03 December 2007, Isla de Margarita.

We knew that we would anchor today as another ship had the dock because it was the change over port for its guests. Old guests leaving and new guests coming. The Holiday Dream used to call at Cuba but since they are now part of RCI, which is considered an American company, the can not go there anymore. Thus, they now call at El Guamache on the Isla de Margarita.

That ship normally arrives around 09.30, so I enquired if I could dock from 0700 until 09.00 to make it easier for the largest groups of guests to get off the ship. Well first it was not possible, then it was possible but cost $ 4500 for the two hours, then it was not possible again. So I went to the anchorage. However by 10 am, there was still no Holiday Dream in sight. When calling the agent, I finally got the information that the ship was delayed until 14.00 hrs. due to engine problems. Can happen, we are all too familiar with it, but I could have docked until 1 pm. and that would have made life for the guests a lot easier. I was not amused. Thus we were at anchor all day. As there was no wind at all, the ship sat almost on top of the anchor and swung lazily around on the ebb and flood tide.

For those of you who are not that familiar with anchoring; The Veendam has three anchors. On each side of the bow and one in the centre of the stern. The latter one is only used when you have to anchor in confined waters and or on the river and you can not afford to swing too much with the ship. The St Lawrence River is one of those places. I try to avoid using the stern anchor as there is always the chance that it fouls the rudders or the propellers. Thus normally we use one of the bow anchors or sometimes both.

When you prepare for anchoring, you first select the anchor location in the chart unless the local authorities assign you an anchorage. If at all possible you like the ship to be able to swing freely all the way around in a circle. Normally that is for a ship with the Veendam’s length about 3/10th of nautical mile or three cables. Depending on the depth of the water, a certain amount of chain is paid out with the anchor to hold the ship. There are various theories about how much that should be but rule of thumb is the depth of the water plus three extra lengths. A length is 15 Fathoms or 90 feet or 27 meters. This length of chain is a left over measurement from the ancient days. The Veendam has eleven lengths of chain in the chain locker for each anchor. The anchor weighs 13000 pounds and each chain link about 80 pounds. There are 90 links to a length. Next thing to decide is which anchor to use. Most of the time that is the anchor on the wind side of the ship. In that way the ship will eventually lay behind the anchor without the anchor chain wrapping itself around the bow.

When the ship comes to the anchorage, the first thing that happens is that we lower the anchor out of the hawse pipe, where it is stored when at sea, to just above the water line. That is being done so that we know for sure, that when the moment comes, the anchor will fall and does not remain stuck in the pipe. The bow is then brought above the exact anchor location. Sometimes it does not matter very much if we are a bit off, sometimes, as in Grand Cayman, we anchor on a spot of 20 square feet. When we are on the spot, the anchor winch brake is released and the anchor will fall under its own weight. The brake is applied again if enough chain has been paid out. Now the ship comes astern and slowly but steadily the anchor chain stretches out. Then more chain is paid out until we have the right amount paid out. That amount we decided upon during the planning stage. The brake is firmly closed and we wait until the chain fully stretches, rises out of the water and then falls back again. This is called that the “chain has been brought up” and that the anchor is holding. The flukes of the anchor will dug into the sea bottom and provide the “anchoring point” for the chain. The friction of the chain over the sea bottom is what is really holding the ship in place. Not the anchor as such. During the whole maneuver there is an officer forward above the anchor who relays to the bridge the necessary information about the anchor and the chain. How much chain has been paid out, the direction of the chain, and the tension on the chain. When it is time to raise the anchor, the procedure is the opposite. Except now we also have the anchor wash going to clean the sand or mud from the anchor chain when it comes out of the water.

We were “anchor aweigh” at 16.30 hrs. and left El Guamache at 17.00 hrs. after all the guest were back and the tenders retrieved. Tomorrow we are in Bonaire and tonight we are going to run full out to be on time.