So you got to tell us what happened we now gotta now 
Ok then, let's begin the tale with what you want to hear.
Three heavy drinkin', poor boating enthusiasts mishandle simple anchoring techniques and in the process of trying to untangle a mess only idiots would find themselves in, end up in the water with two of the boats beached on the Key. :o
Sound about right considering who we are?
Let's try this. I'll give you my version and you can spin it how you like.
After driving down from Tally (about 5 hrs. with stops) I met two Forum Members Dave and Rick at the Ft. Desoto boat ramp.
We launched and headed out Bunces Pass (I've never been there) turned south and headed to Egmont Key (I've been there).
Somewhat windy but the ride wasn't bad. We were on the Gulf side and Dave in his 250 EX dropped anchor by the ruins on that side maybe 150-200 feet from the shore. Rick set his just a little north and I set to the west between them. The thought was to relax and have a beer. The wind speed was increasing and the wave action was not relaxing so the idea to move somewhere else was hatched and that triggered the chain of events that followed.
I pulled my hook and Rick and Dave did theirs. I'm not quite sure what happened next because I was heading north and just began to turn my boat back around. Apparently Dave was hauling in rode with his boat in gear (his windless is negative function) when the line snagged and pulled him overboard (thought #1). I saw him in the water and got to him first, tossing him my life jacket (thought #2). Rick, who had finished pulling anchor (he has a functioning windless ) also pulled up and he got Dave on board his boat. In the mean time I noticed Dave's boat idling in gear, parallel to the shore, heading in the general direction of Cuba so.....
I grabbed a line on my boat and tied it to the mid cleat and proceeded to chase down Dave's with the idea of coming along his port side, tie off and board. The winds had, in this relatively short period of time increased even more and while the motors were positioned straight as an arrow forward, the wind took the bow east and she headed toward shore.
So, that idea was scratched and making a command decision, I turned and headed into shore also. So far, we had been pretty lucky that no one was hurt and the whole incident was unfolding in slow motion. Monday morning quarterbacking might have been to drop my hook, take the time to insure a proper set and then swam ashore but.....
My thought at the time was, with both Dave's motors running that they might dredge up enough sand to toast the cooling system and we would end up having to tow him home. So I just beached my boat bow first (thought #3), ran down the beach to intercept Dave's, boarded and shut down his motors. While I got my boat to shore before his, I had to land further south due to submerged piles(?) that I spotted (again luck) and these poor old tired legs ain't what they use to be. Still the Mercs didn't run long and it appears (later) no real damage occurred to the cooling system. Seemed like a good idea after all.
Rick then brought Dave in as close as he could and Dave swam to his boat. I tried holding the stern out but the wind and sea coupled with the mass of this boat was too much for me and later Dave. It was then I noticed that the same conditions had turned my boat sideways and beached her completely. Realizing the inevitable, Dave and I stopped struggling with his boat and it too turned and became beached. Dave and I then decided to try and get the lighter craft free and Rick circled back around, threw out a 150' of line on a float. I swam out, brought it back in and I made it fast to my large anchor cleat. By timing the incoming swells and pushing up on the bow pulpit, with Rick pulling seaward, she spun around rather easily and Rick pull her out to sea. I boarded as he was taking me out and once clear of the swells, set the anchor. I then swam over and boarded Rick's boat. Meantime, Dave headed back down the beach to his boat and secured a double line (his anchor rode) to the bow eye. Rick produced yet another 150' line (thought #4) and fashioned a double line for towing. He got me in as close as possible and I chose to forgo adding the float to the tow lines (thought #5). Rick had used this float (large fender) when he tossed me the line for my tow but I decided I could just muscle the two lines ashore. Poor macho judgement mistake concerning 300' feet of wet line. In the end, Rick had to pull the lines in and attach the float, circle again and throw me the lines. Swimming in this time was much easier.
Dave tied off the tow lines to his anchor lines attached to the eye. We once again began the same method of pulling, pushing and lifting by using the wave action. It took three hard pulls by Rick but once the bow turned to the Gulf, we were moving and we climbed aboard. While Dave manned the engines I tried to untie the tow lines but the combination of multiple wet lines, tied in an unofficial Boy Scout knot(s) was in vein. I tried using a screwdriver to separate the coils but to be honest, I was worried about running the thing through my hand or leg so....
Rick disconnected the tow lines from his boat, Dave got one engine trimmed down and started (the other would not trim down) and I pulled in all the lines. I then left Dave's boat and he started heading back to the Pass. I swam to Rick's boat who would then get me close to mine. Once I boarded and pulled the hook (hardest part for me of this whole ordeal) we all headed back in at reduced speed. The ride was ridiculous and I myself had little time to reflect on what happened till later. Still as luck would have it (remember, it had been running in our favor at that point) we had to cross the main channel coming out of Tampa Bay and of course there was a big blue freighter departing (thought #6). Dave past in front and so did Rick. I chose to wait and allow the ship to pass and crossed astern of her.
When we each reached the entry to the pass and headed in (there still was a good separation between us) it was a nice relief to get out of that soup. Lady luck would again strike but this time she added a twist. Remember I had stowed the tow lines on the bow of Dave's boat (and they in turn were still tied to the length of anchor rode made fast to the bow eye) and during the long pounding ride back in, made their way over the side and trailed along the wake of the boat. Finally the Lady had her way and the lines fouled Dave's prop, bringing him to a halt. Now adrift at the mouth of the pass, she laughed and smiled again, setting him hard aground.
Rick blew right past him not noticing him off to the north. I did see him and wondered what was up. I was able to get close enough for Dave to throw me a line, I pulled him free and took him in tow. Rick would circle back, check we were ok and then eventually anchor up inside the pass. The hardest part for me was circling Dave's big boat along side of Rick's without scratching either one. Took me a couple three tries but I got her done.
After settling in (we were fairly close to shore) we untied Dave and let him drift into the shallows where he proceeded to unfasten all knots, make fast his lines and manually trim the one motor back down. We then just pulled him back along side and drank a cold beer.
In reflection, it's a great tale but it also makes one think of all the bad things that could have come out of something that just happened. Looking back, you start to realize how fast everything unfolded. We are all experienced boaters but I grew up on the southeast coast and we don't "beach" that often over there (I never have). This was a totally "different" experience for me so let's look at my thoughts.
#1 & 2: Dave's pulled overboard. Caught him completely off guard and happened before he could ever react. Made an old man like me understand why I need to start wearing my life jacket. I was thrown overboard many years ago in the Keys without a jacket and found out very quickly how tired one gets treading water. The drown-proofing technique I learned when I got my C-card saved my life until I was picked up. That incident 35 years ago should have opened my eyes but it didn't. And what about those spinning props? This could have been tragic but it just was not meant to be.
#3: No matter how much one has boated, there is always something you haven't experienced. For me this was that experience.
#4: This just wasn't blind luck. I know I don't have that much line stowed but Rick did and he has had it there for use when needed. These were stored where he could access them quickly and deploy them just as fast. This made the operation much easier and again points to having your craft well prepared. I doubt he intended to pull not one but two boats free as to why he carries that much line but it wasn't luck that he had them on board.
#5: I WAS one hell of a swimmer in my day but those times have come and gone. Of all the things that we did during that event, it stands out as the dumbest. I win the trophy for not listening, not using common sense and trying the hardest at being something I never was.
#6: The freighter. Timing is everything and being lucky rather than good, while a tired cliche was the never truer than at that time. Had those lines, that eventually fouled and rendered Dave's boat adrift happened in front of that ship, well...... :|
While it seemed that this was a long affair, truth is it only took about 20 minutes to get the boats off the beach. In the end, we have a great story to tell and embellish but also a life lesson on how things could have went terribly wrong for all of us. Sobering thoughts at the end of a long day.
The breakfast burritos the next morning made it all worthwhile.
