Dinghy cruising excitement

[Kelpie]

One for Dancrane et al.
Yesterday we took the Wanderer to a little uninhabited island which, I had spotted on Google Earth, has a tiny white sandy beach. Very enticing. Loaded a picnic, and anchor, and we set off.
We tacked up to the beach- decent breeze off the shore- and when within a boatlength of the shore were surprised to see waves of one or two feet high breaking. The beach slopes steeply so there was just this one line of breakers, and you couldn't really see them from seaward.
One such wave dumped us on the sand, and I hopped out, painter in hand. The next wave was much bigger, breaking over the stern of the boat and half swamping it. I tried to work out a plan. This was not at all what I had expected, especially given the offshore breeze. The next wave was a monster, swinging the boat round and almost capsizing her. SWMBO had by now got the main down, just in time for me to call out a slight change in plan. Time to leave!
The jib filled, allowing the bow to swing round into the surf, which stopped us from getting swamped by the next wave. It did, however, drive the boat hard sternwards up the beach, pushing the rudder into the sand, and nearly knocking me flat. With SWMBO bailing frantically, it took a few attempts to get the now very heavy boat relaunched, before I could clamber over the stern. A boatlength out, we were clear of the breakers and drifting gently in flat water, lazily making way under jib. A few minutes later we had the main back up and were on a screaming broad reach, with the self bailers sucking the boat dry.

We ate our picnic afloat. Island remains unexplored. And the boat appears undamaged (even the rudder), although it is full of sand.

Dinghy cruising doesn't always match up to expectations. It is rarely, however, boring.

 

[Searush]

You have learned a valuable lesson, stay well clear of beaches with breaking waves, even in the tender they can dump you.

The worst are the ones you can't really see from seaward, but may hear. A steep beach, no perceptible swell, but a crumping, crushing crash as each wave suddenly steepens, rolls over & crashes on the shore without travelling far up it.

BTW, sand is usually an indication of strong surf at some point, how do you think the big rocks become tiny grains of sand?

 

[Billjratt]

Been done that way in the dinghy coming ashore to Cala Sahona in Formentera.
Lovely sandy bay, steepish ridge once a few feet out. The surge was blamed on the Ibiza ferry, it used to happen every evening and steal things from the beach - sandals, picnics, dinghies towels.. about ten to five if I remember rightly - just as you were enjoying your pint up in the beach bar and had to run down to rescue the dinghy.
Our tip-up happened on the way to a special dinner out with friends, SWMBO was in her best frock etc. Huge wave over the back. Nuff said. Pizza aboard in jammies. Next day was outboard maintenance and laundry, but at least it was sunny.

 

[William_H]

Much sympathyb for the OP I can just imagine the consternation if not terror being hit by thsoe waves. Funny even a small wave can cause real trouble for a dinghy being beached. Yikes!!!. good luck (next time) olewill

 

[seumask]

Much sympathyb for the OP I can just imagine the consternation if not terror being hit by thsoe waves. Funny even a small wave can cause real trouble for a dinghy being beached. Yikes!!!. good luck (next time) olewill

I believe there are methods of landing which involve anchoring outside the waves and warping back against the anchor keeping the bow pointed into the waves, however crashing wave on a beach are a well known boat breaker and best avoided.
When I was young we used to surf laser dinghies up the beach pulling up the dagger board and letting the rudder rise up. However it could go wrong and I saw quite a few broken masts doing this stunt, not to mention you needed a cross or on shore wind.

 

[FairweatherDave]

Good story Kelpie. All the better for it being Febuary, brrrr. At least the Wanderer is easier to manoevre than your (previous?) Wayfarer. Steeply shelving beaches do create the invisible til the last minute dumping waves that you don't want. Funny how easy it is to get into trouble in a boat when you least expect it . So nearly wrecked on a desert island? The perk of your location, (green with envy), down here there is not much privacy to get things wrong.....

 

[Greenheart]

Sorry I didn't notice this thread till today.

I can remember almost exactly the same situation decades ago, though where it was I've entirely forgotten...

...but the shock of finding that an idyllic, safe-seeming beach holds treacherous violent breakers which are undetectable till it's too late...

...yes, that's the sort of nightmare-recollection which jerks me out of my sleep in an armchair on a winter evening. Actually I'm grateful to Kelpie for reminding me...it's been so long since, I might easily have repeated the error.

I suppose it's mostly where sand-bars stretch into deep open water - so there are no warning breakers.

The anchoring-off idea seems very sound to me...assuming the ground tackle & rode is up to the job. At least when arriving at a problematic-landing, you have the chance to drop the hook before deciding whether to take on the breakers. If the water is deep close to the edge, it's not only violent for the boat, it's a tough job for the crew to keep their feet whilst also keeping the boat head-to-wind.

 

[Kelpie]

I'm not really sure what the best tactic would have been, even in hindsight.
I had a decent anchor aboard- a baby 4kg Manson- and the bottom was sand, so that's a good start. I also had a 50m nylon rode, plus about 5m of chain. I had a couple of other decent long lines aboard too, probably another 50m in total.

The trick would be in getting the boat secured out of the breakers whilst being able to get her close enough to the shore to jump out. And to be able to haul her back in again when it was time to go home.

Suggestions?

 

[FairweatherDave]

Where you have this off shore wind I am not sure that anchoring outside the waves is required. With hind sight (or next attempt) I would perhaps just drop sail and row in stern first, having removed the rudder, and step ashore with the anchor and chain and with plenty of rode , but perhaps fixed to a stern cleat so the boat is always bows to the waves. All assuming this is just a lunch stop.

 

[Kelpie]

Problem with that idea is that you would have to carry the boat out of the surf- it was breaking right at the edge of the beach. The wanderer is too heavy for the two of us to actually lift and carry. If we left it half in the surf I think it would have been battered about and ended up beam-on, then probably swamped or rolled.

 

[FairweatherDave]

No, that is not the situation I was envisaging! I was suggesting you come in stern to shore just close enough to unload whatever and then push the boat empty (with the help of the off shore wind) beyond the troublesome waves, while taking the anchor ashore. In your initial description you suggested the waves were only visible a boat length from shore. Otherwise anchoring a long way off, then rowing in and taking a very long line ashore made to the anchor or dinghy. But it does all depend on your exact circumstances at the time and the depth. We had a Wanderer before our Wayfarer and had problems retrieving in the shore break that hadn't been there when we launched

 

[FairweatherDave]

PS I have re-read my second post and can see how you took it now. I meant no anchor except above the shore line, with the wind keeping the boat beyond any waves.

 

[Pete54]

You had the information you needed, just had not put it together.

As a kid I used to devour stories of epic sea survival etc. There is a distressing common ending though - wrecked on the first landfall. Now in a survival situation there is some excuse. But if you can survey things on Google Earth then you have a huge advantage.

When I used to race I despaired of people launching into an onshore sea and then getting between the boat and the beach - inevitably some were hurt. If it is a little islandthe other side would have been a lee shore and what 2 minute walk?

Like it or not even a small boat pushed by a small wave can snap your leg or tear the bottom out. The only thing that stops bad stuff happening is the grey matter between the eyes. Some things are just going to be too difficult. Rowing in astern, without a rudder, could work - but it the boat turns broadside? How do you protect it and you? Without the ability to quickly drag it sternward up the beach, it will be damaged. Without that capability then it is a place not to visit.

Sorry if I sound too critical but these are the things that some old folks taught me the hard way (it hurt!). Difficult to teach these things without inflicting pain or loss!

 

[Kelpie]

You had the information you needed, just had not put it together.

As a kid I used to devour stories of epic sea survival etc. There is a distressing common ending though - wrecked on the first landfall. Now in a survival situation there is some excuse. But if you can survey things on Google Earth then you have a huge advantage.

When I used to race I despaired of people launching into an onshore sea and then getting between the boat and the beach - inevitably some were hurt. If it is a little islandthe other side would have been a lee shore and what 2 minute walk?

Like it or not even a small boat pushed by a small wave can snap your leg or tear the bottom out. The only thing that stops bad stuff happening is the grey matter between the eyes. Some things are just going to be too difficult. Rowing in astern, without a rudder, could work - but it the boat turns broadside? How do you protect it and you? Without the ability to quickly drag it sternward up the beach, it will be damaged. Without that capability then it is a place not to visit.

Sorry if I sound too critical but these are the things that some old folks taught me the hard way (it hurt!). Difficult to teach these things without inflicting pain or loss!

With respect, I don't believe I did have the necessary information. But decide for yourself. The island is located at 57*21.4N, 006*31.3W, and the conditions on the day were a F4 from the South. Where would you have attempted to land?
In future I will try to be more aware of hidden swell and not risk landing without the chance to look for breakers close in.
And anyway, no harm done to boat or crew, like you say sometimes you learn things the hard way.

 

[Kelpie]

No, that is not the situation I was envisaging! I was suggesting you come in stern to shore just close enough to unload whatever and then push the boat empty (with the help of the off shore wind) beyond the troublesome waves, while taking the anchor ashore. In your initial description you suggested the waves were only visible a boat length from shore. Otherwise anchoring a long way off, then rowing in and taking a very long line ashore made to the anchor or dinghy. But it does all depend on your exact circumstances at the time and the depth. We had a Wanderer before our Wayfarer and had problems retrieving in the shore break that hadn't been there when we launched

Yes that option crossed my mind at the time, briefly, but the shelter of the island was pretty good so I think I would have ended up wading through surf to get the boat far enough out that the wind would take it.

 

[Pete54]

Well the lat and long are a little out but I presume you mean the white sandy beach on the north.northeast. From looking at Google there is a shallow shelving beach just around the headland, not as white or attractive but inevitably easier to land on. If you want close escape carry on, but I suspect you will not do this again.

Like it or not all of these 'lessons' have been re-learnt for generations, now we can even do it remotely.......

 

[Searush]

I'm not really sure what the best tactic would have been, even in hindsight.
I had a decent anchor aboard- a baby 4kg Manson- and the bottom was sand, so that's a good start. I also had a 50m nylon rode, plus about 5m of chain. I had a couple of other decent long lines aboard too, probably another 50m in total.

The trick would be in getting the boat secured out of the breakers whilst being able to get her close enough to the shore to jump out. And to be able to haul her back in again when it was time to go home.

Suggestions?

Turn round & go away at the first sight of the surf.

It's just not worth taking risks, what if your boat had been damaged or your leg broken? You would have had to call for assistance. Did you have a VHF? Was there radio coverage? You got away with it & probably would better than 50% of the time, but the consequences of the other 50% could have been pretty bad.

 

[Kelpie]

Well, like I said, lesson learned. Surf can be invisible from seaward.
By the way the other 'beach' is a pile of rubble, I wouldn't try landing there in an inflatable, let alone a sailing dinghy

 

[oldbilbo]

Harlosh Island, eh? No criticism; that beach looks both sheltered and attractive. Sometimes, with dinghying, you just have to suck it and see.

Better luck next time out....

 

[Greenheart]

Possibly the simplest safe solution is just to discount very steep-to beaches as landing places, unless in extremis?

On a calm day two years ago I landed the Osprey to resolve a stuck rudder, and pulled her half-out on a steep shingle beach...moments later an unnoticed wake hit the shore...

...the weight of the boat meant I couldn't pull her right out, but the height of the breakers meant the boat rose, fell and slammed hard, repeatedly on the shingle. Not good.

I've very often said I'd like a centerboard-yacht when I make the jump to ballast...that's largely because the idea of accessing shallows in the style of a dinghy is appealing...

...but even with a dinghy's versatile mobility, we must accept there is far more peril where the sea meets the land, than out where the water is deep and wide. 30 years ago I was rather excited by the Bounty chocolate bar advert - the Hobie cat arriving on the beach, lifted by a Pacific swell, letting the chocoholic crew step ashore almost dry-footed...

...but it really, really isn't like that, anywhere I've been in the UK, France or Australia. So I reckon, anchor off, then step out of the stern and be prepared to swim.

(Don't be tempted to watch more than the first nine seconds of this drivel...)