Same-old, same-old work at the “office” today, but I went ashore before sunset for a happy-hour libation at Foxy’s Taboo and to see if I could get rid of my garbage, which beginning to smell rather ripe despite being hidden in the garage. After a drink I dinghied back to towards my boat and realized that the big catamaran I’d seen sailing downwind under mainsail alone was still pointed downwind with the sail halfway up, but no longer moving as it had gone aground on the reef between Jost van Dyke and Little Jost van Dyke. This reef is either awash or, when submerged, only to a couple of inches. I don’t know what these charter guests were thinking, since the charts show that passage as not being navigable and there was still sufficient light to see the obvious difference in colour. Also, the anchorage was full of boats except in this area, which would lead one to perhaps ask oneself “Why aren’t there any boats there?”. Anyway, as I boarded to ask if I could help the Mooring chase boat arrived and they checked for leaks, finding none they had the charterers fully drop their sail and then reversed off the reef. After they reversed away and slowed down I got back aboard my dinghy and headed home, while the rather clueless and somewhat embarrassed charters left the anchorage under full power, probably searching for another reef to bounce off of.
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