The seas were so turbulent that two separate May Days were heard here yesterday.
Peter and I took bikes to the point of entrance and noticed 3 boats rather close together on the horizon. We stayed, watched and took pictures...eventually discovering we were witnessing the end-state of a beautiful sailing vessel being towed into the small harbour entrance here.
We met the owner, an elderly gentleman who has been wintering at the Grand Bahama Yacht Club since November. He had a family of guests on board for a weeks vacation that was just coming to an end.
The vessel was questionably out in the wee hours of the night, attempting to find refuge from the high winds.
The captain was unable to secure a safe anchorage at Great Sale Cay as the winds were out of the west and this location offers no protection from the west.
He decided to head to the Old Bahama Yacht Club but enroute, the engine suddenly died.
The headsail was raised, but the winds were blowing so hard, that it was next to impossible to control the boat, which was now quite close to reefs surrounding the most shallow cay out here - Wood Cay.
Suddenly they noticed another vessel at anchor - it's 2:00am. The captain of the anchored vessel was on deck checking things due to the high winds and noticed the vessel heading straight for theirs.
They called the captain on VHF to warn him, and as the captain attempted to veer away from the anchored vessel, the crew new disaster was iminent.
His vessel crashed into the reefs at Wood Cay.
Given the trauma and loss experienced by those aboard and especially the captain, I will close this update with the very good news that gratefully and miraculously, no one was physically injured, they were rescued and are safely ashore.
The pictures show salvage operations underway. They were unable to do the salvage until late in the day due to the high seas.
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