Shipwreck

Chamela Anchorage, Jalisco, Mexico
January 17, 2010

It wasn't a "ship" wreck more like a panga wreck (pangas are the ubiquitous Mexican fishing/work boat that are everywhere here). As durable and seaworthy as these boats seem, they evidently sink every once in awhile. We were getting ready to pull our anchor in order to check out a supposedly great snorkel spot behind some islands on the other side of the bay and all of the sudden the windlass loaded up and the bow dipped. Totem continued to pull their anchor and headed off towards the islands (it's always a race). We tried running the boat forwards and backwards to try and dislodge the chain from whatever it was caught on and when that didn't work, Brad decided to put on his mask and snorkel and see if he could see what we were suck on. That's when we found out that our anchor chain was wrapped completely around and over a submerged panga. After a couple of tries, we were able to let out more chain and unwind ourselves. The whole time we had a friends' boat standing by in the anchorage in case we needed their assistance. Meanwhile, Totem reached the snorkel spot and found that the swell would have made anchoring their questionable, so they had decided to return. We pulled up the anchor and found a new spot, while Totem re-anchored in their former spot. We all agreed that it was time for siestas (though the boys ended up swimming off Totem for awhile). We were just glad to be swinging freely far from the "shipwreck"!

Pangas on shore in the Chamela Anchorage

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see: http://www.sailmail.com