TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands Fin Keel in Cane Garden Bay

We have anchored with our 46 ft Sailboat ( 2 meter draft ) in CGB many times, however were shocked to find, and hit someone's keel just outside the mooring field on the Myetts side-- any information on what happened? Maybe there should be a marker out there! thanks

It's a reef. CCCs have banged my boat twice there. RTFC.
Stay in the channel markers, progress into the mooring field...then turn.

RTFC = Read the ******* chart? Just a guess <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Wink.gif" alt="" /> Cruising guides mention it as well...

At least they got the anchor up

I was wondering if it's still there

CCCs I assume is credit card captains (in case anyone is wondering).

The OP says they 'found' a fin keel - did they actually see it or just surmise what they hit was a keel? - I have seen some old keels on the ocean floor on occasion but but they have always been laying flat on their side and usually close to the reef or rock that sank the vessel - there are still some scattered very broken up hulls sunken during Klaus,Hugo and Marilyn in the VI. But I would think that in CGB outside the mooring field on the Myetts side the OP likely hit the reef.

I have seen an upright keel just outside the mooring field while snorkelling on my way to the reef. I don't recall if the keel had a big wing on the bottom. But I supppose it must have.

I don't have any knowledge of the keel on he bottom but I can tell you I spent the night in there in June. I was anchored behind the mooring field and saw several boats go across the reef. When we got up the next morning there was a large bareboat cat behind us on top of the reef. When they pulled up anchor they brought up a huge coral head. When they saw me taking pictures of it they motored over with the rocks still hanging from the anchor and asked how to get it off. I was really glad it wasn't one of our boats.

The keel was within a few feet of the surface and un marked. If someone anchored they could easily have hit it. Like I said , I saw the keel. The guys snorkelling with me saw the keel. I know the difference between a keel and a reef. The real question is how did it get there? A boat lost its keel? I read about that happening in cruising world or sail recently.

Probably at least 10 years back a large private yacht with a professional skipper hit the reef at CDB, lost the keel and rolled over on its side. Not sure how the keel made it inside the reef but perhaps it was moved in a salvage effort. I suspect it's the same keel.
George

Saw the upright keel in CGB in June 2008. It had a milk jug tied to it. George's story is the one I remember about it.