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We’re Stuck!

We were anchored safely behind Fantome Island in the Palm Island Group, 39 nautical miles north of Magnetic Island. Everything seemed perfect. The sea was calm, the air still, and we settled in for a quiet night.

It wasn’t until the next morning, after yoga and a leisurely breakfast, that we realised just how firmly we were anchored. When we turned on the motors and tried to pull up the anchor, it wouldn’t budge. We were stuck… solid.

Nine metres below, the anchor was holding fast. The winch strained but refused to move it. There was only one option, I had to go in.

Armed with little more than determination (and a slightly dramatic sense of adventure), I appointed Nerine on shark watch, equipped with a big, sharp knife, just in case. Then I took a deep breath and slipped beneath the surface, following the chain down into the blue.

At the bottom, I found the culprit: a massive coral bombie. The chain had wrapped itself tightly around it, and the anchor was wedged solid. Hmm… Should I disconnect the anchor from the chain? Tie a rope and buoy to it and pull it forward with the dinghy?

With my lungs bursting for air, I pushed off the coral and surfaced to report the situation to my crew.

How did we get free? Watch the episode on YouTube to find out!

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