Rear or front?

On some islands in the Caribbean, Statia comes to mind, there is only one real anchorage and if it turns out to be rolly, moving is not an option. When in a situation like that, you can set out a stern anchor or rig a swell bridle to position your bow into the waves, or deploy flopper stoppers if you have them to help minimize the roll. Here in the Virgins, with plenty of anchorages to choose from, we just move to a better spot. That is exactly what we ended up doing yesterday afternoon at around 3:30. With Long Bay a virtual washing-machine of waves, we opted to raise anchor and move down to Christmas Cove, closer to Compass Point Marina where we have a slip booked today.

As we arrived at Christmas Cove, a well protected bay in the lee of Greater St. James island, we had a choice of several free mooring balls. There were options in the front of the field, and also in the rear. We debated on it for a whole 60 seconds or so before choosing one at the rear. Contrary to what many people think, if there is no difference in protection from the swell, we will often choose to anchor at the back of the pack. How we base our decision…

Pros of anchoring at the front:

• It’s closer to shore if you want to swim in or snorkel the coastline, or if you have a slower dinghy.
• If the wind remains constant, no other boats will drag into you.
• The water is typically more shallow meaning that there is a better chance that you can inspect your anchor’s set.
• You have greater privacy on the bow of the boat, the trampoline in the case of most multihulls.
• As there is less fetch, the water may be more calm.

Cons of anchoring at the front:

• It’s closer to shore so if bad people want to swim to your boat, you become the “low-hanging fruit.”
• If the wind switches direction and your boat swings, you will find yourself anchored close to land on a lee shore.
• If the wind switches direction, because the water is typically more shallow, you could find yourself bumping the bottom when your boat swings.
• You have less privacy in the cockpit.
• There may be little breeze if you’re close to shore.

Pros of anchoring at the rear:

• You are definitely not the “low-hanging fruit.” If bad guys want to make their way to your boat, they’ll have to work at it, bypassing everyone else in the process.
• If the wind switches direction, there is little to no risk of running up on shore.
• You have greater privacy in the cockpit.
• There may be greater breeze, aiding ventilation.

Cons of anchoring at the rear:

• The water is typically deeper meaning that there is less of a chance that you can inspect your anchor’s set.
• If a squall passes through and boats drag, you may be in their path!
• You have less privacy on the bow.
• If the wind is blowing hard, it could be a bit more rough at the back due to the greater fetch.

There are surely more considerations than I have listed. Those were only the ones which popped into my head when writing this post this morning. What do you typically prefer, rear or front?

One more advantage of being anchored in the rear,
you get beautiful sunsets unobstructed by other boats!