What's your all-time favorite anchorage? Is it a place with great natural beauty and tranquillity? Or a port with terrific shopping, restaurants and night life? A classic 'bomb proof' hurricane hole that saved your bacon in a storm (or could)? Maybe it's the local hangout where you get together for a good time with sailing friends? Wherever it is, bring it here... and don't forget to vote in this week's Quick quiz at the bottom of the home page! (Quiz contributed by Gary Wyngarden)
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Gary A.
Elliot Key
Used to love those trips from Key Biscayne down to spend Saturday nights at Elliot Key. Beautiful water all the way down, and great places to explore once you got there. And let's not forget the Columbus Day Regatta!!
Used to love those trips from Key Biscayne down to spend Saturday nights at Elliot Key. Beautiful water all the way down, and great places to explore once you got there. And let's not forget the Columbus Day Regatta!!
Peace
Our favorite places are peaceful and tranquil with our sailing buddies. Sometimes it more party time but we enjoy this too. Nothing really better than good friends and family.
Our favorite places are peaceful and tranquil with our sailing buddies. Sometimes it more party time but we enjoy this too. Nothing really better than good friends and family.
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Steve Cook
All of the above....
Wow, this weeks quiz is a tuffy, I will have to give it some real thought. Really it depends on my mood as to where I sail, what I do and how I want to relax. I often get 4 day weekends and I try to do a little bit of everything during that time. Since the lake I sail on is only 12.5 miles x 33 miles, it does not take long to get anywhere. But since I can only pick one from this quiz, I will have to think about this for a day or two. ( gee not like I don't have anything else to do but think while my hand gets better)!!! Steve, s/v NOETA (P323)
Wow, this weeks quiz is a tuffy, I will have to give it some real thought. Really it depends on my mood as to where I sail, what I do and how I want to relax. I often get 4 day weekends and I try to do a little bit of everything during that time. Since the lake I sail on is only 12.5 miles x 33 miles, it does not take long to get anywhere. But since I can only pick one from this quiz, I will have to think about this for a day or two. ( gee not like I don't have anything else to do but think while my hand gets better)!!! Steve, s/v NOETA (P323)
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ted
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Gail Moorehead
Favorite
Cuyler Harbor San Miguel Island Channel Islands CA is a favorite for several reasons. Bragging rights if you are in to that sort of thing because few of the SOCAL cruisers get there. San Miguel is the most remote of the Channel Islands and the location for big seas and howling winds. Once in the anchorage however the wind howls overhead and the anchorage can be quite calm. On our first attempt to go ashore we were confronted by an angry Elephant Seal and landed in another area. The hike up up up up to the Juan Cabrillo monument (died 1543) takes you from moon scape thru beautuful green meadows and caliche forests while looking down to west coast florida quality white beaches.Ugly awesome and beatiful.
Cuyler Harbor San Miguel Island Channel Islands CA is a favorite for several reasons. Bragging rights if you are in to that sort of thing because few of the SOCAL cruisers get there. San Miguel is the most remote of the Channel Islands and the location for big seas and howling winds. Once in the anchorage however the wind howls overhead and the anchorage can be quite calm. On our first attempt to go ashore we were confronted by an angry Elephant Seal and landed in another area. The hike up up up up to the Juan Cabrillo monument (died 1543) takes you from moon scape thru beautuful green meadows and caliche forests while looking down to west coast florida quality white beaches.Ugly awesome and beatiful.
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Mark
Best anchorage Landlock Bay Prince William Sound
Landlock is surrounded by high mountains, a stream coming in to it at the back, bears eagles each morning, and lush green trees everywhere. No matter how rough the water gets in the sound Landlock is calm and a unique anchorage and few places like it anywhere. Explore the shores of abandon copper mines and metal detect for relics of the past. Or you can move the entrance and fish for halibut and silver salmon in late July. About 30 miles from the closest fuel or marine. The weekend in summer brings a few other boats, all looking for the quiet peacefulness of the protected bay. A great place to spend nights in very secure safety.
Landlock is surrounded by high mountains, a stream coming in to it at the back, bears eagles each morning, and lush green trees everywhere. No matter how rough the water gets in the sound Landlock is calm and a unique anchorage and few places like it anywhere. Explore the shores of abandon copper mines and metal detect for relics of the past. Or you can move the entrance and fish for halibut and silver salmon in late July. About 30 miles from the closest fuel or marine. The weekend in summer brings a few other boats, all looking for the quiet peacefulness of the protected bay. A great place to spend nights in very secure safety.
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Jim Green
Pelican Bay , Santa Cruz....or Emerald Bay
Pelican Bay, in the "windy lane" where it warns, in the Coast Pilot, that sometimes you should turn around and go home, is a super well protected harbor, and ashore, one of the most beautiful places I've seen (and I've sailed everywhere from the New England Coast to the South China Sea). For pure, in the water beauty, Emerald Bay on Catalina has sandy bottom with skates and rays to a kelp forest by Indian Rock, where, after I finally talked my wife and best friend into getting wet, had the whole anchorage laughing at the sound of their oohs and ahhs through their snorkel tubes.
Pelican Bay, in the "windy lane" where it warns, in the Coast Pilot, that sometimes you should turn around and go home, is a super well protected harbor, and ashore, one of the most beautiful places I've seen (and I've sailed everywhere from the New England Coast to the South China Sea). For pure, in the water beauty, Emerald Bay on Catalina has sandy bottom with skates and rays to a kelp forest by Indian Rock, where, after I finally talked my wife and best friend into getting wet, had the whole anchorage laughing at the sound of their oohs and ahhs through their snorkel tubes.
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BRYAN HOWES
A LOCAL LITTLE PIECE OF PARADISE
IN HINGHAM HARBOUR, HINGHAM MASSACHUCETTS THERE IS A SMALL GROUP OF ISLANDS THAT GO WELL OUT INTO THE LARGER BODIES OF WATER OFF A NUMBER OF CITIES AND TOWNS. ONE OF THESE IS BUMPKIN IS. IT IS EASILY TRAVERSED AND OFFERS REST AND A GREAT VIEW OF BOSTON, NOT TO MENTION GREAT ANCHORAGE.
IN HINGHAM HARBOUR, HINGHAM MASSACHUCETTS THERE IS A SMALL GROUP OF ISLANDS THAT GO WELL OUT INTO THE LARGER BODIES OF WATER OFF A NUMBER OF CITIES AND TOWNS. ONE OF THESE IS BUMPKIN IS. IT IS EASILY TRAVERSED AND OFFERS REST AND A GREAT VIEW OF BOSTON, NOT TO MENTION GREAT ANCHORAGE.
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Paul Akers
Little Harbor, Jost Van Dyke, BVI
My favorite harbor is just so tranqil in the early morning, Little Harbor, Jost Van Dyke, BVI. After a wonderful meal the evening before at Harris', I make it a point to get up about 6:00am with a cup of coffee and my binoculars and sit in the cockpit. The locals are beginning to arouse and start their chores in the high hills surrounding the anchorage. The goats, with their bells around their necks walk the rocky shore 100 ft away as they bleat and call one another while exploring their domain. The early morning sun rises and feels good against your skin as the rousing locals communicate with one another by voice in the tranquil quiet of the morn. Ahhh! paradise.
My favorite harbor is just so tranqil in the early morning, Little Harbor, Jost Van Dyke, BVI. After a wonderful meal the evening before at Harris', I make it a point to get up about 6:00am with a cup of coffee and my binoculars and sit in the cockpit. The locals are beginning to arouse and start their chores in the high hills surrounding the anchorage. The goats, with their bells around their necks walk the rocky shore 100 ft away as they bleat and call one another while exploring their domain. The early morning sun rises and feels good against your skin as the rousing locals communicate with one another by voice in the tranquil quiet of the morn. Ahhh! paradise.
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Bob O'Brien
Drakes Anchorage, North Sound, BVI
Drakes Anchorage is where we typically spend our first night down in the BVI. It's located in the Northwest corner of the North Sound, somewhat protected by a reef to the North and East, Mosquito Island to the West and Virgin Gorda to the South. There are a handful of mooring balls, but you can also snuggle up as close as you dare to the reef and drop an anchor. Drakes is a relatively undeveloped anchorage, with just a small (and not very accomodating to visiting yachtsmen) resort on Mosquito Island, but its remoteness helps us get adjusted to an Island lifestyle. Usually we just stay on the boat and toast the sunset with some sundowners, BBQ some dinner, and then listen to the ocean waves crashing onto the reef all night long. In the morning, the reef is a great place to snorkle.
Drakes Anchorage is where we typically spend our first night down in the BVI. It's located in the Northwest corner of the North Sound, somewhat protected by a reef to the North and East, Mosquito Island to the West and Virgin Gorda to the South. There are a handful of mooring balls, but you can also snuggle up as close as you dare to the reef and drop an anchor. Drakes is a relatively undeveloped anchorage, with just a small (and not very accomodating to visiting yachtsmen) resort on Mosquito Island, but its remoteness helps us get adjusted to an Island lifestyle. Usually we just stay on the boat and toast the sunset with some sundowners, BBQ some dinner, and then listen to the ocean waves crashing onto the reef all night long. In the morning, the reef is a great place to snorkle.
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Roger
Quissett
Quissett is magical. Protected from Buzzard’s Bay by a jetty and a natural, rocky neck, it is in the town of Falmouth, MA. There are no slips available, but there is a vast number of transient moorings. When I called to make a reservation for a Saturday night in high season, I was told just to come on in and pick up any blue-and-white mooring marked QBY (Quisett Boat yard) that was not in use. 'No problem'. And there was no problem. We arrived in the late afternoon. We found dozens of large, new sailing yachts on moorings, and many empty moorings. So we settled in for a glorious evening. We started with wine and snacks, between a new -looking sailing yacht of over forty feet from Hingham, and several new-looking sailing yachts from wherever, as we could not see their hailing ports. The wind and current pointed our stern toward the Bay. Sitting in the cockpit with our wine, feet up, leaning against the bulkhead, we faced west. We witnessed one of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen; purple and red, covering the whole sky. A number of hikers made it out to the high rock at the point of the neck, and took up their stations to watch nature’s show. We fired up the grill (which hangs on our stern pulpit), and the smoke from our cooking joined the smoke from similar activities on all the other boats in transit. A small inflatable left a boat further out, and took the ubiquitous Golden Retriever in for what we assumed to be an evening walk. An antique wooden motor launch left the Boat Yard, and started to make its stops at each occupied mooring, collecting the modest twenty-dollar fee. It was an inboard diesel, outboard rudder-with-tiller craft. It made a slow and quiet diesel poketapoketa, as he shifted it in and out of gear with his foot. Later the Golden Retriever was himself retrieved to his floating home for the night. Later still, a rather raucous dinghy full of people returned from a night at a restaurant, we presume. Even later, several large sailboats ghosted into the now pitch-black harbor, searchlights seeking out, and eventually finding moorings for the night. We turned on the anchor light on the masthead, and watched as one by one, the lights went out in each sailboat cabin, until all was quiet. Since it was now a late hour (perhaps 10:30 PM), it was time for us to turn in as well. Quisett that night was one of the earth’s most tranquil places. In he morning, many slept in while others joined us in making coffee, breakfast, and preparations to continue our various voyages. It was a memorable stopover.
Quissett is magical. Protected from Buzzard’s Bay by a jetty and a natural, rocky neck, it is in the town of Falmouth, MA. There are no slips available, but there is a vast number of transient moorings. When I called to make a reservation for a Saturday night in high season, I was told just to come on in and pick up any blue-and-white mooring marked QBY (Quisett Boat yard) that was not in use. 'No problem'. And there was no problem. We arrived in the late afternoon. We found dozens of large, new sailing yachts on moorings, and many empty moorings. So we settled in for a glorious evening. We started with wine and snacks, between a new -looking sailing yacht of over forty feet from Hingham, and several new-looking sailing yachts from wherever, as we could not see their hailing ports. The wind and current pointed our stern toward the Bay. Sitting in the cockpit with our wine, feet up, leaning against the bulkhead, we faced west. We witnessed one of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen; purple and red, covering the whole sky. A number of hikers made it out to the high rock at the point of the neck, and took up their stations to watch nature’s show. We fired up the grill (which hangs on our stern pulpit), and the smoke from our cooking joined the smoke from similar activities on all the other boats in transit. A small inflatable left a boat further out, and took the ubiquitous Golden Retriever in for what we assumed to be an evening walk. An antique wooden motor launch left the Boat Yard, and started to make its stops at each occupied mooring, collecting the modest twenty-dollar fee. It was an inboard diesel, outboard rudder-with-tiller craft. It made a slow and quiet diesel poketapoketa, as he shifted it in and out of gear with his foot. Later the Golden Retriever was himself retrieved to his floating home for the night. Later still, a rather raucous dinghy full of people returned from a night at a restaurant, we presume. Even later, several large sailboats ghosted into the now pitch-black harbor, searchlights seeking out, and eventually finding moorings for the night. We turned on the anchor light on the masthead, and watched as one by one, the lights went out in each sailboat cabin, until all was quiet. Since it was now a late hour (perhaps 10:30 PM), it was time for us to turn in as well. Quisett that night was one of the earth’s most tranquil places. In he morning, many slept in while others joined us in making coffee, breakfast, and preparations to continue our various voyages. It was a memorable stopover.
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Russell Egge
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Dick Horton
NORTH
IRISH ROOTS, my 23 ft MacGregor Venture cutter, and I like the Great Salt Pond at Block Island, RI in the North. The pond is big enough to handle all sorts of boats and has marinas and moorings as well as anchorages where you just drop the hook. There is a water taxi that brings you to shore and back for a small fee. I understand that on Sunday the newspapers and Danish are sold by vendors who come out to your boat. You can walk to the main town and enjoy a great meal ashore. Then, rent a bike or moped and explore the island. Caution, looking for the entrance to the pond when coming from the South is tricky at night. Because of the angle, you don't see the entrance until you are actually past it. When looking for the entrance you see lights that look like they are on the water, but are actually warning lights on top of radio towers a long distance away. In the South, there is a small "hurricane hole" on Key Biscayne in Biscayne Bay, (Miami waters). I don't know what it's actual name is, but it is a neat place to drop the hook for a night. There are no facilities, but you will find cruisers from all over there, and it is fun to talk with them and hear their stories.
IRISH ROOTS, my 23 ft MacGregor Venture cutter, and I like the Great Salt Pond at Block Island, RI in the North. The pond is big enough to handle all sorts of boats and has marinas and moorings as well as anchorages where you just drop the hook. There is a water taxi that brings you to shore and back for a small fee. I understand that on Sunday the newspapers and Danish are sold by vendors who come out to your boat. You can walk to the main town and enjoy a great meal ashore. Then, rent a bike or moped and explore the island. Caution, looking for the entrance to the pond when coming from the South is tricky at night. Because of the angle, you don't see the entrance until you are actually past it. When looking for the entrance you see lights that look like they are on the water, but are actually warning lights on top of radio towers a long distance away. In the South, there is a small "hurricane hole" on Key Biscayne in Biscayne Bay, (Miami waters). I don't know what it's actual name is, but it is a neat place to drop the hook for a night. There are no facilities, but you will find cruisers from all over there, and it is fun to talk with them and hear their stories.
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Ed Schenck
Does this count?
In 1963, anchored off the island of Cyprus in the Med on the USS Forrestal. St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands was also very nice in the '60s.
In 1963, anchored off the island of Cyprus in the Med on the USS Forrestal. St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands was also very nice in the '60s.
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aubrey johnson
Favourite anchorage
One of the nicest spots within an easy day sail is the harbour at False Ducks Island, in the (near) middle of Lake Ontario. Peaceful and sirene, you can occasionally spot others at anchor within the sheltered port at Schoolhouse Harbour.
One of the nicest spots within an easy day sail is the harbour at False Ducks Island, in the (near) middle of Lake Ontario. Peaceful and sirene, you can occasionally spot others at anchor within the sheltered port at Schoolhouse Harbour.
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Tom FitzGibbon
Cuttyhunk Island, Mass.
A nice, quiet protected anchorage with clear water and a couple of nice beaches onto Nantucket Sound. Great stuffed clams delivered right to the boat out in the anchorage.
A nice, quiet protected anchorage with clear water and a couple of nice beaches onto Nantucket Sound. Great stuffed clams delivered right to the boat out in the anchorage.
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dave
orient point
it is on the chesapeake at the mouth of the sassafrass as is protected and has a sandy beach we swim to and cook out. about 6 feet deep and clam water and great for a morming swim
it is on the chesapeake at the mouth of the sassafrass as is protected and has a sandy beach we swim to and cook out. about 6 feet deep and clam water and great for a morming swim
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Anne Castleberg
Pelican's, Little Scorpion and Emerald
We agree, Pelican Bay is beautiful, we also love Little Scorpion on Santa Cruz Island, also Forney's but it's sometimes tricky in the channel between Santa Cruz and Santa Rosa Islands. Sunsets from Forney's are to die for. We love Emerald, especially a mooring next to bird rock. Happy sailing Anne and Grant on s/v Pilgrim
We agree, Pelican Bay is beautiful, we also love Little Scorpion on Santa Cruz Island, also Forney's but it's sometimes tricky in the channel between Santa Cruz and Santa Rosa Islands. Sunsets from Forney's are to die for. We love Emerald, especially a mooring next to bird rock. Happy sailing Anne and Grant on s/v Pilgrim
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Peter Brennan
The Sand Hole, Oyster Bay
The Sand Hole is a big pond left over from sand and gravel excavation for the Brooklyn Bridge, or so I am told. It is surrounded on one side by Caumsett State Park and on the other by private property with a very few very large mansions. The entrance is hidden , unmarked and tricky. This is one place where local knowledge is essential. Lovely beaches on both the pond and Long Island Sound sides. On summer holidays, it can get crowded but on weekdays and in spring and fall, one can very often be the only boat in there. Lovely place to go and spend the night after a hard day's sailing on the Sound and only four hours from home port.
The Sand Hole is a big pond left over from sand and gravel excavation for the Brooklyn Bridge, or so I am told. It is surrounded on one side by Caumsett State Park and on the other by private property with a very few very large mansions. The entrance is hidden , unmarked and tricky. This is one place where local knowledge is essential. Lovely beaches on both the pond and Long Island Sound sides. On summer holidays, it can get crowded but on weekdays and in spring and fall, one can very often be the only boat in there. Lovely place to go and spend the night after a hard day's sailing on the Sound and only four hours from home port.
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