RedactedNarrative: Synopsis:
  On November 25, 2014 at approximately 1645 hours a single vessel accident occurred in the Atlantic Ocean just outside St. Augustine Inlet, St. Johns County Florida.  The vessel (V1) is a 36 foot sailboat that was under auxiliary power and occupied by a white male and female.  V1 was cruising south about a mile off the coast and turned west to enter St. Augustine Inlet.  The operator of V1 did not enter the St. Augustine Inlet channel at the sea buoy (STA-1); instead attempted to enter the channel from the north near Red Marker 6.  Operator1 said he saw breaking waves, and almost simultaneously V1 struck bottom and became grounded on the shoal on the north side of St. Augustine Inlet.  Operator1 was unable to maneuver V1 off of the shoal.  Fire Rescue responded with a personal watercraft and were able to remove the occupants from V1, both occupants were wearing PFD's.  There were no injuries sustained.
  
  Contributing Factors:
  Based on my observations from my time at the scene and interviews with the occupants of V1 I determined that weather and lack of visibility are the primary factors contributing to the accident.  The operator was using all available instruments and lights available at the time to aid with navigation and maintaining a look out.  The rain storm and increasing darkness combined to prohibit Operator1 from being able to accurately read the seas and recognize his position in relation to the shoal.
  
  Additional Info:
  The operator of V1 was unable to get the anchor out of the windlass due to sea state.  Vessel was left grounded and unanchored with the navigation lights on.  Once the tide came in (approx 2 hours later), V1 floated off of the shoal and into St. Augustine Inlet where it became lodged against the rock jetty on the south side of the inlet, causing damage not sustained during the original accident to the hull.  Sea Tow removed the vessel from the rock jetty, and transported it to St. Augustine Marine Center where it was removed from the water.