Someone sent us a gift!  I don't know who sent it, but today we received Stuart Sets Sail and Learning to Sail: The Annapolis Sailing School Guide for All Ages.  Thanks so much to whoever sent them!  We've already enjoyed the books thoroughly this afternoon.

I joined April and the girls for their swim lesson this morning and was really impressed to see Audrey swim entirely unassisted.

We finally finished the Cabo chapters in The Capable Cruiser.  That was depressing.  But anyway, some good takeaways.

First: lots of nylon lines chafed through, bu no anchor chains parted.  So, better go with chain.

But can you imagine the moment, having decided to get out and head for the relative safety of open water, with other vessels tossing over your ground tackle, winds blowing 70 knots, seas running 10 feet, breakers 18, the beach 100 yards downwind, that you must go forward and get free of that chain?  That would be exciting.  Here's the Pardeys' suggestion:
We rig a 50-foot length of 5/8-inch-diameter nylon line as a safety release at the inboard end of our anchor chain.  We secure it to a strong point inside the chain locker with two round turns and a  half-hitch so it can be released even if it is under pressure.  When the time comes to get out quickly, you can buoy the end of the chain and then cut or untie the nylon safety-release line.
Here's a video explaining anchor line snubbers.

All types of anchors held and all types dragged.  The ones that held were all big though. Better have a big one.

The Pardeys frequently from those whose vessels were lost that they had ridden it out until their anchors started to drag, at which point they tried to motor.  No one complained of trouble starting their engine.  They all either got their props fouled in their anchor lines or other boats' lines or had their engines over heat as the seawater being taken in to cool the engines was full of sand and clogged the filters.  Better anchor with room and be able to sail out.

Many windlasses were yanked right off.  Better have that thing secured.

Many stated that they would have left had they been on their own and relied on their own judgement, but that a herd mentality had developed as they all sat around chatting on the radio about how no one else was leaving.  In particular, a number of people figured everything must be OK, as Bernard was not leaving.  Until Joshua was the first boat to hit the beach.

OK, there's more but it will have to wait.