Memorial Day anchor follies at the Channel Islands in Southern California

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Sancerre anchored bow and stern a Willows, Santa Cruz Island

This entry began its life as a comment on another article, but I thought it would serve the community better if it stood alone. We invite your comments. — capt. dan

Guest BLOG:
Rob Walton
S/V R Escape
Channel Islands Harbor

A couple and their son pull into the anchorage we were at in a big power boat. They find the perfect spot and drop anchor (in a great big pile). They then launch jr in the tender and commence cocktail hour.

Not twenty minutes later, they look up and find they’re about 10′ from a 25’ sloop. That skipper is ashore, so he’s not worried. The power boaters become agitated and motor forward, dropping a second hook – directly on top of the first! In the meantime, jr. is trying to set the record for 360’s in a tender, and I do believe he’s got Olympic potential for this event.

Mom & dad finish deploying the second hook just in time to enjoy the sunset and what’s left of their cocktails.

But rest and relaxation are not to be had because I’m compelled to call them on the vhf to let them know that yes Virginia, even with two anchors, you’re still adrift.

We offer assistance. We get no response.

We’re back in the role of passive observer, and it doesn’t take long before they’re on top of the little sloop again. This time they summon jr, forcing him to postpone his aquatic donut cutting.

They hoist the tender, which dad stows as mom steers the big (we’re talking 3-stories high) yacht temporarily out of harms way.

Dad’s on the bow trying to figure out what to do with two anchors and several hundred feet of rode, which are all entwined on the bottom. The windless was going to be useless, that much he knew. He was going to have to haul it all by hand. Lucky for him both rodes were mostly rope.

Long story short, the whole mess ended up in a pile on the foredeck and they left without so much as a wave goodbye.

One thought on “Memorial Day anchor follies at the Channel Islands in Southern California”

  1. Good stuff Rob. I’ve noticed that with many motor vessel skippers, “drop the hook” means precisely that: drop it over the side and forget about it. And “scope” is something you use for bad breath…

    RB