The romantic notion of a secluded anchorage vs. real life

[redhead]

Last year we spent 5 days alone in a remote cove. We loved it but I was waiting for my husband to get antsy - I love solitude, he's much more social. On the sixth day two power boats pulled in, they were obviously together. We're both thinking we'll probably up anchor if they get raucous.

Later that afternoon they both dinghied over to see us (we're an unusual boat) and we invited them aboard for the "tour". They invited us for a pot luck dinner that night, we took them for rides in our go-fast dingy the next day. We sat and laughed and felt grateful we were all able to share this wonderful place.

On the third day they left and we were alone again.

We looked at each other, listened to the quiet, smiled. I got out my Kindle and he went for a nap.

The "cruising life" is a term with innumerable definitions - limited only by our perception of it.

[Macblaze]

Originally Posted by redhead

Last year we spent 5 days alone in a remote cove. We loved it but I was waiting for my husband to get antsy - I love solitude, he's much more social. On the sixth day two power boats pulled in, they were obviously together. We're both thinking we'll probably up anchor if they get raucous.

Later that afternoon they both dinghied over to see us (we're an unusual boat) and we invited them aboard for the "tour". They invited us for a pot luck dinner that night, we took them for rides in our go-fast dingy the next day. We sat and laughed and felt grateful we were all able to share this wonderful place.

On the third day they left and we were alone again.

We looked at each other, listened to the quiet, smiled. I got out my Kindle and he went for a nap.

The "cruising life" is a term with innumerable definitions - limited only by our perception of it.

Perfect.

[thomm225]

We are very lucky here on the lower Chesapeake Bay because there are lots of secluded anchorages all within just a few hours of sailing.

You can be away from the 1.7 million people in the Hampton Roads area and anchored totally alone in 5-7 hours

You can experience ocean sailing as well on the same day before heading North to an anchorage (or on the way staying on a North Eastward tack)

And this can all be accomplish during a weekend sail

Most sailors though seem to sail to a marina rather than choose one of the many isolated creeks

[gjordan]

When I started cruising the Calif and Baja coast, I was in an engineless 26 foot boat, and not being comfortable at that time with overnight sails, I always looked for anchorages that were within day sailing time limits. I was lucky to learn early on, that local commercial fishermen were the best source of anchorage information. Sitting in a coffee shop in Monterey Calif, I learned more about the Calif coast than any chart or guidebook could teach me. With charts and a COAST PILOT BOOK and what the fishermen told me, I seldom had to do overnight passages (at least going south) and was often alone in small anchorages or maybe a couple of fish boats for company. I had what was considered very heavy ground tackle for a 26 footer and rarely ever worried at night. It is easy to see how being alone in an anchorage with almost no lights on shore and the wind moaning in the rigging, can be spooky, but it was a great learning experience. Just as a side note, I later was given a booklet of Charlies Chart for Baja and found them lacking many of the small anchorages. I would not waste my money on Charlies Charts. _____Grant.

[misfits]

I feel floating in a mooring field can be considered secluded when compared to being tied up in a slip where there's no privacy.

I'll never be a world traveler but have thought about doing the great loop or taking the boat south down the ICW so I can make the jump to the Bahamas. But then I think about all the people, boat traffic & ask why I'd do that to myself..

Sometimes where you're at is the destination if you give it a chance. Course I'm up on mid coast Maine so I'm pretty content.

I'm waiting for the day Mike ORiley starts heading south. Realizes where he's at is paridise & turns around to head back north.

[burntheships]

I would love to have a secluded anchorage somewhere in FL. Do my online job and stare off into the blue waters enjoying the water and landscapes.

[Macblaze]

Originally Posted by gjordan

Just as a side note, I later was given a booklet of Charlies Chart for Baja and found them lacking many of the small anchorages. I would not waste my money on Charlies Charts.

We noticed this right off the bat. There is a great guide called Waggoners here in the PNW. And a couple of different really good series of guide books on the areas. But they are, of necessity, truncated and "safe". I can totally see people setting out with these as their "bibles" and, since they are chock full of locations, never ever consider straying. But then you are always guaranteed company because of the popularity of the books.

I'm extremely grateful we fell into"bad" company when we were first starting out and have managed to become increasingly comfortable straying off the beaten track.

[sailorchic34]

There are 7 million people in the San Francisco bay area. 99.95 percent don't sail or even know there is a California Delta inland. It's why I hung around. Lots of places to get lost without another soul about. Yet services are never more then 15-20 miles away. Plus it never rains for the 6 months of summer.


Oh wait, its way to crowded here, stay away, nothing to see here.....

[dwedeking2]

Originally Posted by burntheships

I would love to have a secluded anchorage somewhere in FL. Do my online job and stare off into the blue waters enjoying the water and landscapes.

I sat for a week near Rodriguez Key. No boats within 1t2 mile, rock solid holding, and tmobile data connection.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by noelex 77

....

Since leaving the Netherlands over the last year we have shared anchorages with another yacht on only two occasions. Personally, I would welcome a few other boats. Getting together with other sailors is one of the joys of cruising.

I've noticed that folks who are "vacation" or weekend cruising often seek solitude when they are out doin' it. And I can understand this, for I was in that situation myself for some years, and getting away from it all is important for your sanity!

But for long term cruisers, for whom solitude is available on demand, some like minded company is pleasant on most occasions, just as Nolex suggests. We did a seven week circumnavigation of Grande Terre in New Caledonia a few years ago. After leaving Noumea, we saw only three other yachts prior to returning to the city area. Two were under way, on reciprocal courses and we only waved g'day at them. The other was in a tiny artificial harbour, living aboard and working locally. Even spoke some English, and we enjoyed some company and a bit of local knowledge. And when we were back in town, we enjoyed finding lots of old and new friends to socialize with.

The freedom to choose is the joy of cruising...

Jim

[a64pilot]

I’m in George Town Bahamas right now with seemingly about half of Canada.
People come down here and stay for months I think and then go back to Fl and leave their boats and go “home” for Summer, then repeat.

However even in the Exuma’s which I think is the most crowded part of the Bahamas it’s not all that hard to be by yourself.
Most people are social, they seek each other out, so go a half mile away and your by yourself, it really is that simple.
Just don’t anchor on the little anchor symbols and you may have to be a little more adventurous and push depth a little.

So far my favorite was Eleuthera, many, many places to be by yourself, yet a half day or less sail away from where you could buy milk.
That has become my measurement of “civilization” if you can buy fresh milk, then your in civilization.

[DEAN2140]

Part of the problem is sail boat population explosion. Thirty of forty years ago taking off in a boat was considered high adventure and not too many people did it. And with more people comes more easily sailed boats: furling sails, fiberglass hulls, GPS, radar, chart plotters, cell phones, etc. You no longer have to be a Joshua Slocum or Sterling Hayden iron man to enjoy the cruising life. Its not just anchoring. Now you have to make reservations far in advance to go to a national park. In the '50's we had about 160 million, today its 350 million and counting. Too bad we can't pull up the drawbridge after we get ours, but it doesn't work that way. And its going to get worse so quit bitching and enjoy what you have.

[gmakhs]

[QUOTE=Jammer;2837171]Oceangoing vessels are symbolic of freedom, and in the competition for eyeballs, youtube sailing vlogs prominently feature remote atolls, deserted islands, and picturesque little islets too small to support a cruise pier, airport, or tourist economy.


Yet there are mooring fields full of boats, and
Is there a shortage of remote little anchorages?
No, but people are afraid to explore

Is it that hard to find a protected spot that's the right depth?

No
Are the boats on the balls not equipped to be self-sufficient?

Maybe, I believe most of them
Do the people in the tight anchorages prefer being in a crowd?
Maybe

Is it that hard to move the boat the day after you clear in and get groceries?

Sometines


You can sail on places and be really the only sailboat within 100 miles but one must dare to do so .
Most people sail for fun and convenience and marinas and moorings.offer so.

[ArmyDaveNY]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

No, it cannot be fixed by regulations or restrictions.
People ignore anchoring time limits where they occur. People try to get around rules. They abuse use of free moorings all the time, till the moorings get re-purposed due to the abuse. WE ALREADY HAVE TOO MANY REGULATIONS! I feel really strongly about that. People just need to learn to share.

Sorry for the rant, but more rules just isn't where it's at. They will come, because bureaucracies want to grow and make rules for us, but those rules do not necessarily do any good. Look at the abuses of the civil asset forfeiture laws.

Ann

Spot on!


I live in New York City and even here I can find some places to drop anchor that are not too crowded, and on occasion even empty!

[Lihuedooley77]

Good soops

Agree, that having a sailing vessel, you can find peaceful achorages, that you can stay for a while, and after that wears off a bit, be off to sail some place that has, fresh water, provisions, fuel , and perhaps other people to share a happy hour with, and get spoiled by having dinner you can order , and have some fun.

Erica and I love each other, however, we also like meeting and conversing with interesting and fun folks from all walks of life. A little mixing and matching works well.

Just our thoughts.