I've noticed that a lot of cruising sailors automatically head for a marina or rental mooring rather than anchoring even when more scenic and pleasant surroundings are nearby - in part due to some discomfort with anchoring. Maybe we've all heard and read too many horror stories about the anchor dragging in the middle of the night followed by chaos at best or disaster at worst. In reality, however, anchoring is usually very safe and easy in settled weather, once you've learned the skills. And modern chartplotters or smartphones running an app like the free My Anchor Watch can monitor your boat's position all night and alert you if a problem does occur. Still, with basic anchoring skills, including how to safely retrieve the anchor in the morning, problems are rare and anchoring becomes second nature. If you've been shy about anchoring when cruising, vow this year to try it more and enjoy the experience of quiet natural surroundings you may have sailed right past before.
