A VERY BAD Day at sea

[Trim50]

The 23-year-old Avenger class minesweeper USS Guardian ran aground on Tubbataha Reef the night of Jan. 17 as the ship crossed the Sulu Sea. The reef, located about 400 miles south of Manila, is both a Philippines natural park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Days after the incident the commander of the Navy's Seventh Fleet issued an apology to the Philippine government.

Stuck Minesweeper to Be Cut Into Pieces - Yahoo! News

[JeanneP]

Yikes! The reef was 8 MILES wrong on the chart? I have a hard time believing this. And how hard would it have been for the Navy Commander to apologize sooner than "days" after the incident?

Still, this is a pretty good learning opportunity - digital charts and/or any other nav.aids are just that - aids to navigation, not something to rely upon blindly. Granted, some of the clues to navigating in a small boat are too subtle to be felt or seen on a navy ship - such as odd currents and eddies. But some clues are available to all vessels, such as the reflection of a lagoon's light blue/green colored water onto the clouds overhead. Not always available, but surprisingly helpful at times.

What a massive job getting that ship off the reef!

[Auzzee]

We have heard little of the skipper. Being a minesweeper, it would no doubt be equipped with sonar gear of a sophistication about which we can only dream at this stage. I think he may be in for a 'stern talking to'.

Interesting that it is a timber boat.

[JeanneP]

Originally Posted by Auzzee

Interesting that it is a timber boat.

It's because it's a minesweeper. A steel ship would set off a mine's proximity fuse and blow it to kingdom come.