Date: 30 May 97 11:38:27 EDT
From: Gene Gruender <104675.2134@CompuServe.COM>
Subject: Shopping...What Nellie Forgot

Everyone,

The most serious thing that Nellie failed to mention concerned our anchoring. Before we left I toyed with the idea of putting out a second anchor. I was nervous about leaving the boat unattended for most of a day. In the end, I left it on the one 33 Bruce with a lot of scope out.

As we returned and neared Isla Mujeres, we could see it was engulfed in a rainstorm. I gave a little thought to what was in our grocery haul, as it was all stacked on the foredeck of the ferry. Once I realized the rain wouldn't hurt our cokes, pineapples, etc., I relaxed. When we got close to the ferry landing I could see Rainbow Chaser and realized it was a hundred yards farther back than where we left it! The Bruce had broken out of the slightly weedy bottom and was slowly working its way towards the rocks. I got to the boat and changed to the trusty fisherman's anchor and we re-anchored. If we leave the boat again, you can bet I'll have several anchors out, lots of work or not.

Gene Gruender
Aboard Rainbow Chaser
Isla Mujeres, Mexico