RUNNING AGROUND AFTER 3 LONG DAYS AT SEA 

One does not run aground, but rather performs an unscheduled careening.

I remember the last time we grounded, we were running up river, river was running about 6 knots and we were making about 1/2 a knot progress, both of us relaxed in the cockpit and I had my foot on the tiller when I noticed we were not making progress. Missy looks over and states, "water is so clear it looks like the sand is 3 feet down.". Well I jump up and crank up on the keel but by now the rudder is stuck. I jump out, she hands me a pliers and I start to pull the rudder pins ( I had them in so the rudder did not pop up unlike how we usually run with them out. ) now the boat has no steerage and a puff of wind she starts off up river with me on a sandbar. Long story, but the Columbia River is no place to be stuck mid river on a sandbar. 30 minutes later we decided we had the best story of 2023, with pictures of me in nothing but shorts and a hat standing in the always cold Columbia.

Yup, been there, done that ... I ran aground on a -1 tide when I just a little out of the channel. It was 20 minutes before low, so I just sat there for about an hour before I floated off.

It happens to the best of us.

The technical term for a sailor that has never run aground is "Liar" .

Soldering is still the most bullet proof connection!

"I keep convincing myself it will all be worth it."

We only draw 2'3" and still manage to run aground regularly! The fact is, whatever you draw you'll ground sooner or later. Just try to plan to do it on a RISING tide!

Great episode. I grounded 5 times in one trip through the ICW in the Gulf. I was surprised that the Cat in your opening shot is currently anchored about 300 feet away from me in Marsh Harbor.

Thats not a grounding. That's just comfortably resting. :)

It matters less what happens in our travels then how we respond. I commend you for how you handled yourself in the midst of this situation and I wish you the best in your ongoing journeys.

We anchored just west of where you snagged on a very windy night. Alas, the holding was poor even with our Mantus M1, and we struggled to re-anchor between 3am and dawn. We said to heck with it as the sun came up, and proceeded south, going north 'round the shoal of course. BTW, one of the bridge keepers just south of there was the grouchiest jerk we've ever encountered on the ICW. Just sayin'...

If you aren’t too hard aground, and/or don’t have someone to pull you free, you can use an anchor abeam of you and your halyard to heel the boat over and free the keel.

That was exciting❤

Been watching y'all for years now and don't remember y'all ever been grounded like that before, truer words well spoken,"even for the best, it's not a matter of if but when" 👍❤️🇺🇸

Ponce Inlet. Disappearing Island. You would be surprised with ALL the boats beached and partying (especially Holidays and weekends). Ohhhh and shark bite capital (Ponce Inlet at New Smyrna Beach).

Every sailor I know has experienced it. Interesting for us though. 💗

Even in these trying moments,Brandi, you smile, maybe a bit nervously but still smiling ya are badass lady ❤️

In Georgetown its more the paper mill stink that gets really strong. They have been telling everyone that the steel mill was closing, we have not been there in a couple years so not sure if it ever did close. One good thing about being on a catamaran, when we run aground we don't live in a sideways boat while we wait to float again :-)

Been there, done it! A bit humbling but it happens. I think you guys handled it very well. Glad it was a “soft” grounding! Take good care guys! ❤

Your smiles at the end were the best part of the story! I always appreciate how real you two are with whatever life sends your way. Safe sailing.

The day we left on our cruise in 2010, we ran aground four hours out of the marina and it took us two hours to get ungrounded. I just was enjoying the sail so much and so excited we were finally leaving that I wasn't even looking at the chart plotter.

Once you started the music, my anxiety level started racing. I'm so glad for the people that helped you. It wasn't so bad after all. Love your videos, be safe.

Nice video. Wonderful FL, where a 5+ ft. depth is a blessing. Google maps is a must have and bouncing is an every day occurrence. You used your grounding time well.

Guess the bright flashing lights were essential

Yay Sea Tow! Hope you guys got some sleep. 😎🥰

Use a dielectric grease inside the connectors to prevent rain and salt air from getting to the connections. On the crimp connectors, it’s good to use some liquid electrical tape and shrink tubing over them to keep moisture out. Also, “woody wax” and a piece of bronze wool will remove the rust from the stainless hardware onboard and also prevents it from forming as quickly. Good luck!

It's great that you ran aground on sand without big waves! Running aground is scary. Nice job getting off. Cheers from Alaska

Ponce inlet is my home and I've seen countless boats grounded here! You're not the first and surely not the last.

Excellent inexpensive fix for the solar😊

Welcome to the club! Great antifouling btw...

Hi you guys Beau to fix your solar connection get some heat shrink in various sizes and some di-electric grease for batterie connections ,that should solve your corrosion problems

You guys have such an upbeat approach despite the mini setback! Making lemonade, as they say. We ran aground the very first time we took our boat out just after the closing. It was a bit of a bump into the mud and I nearly flew off the boat!!! But we managed to reverse outta there. Hurt our egos more than the boat. Ain’t sailing fun!!?

They really should have that channel marked better than that, I can't say this was entirely your fault but what I can say is you were very lucky that it was only sand and not rocky ground or reef, this could have been a disaster. Keep safe, love you guy's.👍⚓⛵♥🇨🇦

Georgetown where the College is, also has Rats! Last time I was in that area of Georgetown, we sw at least one. Where there's one, there's probably more.

Looks more like a Gulf of Mexico deal!! Did a prop test on a boat here in New Port Richey, 3 miles out, took the outdrive right off the back of the boat!! Grew up in Lake Worth.. why look down! Over here, it's,, ONLY LOOK DOWN!! I feel for ya!!😢😮😮

Having a tow service at the ready is awesome, with my boat insurance I have Tow BoatUS. Both them and Sea Tow are awesome

Folks use liquid electrical tape for moisture protection.

what a great and thoughtful gift from your friends that got you the sea tow.....52.2k subscribers love you both and watching you live your lives.....now get to some 80 degree water temp and have some fun and relaxation 😃😎

Sea Tow are awesome. I've had to call them twice, although not for an unscheduled careening, and they have been awesome.

Running aground really sucks and is very stressful. You guys seemed to handle it amazingly well.

I was just in that anchorage. I used Aqua Maps to get into it because the sand bar is much more prevalent than on Navionics. 😉

Use dye electric grease on all electrical connections. Then use a tube like shrink wrap around it.

Been the done that…3 times. You did well. 😘

Wow. What a predicament. Glad you made it out safely. Thanks for sharing your adventures.

Such an intelligent couple, kind-a hard to imagine how they goofed like that.

Eeeek, stressful for sure! That whole area is constantly changing. We had a catamaran try to enter the ICW just north of that bar, earlier in the year while we were exiting. We were bouncing along the ground and the cat was heading right at us, trying to get us to turn deeper into the sand bar. We didn't alter course until the last second, and of course a few words were exchanged. It would be nice if everyone else on the water was a bit more considerate, no?

Wow. Thanks for sharing this. Our daughter and son-in-law need tugs to 'tip' their boat which is a Taianna and much heavier than your vessel to get over sand bars.. like the one in Rio Dulce. Several tugs.

Been there, done that 😂😵‍💫. Not so funny when it was happening, but with the help of a fisherman we got off and sailed on to the nearest harbour 🎉❤. That's the good thing about a full keel boat ⛵😍, no damage at all ❤

Crimp, solder, and heat shrink!

Good job staying calm and enjoying the walk about while waiting 😂

Omg, this is the one time I'm not envious of you two.

Good to hear that some SeaTow franchises are good. It can be spotty. Some SeaTow franchises are not so qualified or eager to help. Tow Boat US is very consistent, top quality service. We had both services for a couple of years and it was clear which was best if you are cruising. If you stay in one area and there is a good SeaTow team there, they might be fine. Good to see you guys back afloat! ❤

Nice to see you floating again, I used Sea Tow last August in Sarasota. They are really good at what they do!

I feel so much relief.....great episode of real life cruising.

Dont forget, if you run aground and start to heel, you may need to shut off the fuel vent line to avoid spilling fuel overboard. And I hope everyone has a shut off valve on their fuel vent lines

Went through that inlet this past fall/winter. I was originally anchored off shore just south of it in benign conditions, when at 2am the conditions became not benign. Big rollers, and wind. It was a testament to the rockna and 170 feet of chain. Waited until daylight with the engine running just in case. I finally brought the anchor up and motored in. That inlet is really narrow, and to make it more interesting there were smaller boats fishing right next to the jetty. Was a weird experience with the bow pointing right at them (and the rocks) while “crabbing” against the wind.

... very appreciate your down to earth life... Stay on course!

Outstanding video. Great sailing. 👍 to Seatow.

Weicome to Volusia County''s infamous Disappearing Island! I was taking a student sailor out for lesson #2. I found the exact same spot. Played it cool like I did it on purpose to show him how to get off. [MUCH CALMER THAT DAY] The sail trick worked! Glad the boat didn't suffer any damage.

Wow and I thought I was having a crappy day! I’m glad it worked out. Never a dull moment!!!!

That is one of the most sketchy inlets on the east coast I've encountered. Glad you made it!!

Once in awhile we all get stuck sometimes? No damage no foul! 💙

This reminded me of the time I ran aground on a mud flat in maine. Like you it was a falling tide. At low tide we took advantage of the situation and dug for clams! Had a great dinner and floated off at high tide. No harm done. I've really enjoyed your videos travelling down the east coast. I've done both the icw and offshore trip many times and your videos have brought back some fun memories!

Its been a while ago but I used to be an engineer for a TV station. Occasionally the so called "photogs" wouldn't go on various video shoots (various reason's ) and I like d that , and would go. Management asked me to go out and video a tanker that had problems, a fishing boat volunteered to take me out, and out I went. It had gotten stuck on a sand bar in the bay (Humboldt in California) and I got the footage, it was crazy to see an Oil Tanker (huge) on its side on a sand bar !

I was seriously concerned when you were coming through the cut.

Jammin out to pb & cel, love it! Seems like life is way easier if you don't have to protect your pride all the time. Thanks for the video!

Running aground can be so very stressful. Loss of mobility, uncertainty and damage report is a nightmare. You two kept your cool and the tow service was awesome. Sometimes it doesn't go well with damage to the keel, rudder and prop. Long fin keels are really susceptible to damage from grounding. Happy to see this end well. Mahalo.

Omg what a bad feeling but you guys took that like champs. Glad you’re floating again. Safe travels

It is the papermill in Georgetown that smells. Great little town though. I drug anchor there in the soupy mess!

All's well that ends well!

The scary music when you came into Ponce omg guys! I was just holding my breath lolol😂

Whoa, that's wicked scary!

It just goes to show, it can happen to anyone. Glad there was no damage! Safe travels!

Awesome video! We're glad to have been able to help get you guys back to deep water!!

Great show I have run aground in the past- it is an early feeling of helplessness with an sense of lost time. The friends at sea are critical. Glad it all turned out well cheers

I had trouble with that Ponce inlet going out if you don't have headway that current will run you up on the rocks.

I got to say as a photographer the thumbnail is amazing !

Happened for me with my 22 foot Mimmi. Actually I wanted to cross under the Malmo-Copenhagen bridge agaiat the wind. Everything I did, wind under bridge piers didn't let me thru. Until my main sail dropped and afterwards I was in the mercy of wind blowing me towards Saltholm lowlands. It took guys with two 200HP motors to get me out of there. I ever wondered how deep of this lowlands I actually was until getting stuck in sands.

Gotta love your attitudes 👍🤩🌊

Wooweee if that isn't a bit of eeekkk! Good to know your safe n' sound now.

You meant to do that. The starboard side needed cleaning.

Whew, I was worried at the beginning that it was something truly disastrous. I'm so happy you were gifted sea tow though!! Hope you got some much needed rest and snuggle time 🤗💞

Love you guys ❤

Wow Sailor great episode, ❤

Glad it all worked out 😮

🇨🇦 cool 'CANADA' toque ‼️

I usually like watching your videos, but this one makes me glad I live on land! Looks scary out there. Good luck to you both!

The Force is strong with these young one's.... Stay safe guy's

Ohhh my. So sorry this happened my dears. I just got off a four day OT work week and just got a chance now to see…. Wow ….

Wow, I'm so glad you made it out of being stuck! That was scary!

Wow you guys were really so calm and cool through out this adventure. Good job!

Next time use the haliard to so the boat can be canted to one is. This will lift the keel and you can moter out. We have done this many times using our dingy.

I've ran the ground a couple times and I found if I take a zodiac style dinghy with a decent motor push from the center of the boat essentially ramming it with your dinghy consistently puts it at that slight angle where the Keel drags across the sand or hopefully not rocks just an idea for next time hopefully it never happens i enjoy watching your videos peace out

Great video! Thanks for sharing.

It was the paper mill you were smelling. The steel mill is shut down, the only thing running there is the rolling mill.

You guys went by me at St. Simons Island, GA I wish you would have stopped in! Cheers!

Go sail in moreton bay near Brisbane Australia I was with VMR for many years and I,m on first name basis with every Sandbar having pulled someone of every one of them . It’s not if you run aground ,but when . Sand is forgiving just stay away from rocks . 2 guys we rescued from a fero yacht. They emptied a freezer full of frozen meat to lighten the boat . That brought around a large school of sharks . So we had to take them off. A week later we took them back to recover their rigging the hull was reduced to rubble by wave😂in 3 months no trace of the hull had never been there.

I was hoping you'd enjoy a "date night" when otherwise not engaged. More motion to the ocean indeed. Asking you not to have it in gear while towing you out sounds sort of sus. Having a friend pull the mast over at the same time makes all the sense in the world. Setting two anchors out in front as far as you can on two different angles, and winching in as high tide approaches makes all the sense in the world as well as pulling the mast sideways at the same time. Been there, done that, while harvesting a 54' Cheoy Lee from the iron shore of Eleuthera, all without a sea tow. Using 24" by 4" casurina pine rollers under the keel worked wonders.

Nerve-wracking chapter for sure!