SANDY SHORES 8l 



Strong squalls of wind were coming from every point of the 

 compass and the day's work had been abandoned. 



The Captain's intention had been to anchor on the north side 

 of a charted rocky patch which was clearly visible from the bridge 

 as the ship steamed slowly in, leaving the shoal to starboard. But 

 as she neared the proposed anchorage shoals were sighted to port 

 and ahead of the ship, leaving but a small channel between them 

 and the charted shoal. But this water looked deep and secure and 

 the ship, turning slightly to starboard, crept slowly ahead. 



A minute or so later that dreaded, indescribable feeling of a 

 ship touching the ground was experienced by those on the bridge 

 as she grazed along her port side. The Captain at once stopped the 

 engines and ordered an anchor to be let go. He dared not go 

 astern, for with but one screw his stern would have been thrust 

 over to port and thus moved onto the shoal. 



A change in the light as a cloud shadow passed now revealed 

 pale green and yellow coral heads beneath the ruffled surface of 

 the water close on either hand, where but a few moments before 

 the dark blue of the water had indicated a deep, clear channel. 

 Of such a pinnacle structure were the coral knobs that the ship's 

 echo sounder never recorded less than eight fathoms. 



A sounding boat was lowered to lay a small marker buoy on 

 each of the coral heads which now appeared to cluster about the 

 ship, and slowly the anchor was weighed and the ship turned 

 round. This was not an easy operation for the wind was still 

 gusting, and from whichever quarter the squalls came there was 

 always a coral head dangerously close to leeward. Gusts of wind 

 could be seen racing across the water, rumpling the surface and 

 flecking it with white-capped wavelets. The wind struck the 

 bridge awning, making it thump and rattle, a noise which formed 

 a background to the orders given by Commander Baker as he 

 stood tense upon the bridge, manoeuvring his vessel in this con- 

 fined space — 'Port thirty', 'Stop — half-astem', 'Midships — star- 

 board thirty'. He glanced ahead, peering through his polaroid 

 sunglasses which helped him to see the submerged reefs; he 

 looked aft to watch how his ship's stern was swinging into the 

 wind as he went astern. He strode purposefully but unhurriedly 

 from one side of the bridge to the other, to see how far off were 

 the buoys which marked the danger. At last the ship was round 



