Light House Keeper Work Experience

[wheels 543]

Yesterday Dawn and I had some Work experience as Light House Keepers. We even supplied the Light House as well.

We came into a very long narrow bay called Port Hardy way out on the Northern end of D'urville Island. We have been in there twice before and must have taken this same track both times, or been so darn close to it. There is nothing marked on the Chart, nothing marked on the GPS and I was in 29m of water. On the GPS we were just approching one of the depth gradient lines that would mark the start of a rise up to 13m toward the direction of the shore. We were running parellel to the shore line, so shouldn't actualy see much change in depth on the sounder. I was slightly day dreaming in thought about a Rock I hadn't really taken notice of before. We would pass it with a good 75-100m distance between us and it. The Rock was a good 25m out from the point and what I was thinking about was that fact that my GPS chart nor the paper chart had it marked as a rock, let alone one that actually dried out. Tides are pretty massive down here by the way, upto 4m. So we are traveling at 7knts well out from the shore line and this Rock that was not marked and me in 29m of water and both GPS and Paper chart show me in clear deep water. So here I am thinking and suddenly the sounder shows the bottom shoot straight up from deep water to 24ft in an instant. Before I could react, the Bow lifts and drives itself skyward at a good 45deg and we come to a thuming great halt. Everything went flying. Dawn was thrown across the floor and is sporting some real serious big bruises. We sat for a couple fo seconds pointing skyward and then the boat started to topple over sideways. I thought we were going to go right over. I selected reverse and gunned her and we slid backwards off what ever we hit and backed away. I turned the boat and very slowly motored 180deg back in the direction we came from so as I could take a good look around below. No water, nothing looked cracked or broken, everything seemed to be OK. We turned back to the direction we had been traveling and moved further out and just slowly. There in the watwer, just a foot below the water surface was a reef. It ran from the point and went even further out than were we had hit it. Never seen it before. We must have passed right over this in the past is all I can think of, or we had been just and only just outside of it. What a fright. Very sobering. I discussed it with friends that night and have thought over and over and I honesty can't think of anything I could have done better or differently.... that isn't outright impracticle that is.

Everything seems to be OK, and we will haul her out sometime soon. I expect a good gouge probably. The impact was horrendouse. I couldn't believe the motor wasn't ripped of it's mounts even.

Anyway, great trip home today. Being able to come home after something like that happening has to be a big bonus.

[w44vi 17]

were you opposite castle point going toward south arm ?

[wheels 543]

Yeah must have been about there I reckon. You know of it too????

[w44vi 17]

No, although there is a rock on the east side. But I was warned to keep well clear of the points, but I draw 2.1 m

[wheels 543]

I draw 2.1 also. This was on the West side and was a long reef. The point must have been close to opposite the East Arm. I haven't a chgart handy, so I can't give the details. But I will have a look later and give more detail.