Following in the Wake of Archimedes, March 15, 2022.
The Bradleys Keep Grinding Away, Just 60 Feet More, May 21, 2022.
Grounded Yacht: Insight and Progress Captured on Video, July 3, 2022.
Aussie Pair Readies for Another Push To Relaunch Grounded Motoryacht, October 26, 2022.
On Fourth Christmas Aground, Abaco Castaways Look To Eventful New Year (Video), December 24, 2023.
Aussie Couple 'Skates' Grounded Yacht to Water's Edge (Video), March 18, 2023.
Aussies' Grounded Boat Now Beneath High-Water Mark, and Geoff's Mucking About
I have been following since the first post. Are these folks mad or the very definition of determination. Lots of thoughts pass my mind. I think of the Egyptions moving giant stones or how it would be great to pick up the phone and call in a Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion strap on and plunk them down in 20 feet of water. Or why the owners did not just give up and walk away?
I do hope that their home based media picks up their story and make them celebrities if for nothing else but for their pluckyness.
Oh yeah, baby! Eat an elephant one bite at a time.