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Anchoring Off An Atlantic Shore

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sethp001
Mainsheet C-25 Tech Editor

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814 Posts

Initially Posted - 04/17/2018 : 21:42:53

I'm planning my second trip to the Chesapeake and would like to venture into the Atlantic north of the mouth of the Bay. This area has barrier islands with marshy areas inside and less than ideal channels to the inside.

I have three anchors sized for a Catalina 25 and one anchor sized for a 31'+ boat. I have 400' of anchor rhode.

I know it's generally not prudent to anchor off a lee shore. My interest in doing this is from previously cruising inside Atlantic barrier islands, resulting me hoping to avoid the aggressive bugs.

So here's my inexperienced cruiser question: can I reasonably expect to anchor outside an Atlantic barrier island while aboard overnight? I think the answer is "yes", but don't want to learn a lesson the hard and expensive way.

Second question if you say "no" to the previous question: would a bigger anchor let me reasonably expect to do this?

Seth
"Outlier" 1987 Catalina 25 SR/SK/Traditional Interior #5541
"Zoo" 1977 Morgan Out Island 30
"Nomad" 1980 Prindle 16
"Lost" 1988 Catalina Capri 14.2 (sold - yay!)
"Marine Tex 1" Unknown Origin POS 8' Fiberglass Dinghy
https://whichsailboat.com/2014/07/27/catalina-25-review/

Edited by - sethp001 on 04/17/2018 21:44:34

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5851 Posts

Response Posted - 04/18/2018 : 06:38:23

I have anchored offshore for the night in the Gulf of Mexico and in the Delaware Bay, but in both cases it was unplanned. In one instance we were unable to enter the inlet at night and in the other, we had severe engine trouble and just couldn't get there. In both cases, we were lucky that weather was mild. I wouldn't plan a cruise that included anchoring in the Atlantic, especially in a small, swing keel coastal cruiser, because you'd be way too exposed if the weather unexpectedly turns bad.

Each year, a group of sailors circumnavigate the Delmarva peninsula in a fleet, to gain offshore cruising experience, and, I haven't done that cruise, but they enter one of the inlets and anchor in that area. I've heard mosquitos can be bad there when the wind is out of the west. I always carry mosquito net covers for all hatches and can keep the hatches open. Some mosquito netting isn't fine enough to keep out no-see-ums, so I use the finest netting I can find. My advice is anchor inside and prepare for the mosquitos. It's only one night, unless the weather turns bad the next day. If it does, you'll be glad you're in a sheltered area.

The concern isn't the adequacy of your ground tackle. The problem is that weather prediction is still not exact, and if it turns bad, you have no place to shelter from it. It's too late to try entering an inlet in those conditions, so you'd be stuck sailing a small coastal cruiser along what might be a lee shore, and, if you're heading south, you'd probably be sailing against a fringe of the Gulf stream current.

The better choice would be to enter Cape May Inlet, weather permitting, exit into the Delaware Bay, and transit the C&D Canal into the Chesapeake Bay.

Steve Milby J/24 "Captiva Wind"
previously C&C 35, Cal 25, C25 TR/FK, C22
Past Commodore

Edited by - Steve Milby on 04/18/2018 06:47:38

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5231 Posts

Response Posted - 04/18/2018 : 06:57:15

While I haven�t anchored overnight in an ocean swell, I did spend a long, long night trying to sleep on an exposed anchorage in Long Island Sound. The evening started out calmly with a NE breeze, then switched to southwesterly and built through the night to 20 kts. The anchorage, of course, was wide open to SW and we were trapped. Too dark to attempt a move in this rocky harbor. It was one of the only time I�ve experienced seasickness, and it�s impossible to do anything.
Certainly not fun. I�d take that experience and double it if in the ocean.

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain � Milford, CT

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9013 Posts

Response Posted - 04/18/2018 : 08:35:28

Looking at a chart of the islands just north of the mouth of the Chesapeake, I see very gradual depths (teens and twenties) going out several miles into the Atlantic. Let's assume (for a moment) a calm night--very little wind along the shore... Swell can be coming from weather systems thousands of miles away, and depending on is size and direction, there will be some area where the waves are gradually squaring up until they become breakers. Further out, it can be more like an elevator going uppppppppppp..... and downnnnnnnn....... Predicting and choosing where to be out there can be tricky. Add to that an unexpected squall line coming across the bay and the flat Delvarva Penninsula, kicking up steep, short seas that cross the swell along the Atlantic shore, and......

You should also expect Delmarva to generate a sea breeze that builds through the late afternoon and evening, adding local chop on top of the long-distance swell, calming down after dark.

I'd get some nets.

Dave Bristle
Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT
PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired),
Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge

Edited by - Stinkpotter on 04/18/2018 08:38:38

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9013 Posts

Response Posted - 04/18/2018 : 08:50:51

I'll add that the ocean cruisers I know (and I'm not really one of them) don't anchor out overnight off an ocean shore--they either go inside somewhere or stay under way. An exception can be in conditions when they can't negotiate an inlet until the tide turns.

Edited by - Stinkpotter on 04/18/2018 08:53:33

JohnP
Master Marine Consultant

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1519 Posts

Response Posted - 04/20/2018 : 13:00:30

I am curious. What is your planned itinerary? Why does anchoring outside the bay interest you? The same risky anchoring situation is present along leeward shores in the bay, too!

I just love the feeling of sailing in a C25 in calm conditions with gently rolling 10 foot swells on the ocean. But I also like sleeping soundly while at anchor!

JohnP
1978 C25 SR/FK "Gypsy"
Mill Creek off the Magothy River, Chesapeake Bay
Port Captain, northern Chesapeake Bay

sethp001
Mainsheet C-25 Tech Editor

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814 Posts

Response Posted - 04/30/2018 : 17:05:52

Thank you everyone for sharing your experience! I have not experienced anchoring overnight in swell and chop, and didn't consider it. Now I know, but might plan for one night anyway so I can feel the misery!

sethp001
Mainsheet C-25 Tech Editor

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814 Posts

Response Posted - 04/30/2018 : 17:20:03

quote:
Originally posted by JohnP

I am curious. What is your planned itinerary? Why does anchoring outside the bay interest you? The same risky anchoring situation is present along leeward shores in the bay, too!

I just love the feeling of sailing in a C25 in calm conditions with gently rolling 10 foot swells on the ocean. But I also like sleeping soundly while at anchor!

I'm in the early planning stage with no itinerary. I'd like to go to Tangier for a night, then cruise along the Eastern Shore (looks like some nice places to hide and some nice marina facilities), then sneak into the Atlantic for a day or two. I think/hope I can anchor somewhere inside Fishermans Inlet before heading out and after coming back from the Atlantic.

If you want to join us and the timing works out, another boat would be welcome!

Anchoring outside in the Atlantic interests me because I want to go outside in the Atlantic. It'll be a new and bigger adventure!

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