Not Talking Big Waves Here-Is It Acceptable Seamanship to be Anchored on a Lee Shore?

[Dockhead]

As everyone said, it depends, it depends, it depends, and the word "never" is not applicable in any case.

I spent a night at anchor in a storm off a lee shore a few months ago. That was because there was not really any choice; it was blowing so hard it would have been dangerous to go into the protected anchorage in our passage plan. We could have gone out to sea, but we didn't feel like it. Instead we just dropped the hook in the ICW (this was in Florida), let out every inch of chain we had on board, and settled in. Why? Because there is a slight tidal range there and nice sandy bottom, so if God forbid we had gone onto the beach it would not have destroyed the boat. And because the holding there was excellent, and we had an excellent anchor (Spade). And because we were partially protected anyway by the barrier islands, so there wasn't much of a sea running despite very strong wind and torrential rain.

I spent most of the night in the cockpit but the boat didn't budge an inch. Then the wind veered through 180 degrees, and after swinging around away from the shore, the boat still didn't budge. After that I went below and slept. Bless you, Spade.

We would not have done this off a rocky shore and/or a place with a large tidal range.