S/V Moya Maria Hits Reef Near Cuba

On 21 FEB 14 at approximately 0300 hrs., the S/V Moya Maria hit the reef off the coast of Cuba at position 22 58.9 N / 79 48.4 W.  

From yachttrack.org

Sometime before 0700 hrs., the S/V Moya Maria made SSB radio contact with the S/V C Language in the Bahamas, presumably on 8.152 MHz, the SSB Frequency the Cruiseheimers Net meets on every morning at 0830 hrs.  With assistance from another cruiser aboard the S/V Serengeti in Marathon, Florida, and Waterway Radio & Cruising Club net controllers Dick Giddings (St Jude) (W3RDT) and Paul Van Meurs (KM4MA) who reported the grounding to the USCG as well as the Canadian Embassy and Cuban authorities.

The S/V Moya Maria is owned by Olga & Roman of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.  Their amateur call sign is VE3EPU.  Later in the day when propagation on the SSB bands degraded, the ongoing situation was handled on the Maritime Mobile Service Network on amateur frequency 14.300 by Paul Van Meurs who is a net controller for the MMSN.  

At the time of this posting, the S/V Moya Maria is still aground on the reef, and waiting on assistance.  This is a prime example of how a HF radio should be an essential piece of safety gear aboard every vessel that goes offshore.  Those who claim a satellite phone could take the place of a SSB radio, I am willing to bet anything all those people involved in this incident would disagree.  

If anyone can add to this information, or correct and misinformation, please post to the net.

I am continuing to monitor the situation on 14.300, the Maritime Mobile Service Net who is staying in contact with the stricken vessel until help arrives.

As of this time, the S/V Moya Maria is asking for any vessel in the area who can provide assistance getting the vessel off the reef to contact the Maritime Mobile Service Network on 14.300 USB or VHF Ch 16 if near Cuba.

The US Coast Guard are not permitted to assist in Cuban Waters.

Glenn Tuttle - Moderator

Cruisers Network Online

M/Y Tothill

K9TUT