Your Favorite Anchorage and Why?

[Kettlewell]

I was mulling over today the thousands of places I have anchored and then I began to wonder which one was the best. I found out it is very hard for me to decide! Objectively, I can list lots of characteristics of the ideal anchorage: 360-degree protection, great holding in sand or mud, limited or minimal tidal range, no current, open to the prevailing breeze for coolness, beauty, peace and quiet, uncrowded or deserted, nice natural walks and hikes ashore, easy to land the dinghy, no crime, etc. But, then there is the something you can't quite put your finger on that makes you daydream back to that anchorage even decades later, even if it didn't meet all the objective criteria. I was lucky to be able to first sail to the Bahamas back in the '80s, prior to GPS, good charts, and crowds. I haven't been back in awhile, but my mind often wanders to a little spot in the Exumas that I will not name because I am afraid someone will tell me it is now spoiled. It was very difficult to get into, weaving between coral heads just feet on either side. On our first entry we went aground on pure sand, and had to reanchor in deeper water under the light of the moon. We were often the only boat in there, and the water was crystal clear, yet full of amazing color. If you haven't anchored in the Bahamas at night, with a full moon making your boat cast a clear shadow on the bottom below, you haven't experienced a real Bahamian anchorage! Looking down from the small rise ashore it looked like our boat was floating in the air--the water surface couldn't be seen. After dark there was no sound, other than lapping water, and no light of mankind could be seen in any direction. My favorite anchorage...

[mbianka]

Originally Posted by Kettlewell

Looking down from the small rise ashore it looked like our boat was floating in the air--the water surface couldn't be seen. .

I know what you observed I saw it too. This is a shot I made in the Exumas a few years ago:

[boatman61]

Ballearics are like that..

[Foswick]

My favorite is always the last one I visited.

[akopac]

Suwarrow. Incredible. Nothing like it

[Antsjh]

I think Great Salt Pond on Block Island, Rhode Island because I have crossed from Montauk in big seas and small boats a few times and been very relieved to get inside the jetty and to a snug anchorage.

[GordMay]

One, among many*, of my favourite anchorages, was West* "Otter Cove", on Lake Superior’s Northern shore.
[Canadian Chart #2302 - N 48° 37' x W 080° 14']

Larger, well protected inner harbour, with easy approaches, and good [mud] holding, in 12 - 20 Ft of water.
A lake-fed river [w/ brook trout] flows, over a scenic waterfall, into the North-East arm of the cove. The falls offer a great shower, but wear footwear, due to some sharp rocks.
We usually anchored [fore & aft] in 12Ft, in this NE river arm.

* Not to be confused with another wonderful anchorage, also called [East] "Otter Cove", in Pukaskwa Provincial Park. [Cdn. Chart #2308N 48° 06' x W 86° 04']

* See also “Lake Superior - Canadian North Shore "must see's" ➥ https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...html#post14360

[Kettlewell]

Another Bahamian anchorage I will never forget (there are lots of them) is when we anchored on the Great Bahama Bank in the vicinity of the old Russell Beacon in less than 20 feet of crystal clear water, pure sand bottom, and no land in sight. Back in the day we didn't know exactly where we were crossing the Bank by dead reckoning mostly, so in order to avoid taking the Northwest Channel in the dark we would anchor out there on the Bank. Unique and beautiful, with the night sky extending down to the horizon in all directions. On a calm night it was beautiful--when the wind picked up, not so much! Old thread about this: https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...mas-56328.html

[wrwakefield]

My favorite anchorages- and there are many- are where wildlife is defined by possessing more than 2 legs; or none…

Cheers, Bill

[Kettlewell]

My favorite anchorages- and there are many- are where wildlife is defined by possessing more than 2 legs; or none…

Lots of wildlife to see in the Bahamas. On one of our first crossings of the Bahama Banks we were motoring under autopilot on a brilliant calm day when I noticed a very large hammerhead shark was cruising in our boat's shadow. As we watched this amazing sight our boat plowed into a mass of floating weed that completely fouled our prop and stopped the boat. We shut down the engine and I went over the side with a sharp knife in my teeth to cut the weed off the prop, all the while thinking about that huge hammerhead lurking around somewhere!

[dannc]

Originally Posted by Kettlewell

Lots of wildlife to see in the Bahamas. On one of our first crossings of the Bahama Banks we were motoring under autopilot on a brilliant calm day when I noticed a very large hammerhead shark was cruising in our boat's shadow. As we watched this amazing sight our boat plowed into a mass of floating weed that completely fouled our prop and stopped the boat. We shut down the engine and I went over the side with a sharp knife in my teeth to cut the weed off the prop, all the while thinking about that huge hammerhead lurking around somewhere!

Not really a favorite anchorage but a memorable one. It was on the east side of Biscayne Bay and I went snorkeling looking for scallops. Surprisingly, I found some but left them in place. Out of the corner of my eye I saw in the distance a VERY large barracuda, at least five feet long and it was watching me. Why was Big O'l Barracuda watching me so intently? I had a nice shiny, silver watch on my wrist. I quickly took off the wrist watch and put it in my pocket. Big O'l Barracuda left soon after.

[Kd9truck]

San Blas, Panama, the bug island anchorage, Deep ground coral/sand bottom. Very few other cruisers, we stayed as long as the provisions would allow, time stoped for a couple of days.

[Kettlewell]

San Blas, Panama, the bug island anchorage, Deep ground coral/sand bottom. Very few other cruisers, we stayed as long as the provisions would allow, time stoped for a couple of days.

Gorgeous! But I think we liked the anchorage in the Coco Banderos better. Tiny spot to anchor, surrounded by coral on all sides, but so beautiful!

[Kd9truck]

Originally Posted by Kettlewell

Gorgeous! But I think we liked the anchorage in the Coco Banderos better. Tiny spot to anchor, surrounded by coral on all sides, but so beautiful!

Well now I have a reason to go back! my absolute favorite in the archipelago is just a GPS coordinates along side a coral reef, and the same with isles Los Roques, special mostly because of the lack of human development imho.

Thank you for the incentive.
Cheers

[boatpoker]

Any one of about 40 between Lake Ontario and Bahamas that we've anchored in many times and never see another boat.

Where ? You say ? ... I don't thinks so.