By Michael Harlow
Dragging Anchor (the first time)
Tahiti, French Polynesia – The Yacht Club de Tahiti anchorage
Our second evening at our new deep anchorage, a storm blew in during the middle of the night. Cruising for over seven months now, we were so attuned to our boat that we could decipher every creak and groan. A sense of unease washed over me—I felt something was amiss. The wind had intensified, reaching approximately 30 knots with gusts up to 45. Reacting swiftly, I leaped out of bed and dashed to the helm, with Melissa close behind. Despite the sideways rain and close to non-existent light, I discerned the disconcerting sight of our sailboat sliding backward towards a luxurious catamaran worth millions. Racing below deck, I promptly opened the raw water intake thru-hull. Returning to the deck in haste, I switched on the engine. Our anchor was dragging, though in my mind, it seemed as if the catamaran was to blame, as I thought they had shifted position earlier in the day, giving us the false impression that they were the ones dragging. Nevertheless, our priority was to alert them of the imminent side collision. With utmost poise, Melissa called out, her voice gentle and melodious, “Excuse me, excuse me! We believe we’re on course to collide with your boat!” Swiftly, I shifted our boat into reverse, and with a mere graze, we made contact with the catamaran.
By this time, the husband and wife, owners of the catamaran, were on deck, attempting to assist us with their flashlights. Melissa raised her voice and called out to them, “I believe you’re dragging anchor.” In their Australian accents, they responded, “I don’t think it’s us; we’re on a mooring.” Frustration welled up within me as I thought, “Damn it, we’re the ones dragging.”
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