What are the quietest anchorages in Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket?

[Chotu]

Looking to have a relaxing time. Like being in deep Maine all by yourself. However, I don’t think I have enough time to do Maine this year. So where are the quietest placee on the east end of Long Island, Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket. Just looking for a quiet anchorage without a lot of wakes. Doesn’t even need to be near town. Just needs to be peaceful.

Any thoughts?

[Pegu Club]

I might say, west harbor fishers Island NY, also east harbor FI,
If you want to go up the Mystic river to the just past the Sea port there is a nice little anchorage there, up into Point Judith RI, I have been told is quite nice, have not been there myself, Dutch harbor by James Town RI is a good spot as well. Also Cuttyhunk Ma. There really is a lot to choose from, always quieter on week days of course.

Fair winds,

[skipmac]

Limited experience with harbors around eastern LI Sound but live on Martha's Vineyard and if no wake is the main criterion then Lake Tashmoo would be just fine. The whole harbor is no wake so the most you'll see in that regard is whatever a dinghy can throw up. The entrance is a narrow channel so no swell at all from Vineyard Sound.


Also a nice (but very crowded) dinghy dock and if you want to go out for dinner, need groceries or whatever it's a nice, scenic one mile walk to Vineyard Haven.



However, you will NOT be by yourself. The harbor is full of moorings but most are day sailed or weekend fishing, very few boats with people on board except on holiday weekends when the north end of the harbor is packed with partiers. South end is the place to be if you want the max quiet.

[Stu Jackson]

Nice to share.


It wasn't until I left SF in 2016 that I told my closest friends where I'd been anchoring for the past three decades!


How else ya gonna KEEP it quiet?!?


Sorry...

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

Nice to share.


It wasn't until I left SF in 2016 that I told my closest friends where I'd been anchoring for the past three decades!


How else ya gonna KEEP it quiet?!?


Sorry...

Well to be perfectly honest, this thought did occur to me.


On the other hand the OP won't be there too long and if he/she tried to move in they have time limits for how long one can anchor there.

[TheOffice]

Nantucket harbor is a large mooring field. No other option on the island.

[sailing_gal]

Maybe they changed the rules, but a number of years ago I anchored in the Bay in Nantucket. Don't do it. I suspect they now don't allow it. There is a huge mooring field, and it is expensive. When I was there, it was $80 for one night, and I only spent half a night because I tried anchoring. I had lots of chain out, but a big Nor'Easter came and I awoke in the middle of the night to find I had dragged to shallow water, at least it was high tide and I was not aground. At 2 am I had to pull my anchor and try to find a safe place to put the boat with the wind raging. Luckily, a small run-about came into the harbor about that time and saw me and came over to offer assistance, he led me to and assisted me in tying up to a mooring ball in the pitch black night. Got back to sleep close to 4 am, and at 8 am the harbormaster was knocking on my boat and asking for $80, this was about 9 years ago. I was lucky, I woke up and saw myself dragging. There were 3 other boats anchored and they were all aground. The biggest of the bunch, named Big Blue- was a maybe 60 something footer sailboat and was HIGH AND DRY! It had been left unattended. When I went to shore and had a chat with the harbormaster later that morning, he informed me that the boat had already been ransacked. I was shocked- in Nantucket?

So, even if they allow it, my best advice is do not anchor in Nantucket harbor.

[psk125]

East end of LI we like Three Mile Harbor. Huge space, 20’ of water all over the place, surrounded by park & marshlands on three sides. Few boats. Marina and restaurant at the entrance if you want/need them, but you can anchor well away from them for quiet & privacy. Coecles Harbor on the east end of Shelter Island is also nice, but more crowded.

[Chotu]

Thanks for all of the input. This is great. I wanted to try Martha’s Vineyard and was looking at those exact harbors. However, it looks like you can only stay for three days. That seems a little short for all of the work to get there. Is there something I’m missing?

And as far as Nantucket goes, I prefer to anchor. If it is indeed all mornings now without any anchorage at all, I’ll probably give it a miss. It’s not the money. I just hate being packed in with everybody and all of the noise. I’m trying to be out on the boat to relax. LOL

[Chotu]

As for all of the other places, they do sound great. I can’t believe I have gone by fishers Island so many times and not thought to stop there. And I haven’t been inside lake Montauk in decades.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Chotu

Thanks for all of the input. This is great. I wanted to try Martha’s Vineyard and was looking at those exact harbors. However, it looks like you can only stay for three days. That seems a little short for all of the work to get there. Is there something I’m missing?

And as far as Nantucket goes, I prefer to anchor. If it is indeed all mornings now without any anchorage at all, I’ll probably give it a miss. It’s not the money. I just hate being packed in with everybody and all of the noise. I’m trying to be out on the boat to relax. LOL

I do believe there is a three day limit but in practice I think staying a bit longer is not a concern. As long as your boat doesn't look like a derelict and you don't make a nuisance of yourself I have not heard of anyone being hassled for staying over three days. Three weeks in the same place might attract attention. I recall that there was some rule that if you moved the boat that would reset the three day clock so you could move to VH Harbor or the Lagoon (the smaller offshoot of VH Harbor to the east through the draw bridge) for a few days. The bridge if I recall, opens four times a day, morning, just before noon, afternoon and evening.


There are a lot fewer boats in the Lagoon and a lot more room but it isn't a no wake zone although jet skis and similar are not allowed except at idle speed so at most you'll see an occasional power boat come and go.


Regarding Nantucket, my understanding is that you can anchor just north of the mooring field but cannot anchor past red buoy #2 going up the harbor. Haven't been there but I understand it can get bumpy and there's a strong tidal current.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by sailing_gal

Maybe they changed the rules, but a number of years ago I anchored in the Bay in Nantucket. Don't do it. I suspect they now don't allow it. There is a huge mooring field, and it is expensive. When I was there, it was $80 for one night, and I only spent half a night because I tried anchoring. I had lots of chain out, but a big Nor'Easter came and I awoke in the middle of the night to find I had dragged to shallow water, at least it was high tide and I was not aground. At 2 am I had to pull my anchor and try to find a safe place to put the boat with the wind raging. Luckily, a small run-about came into the harbor about that time and saw me and came over to offer assistance, he led me to and assisted me in tying up to a mooring ball in the pitch black night. Got back to sleep close to 4 am, and at 8 am the harbormaster was knocking on my boat and asking for $80, this was about 9 years ago. I was lucky, I woke up and saw myself dragging. There were 3 other boats anchored and they were all aground. The biggest of the bunch, named Big Blue- was a maybe 60 something footer sailboat and was HIGH AND DRY! It had been left unattended. When I went to shore and had a chat with the harbormaster later that morning, he informed me that the boat had already been ransacked. I was shocked- in Nantucket?

So, even if they allow it, my best advice is do not anchor in Nantucket harbor.

Wow... What an experience!!!

I've been fortunate in all my years never to have this happen. I'm sure it can by luck of the draw though.

[Offshore1960]

Menemsha on the Vineyard in the pond or in the harbor itself is nice. There are moorings outside the harbor for 15.00 per night. Menemsha is a dry town to the "sea ray" crowd stays away. Cuttyhunk harbor is great and peaceful. Also Tashmoo pond on the Vineyard is another nice quiet spot. In the Elizabeth islands, Hadley's harbor and Tarpaulin cove are great places.

Nantucket is generally crowded and the tide runs hard there. Its best to anchor with two anchors one up tide and the other down. The problem is people show up not knowing that and anchor with a load of scope on one anchor and then go to town. The tide changes and they end up swinging into boats that are now down current of them.

[bauer965]

I second Hadley Harbor. Stayed a few times more out of convenience than destination. However, it is very peaceful and scenic, despite it usually quite full on the weekends. I like to anchor close to the shore (as close as you are comfortable) in the little cove north end of Goats Neck just south of Bull Island, kinda opposite of the dock to the island. I've never swung into the shore...very calm there.

[Jaqun]

Just returned from Cuttyhunk. It is a little crowded with mostly moorings ( $45 a night first come first served) but there is some room to anchor to starboard as you enter the harbor. No alcohol available on the island so it is allot quieter and more family oriented then say block.
We were also just at Watch Hill RI and there is a really nice protected harbor, great holding and full beach access right over the sand dune. Allot of boats on the weekends but was pretty calm and peaceful during the week. A well marked but narrow winding channel leads in from Stonnington. Nice but touristy town there or take a dingy ride up river to westerly to provision.