Running Aground
Life saving non-fiction by Russell Newberry

As seen on "Russell's New Berry Wine" labels

The boat stopped so abruptly it slammed me into the bulkhead at the head of my bunk. It was one helluva way to wake up. I new exactly what had happened. We had run aground. We were sailing the 80 foot fishing vessel from Homer, Alaska to Dutch Harbor, which is located on the Aleutian Islands in western Alaska, in hopes of loading the boat with prized alaskan halibut. Now we were stopped short.

In two steps I was out of the stateroom with Duane behind me. I wasn't scared for my life because we were on land. But I was afraid for the boat's life. This was an older house aft vessel meaning the living quarters are on the stern or back of the boat. Running to get outside to the deck for a visual inspection, I glanced up into the wheelhouse and out the windows. It was a gruesome sight. It was night, of course, when all bad things seem to happen. The sodium vapor lamps, located high upon the forward mast, are illuminating a rock wall. Duane and I rush to the bow of the boat, both of us cussing the captain because we know he had fallen asleep at the wheel. We approach the forepeak, or the bowels of the front of the boat, with apprehension. Meanwhile, the skipper has got the boat in full reverse trying to back off the rock. Duane screams into the loudhailer telling the captain not to back off until we can assess the level of damage. You see, if there is a huge hole in the boat, backing off the rock will do nothing but sink the boat.

I open the access hatch and peer down into the chamber, hoping not to see a fountain of water that would surely mean death for the boat. I do see water coming into the boat, but fortunately the bilge pumps were able to pump the water over the side faster than it was coming in. Thank goodness we were on a rising tide which helped us back off the rock and sail into the nearest port of King Cove where we were able to make the neccessary repairs and continue on to a successful fishing adventure.

There are several morals to this true life story. First, if someone is going to fall asleep at the wheel make sure its the captain, who light heartedly said later, "You ain't been around until you've run aground!"
Second, never let the draft of the boat (the part of the boat thats under the water) exceed the depth of the water...