Stranding or Grounding
Stranding is the accidental grounding of a vessel on a beach or shoreline while grounding is the accidental contact with the sea bed other than the shoreline.
Actions to take (accidental stranding or grounding):
§ sound the alarm to muster the crew/passengers (7 short, 1 long)
§ account for all personnel and check for injuries
§ stop engines and auxiliaries if grounding is severe
§ sound bilges and inspect void areas
§ take bearings and plot your position - then attempt to determine reason for grounding from the charts
§ survey the area around the grounding (from chart)
§ determine the tide and tidal stream
§ check weather predictions for the area
§ sound around the vessel to determine the extent of the grounding
§ check for hull damage (if severe damage has occurred, it may be best to stay grounded)