Picture the anchor on the bottom, maybe 20 to 30 feet of chain in the horizontal plane, than a long sweeping curve to the hauser where the chain exits the ship. Damage would be dependant on depth of harbor deeper requires more chain out. The topography of the harbor bottom would also play into the circumstance.
OK. That helps, but its not adding up to 14,000 square feet. However, if the chain were lain across a reef and measuring all external surface area of said reef, I can start to imagine how one could milk this to 14,000 square feet. I’m still guessing the actual square footage of damage is about a magnitude lower, and that this is number that will be reported for fining the company than runs Paul Allen’s boat.