Oracle mishap


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Published: August 31st 2008
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This is a sad story, I am writing this on the 31st of August. About a month ago, Oracle III, a Canadian Fountain Pagot, Venezia model, came into Ponce anchorage. The Club has kind of appointed Maribel to receive the visitors. So I make my way over, explain the ins and outs of the area...Make them feel welcome.
There is a couple Soto and Mike, and their sons, Dantes 6 and Mateo 9.
We have become friendly with them. Both Mike and Soto are Reike Masters.
Soto's family came in from Canada to visit, they rented a condo in Loisa for 9 days. We were invited to come over, we had the boat at the T dock, so we felt we could walk away for a day or so. We left here on Thursday. Spent a few hours with their family, Loisa about 2 1/2 hours away. Then we went to the Ceiba Country Inn in Ceiba, about an hour away from them. Nice place, but a bit expensive, 96 per night including taxes. We had some shopping to do in Fajardo next day.
August 31, Fay thr hurricane turned, it was suppose to go on the North coast, and instead the eye ran for Ponce, going right over the top of this town. In some areas they had 50 to 60 miles an hour, in some others 30 to 35. Around 0830, as we were pulling into Skippers Marine Store, the cell phone rang. It was Paco. He said I have some bad news, my heart skipped....He told us the Catamaran had drugged the anchor around 0730 it was against the Commercial docks. He handed the phone to Dave Smedley, on Calixta, another cruiser spending the season here, Dave said the worse. We told him where the keys were for the cat.
Fortunately, several of the Club members were around. About 5 guys and 2 small boats went to the rescue.
The anchor had to be cut. Between the 2 boats they dislodged the cat from the dock. You see the left pontoon had wedged itself under the dock, the pier pilings were hitting the side of the hull.
So here we are in Fajardo, with no way to contact Soto or Mike. We made a u turn, headed back to Loisa. We woke them up with bad news. They dressed themselves, and all 4 of us headed back to Ponce in our own vehicles.
Upon arriving David told us the situation showed us pictures on his computer.
Well, I wan to to tell you the pictures don't do it justice.
Soto and Mike arrived at their cat long before us. And we heard Soto screaming, OH MY LORD!
They are insured. Thank God.
I am putting pictures here for your viewing. Notice there is no lifelines left on the deck, the turnbuckle is twisted. There are several holes, and there is on on the pontoon on the inside that I did not get a picture off.
Lessons learned:
Don't leave your boat at anchor while being away.
Make sure you have right scope, this one did not.
When a hurricane is coming, don't leave your boat unsecured, cause it can turn overnight as Fay did.




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