1. USN DDG Grounding 12 November, 1996
Puerto Rico
St Martin
Guadeloupe

2. She was scheduled to rendezvous off Vieques in the afternoon.
ILE SAINT-MARTIN
(FRANCE)
SINT MAARTEN
(NETHERLANDS) 20 10 30 50
Soundings in meters
GROOT
BAI
Puerto Rico
Guadeloupe
St Martin
Vieques
She was scheduled to rendezvous off Vieques in the afternoon.
USN DDG was departing anchorage off St Martin on the morning of 12 November, 1996.

3. GROOT BAI (GREAT BAY) Wind 15 Kts Current ½-1 Kt10 20 5
DDG
1000 yds
Soundings in Meters
Wind 15 Kts
Current ½-1 Kt
Shoal water is approx 1600 yds South of DDG Anchorage Position
GROOT BAI
(GREAT BAY)
Proselyte Reef
Cruise Ship
Anchored
There were several vessels anchored in the DDG’s vicinity.
Dutch FF
Anchored
The ship weighed anchor at 0818.
Cruise Ship
Anchored
Two underway vessels, the CHT barge (an LCM-8) and an inbound cruise ship, interfered with the planned 263°T track.
LCM-8
(CHT)
Intended Track 263°T
SS Norway U/W
Proceeding to anchorage
The CO decided to head south, cross ahead of the two vessels and then head to the west.

4. Wind from 090/15kts Proselyte Reef Planned Track 263°T
0815 Fix
Bridge Positions
CIC Positions
Reconstructed Positions
0815 Fix
0820 Fix
0822 Fix
0818 U/W A/A 3Kts
0820 Fix
0819 RFR
0821 5Kts
0824 Fix
0822 7Kts
0824 Fix
Kts c/c 180
1000 Yards
0825 Plotter tells NAV that shoal is 1200 yds off STBD bow from 0824 fix.
Wind from 090/15kts
760 yds between 0824 and 0826 Fix =11.4 SOG.
180 yds set in 2 min =2.7 kts set.
0826 Fix
26 DR
0826 Fix
26 DR
27 DR
0827 Fix
28 DR
0828 Fix
Charted position of missing buoy
First “hit”
Proselyte Reef
0828 GPS (ordered after impact)