Yikes. Glad everything turned out OK.
The advice about the loop was just that, advice. One more idea to have in your back pocket. When the S hits the fan, it's always good to have options. Some people acutally make loops and tie them to the dolphin striker so they are always ready to go.
I have used the improvised ladder many times in monohull racers with no ladder. A good resource to keep in mind.
