Having a sailing trip is certainly unique. It allows us to look at places and landscapes in a way that is entirely different from the one we are used to. However, we sometimes forget about an important choice that enables us to enjoy even more our vacations. We are discussing the possibility of spending the night at the anchor or in a marina.

Spending the night at the anchor

Staying the night at anchor is far more fascinating than in a marina. In fact, for many sailing lovers, it represents the quintessence of freedom that only a sailing holiday could give you.

It, therefore, does not involve relying on timings nor on those typical dynamics of the marina. Sleeping at the anchor allows us to relax without having to check our watch all the time and to spend the night in places that, most of the time, can only be reached by boat.

It may seem that spending the night at the anchor is the perfect solution for a sailing holiday, but not all the glitters are gold.

Things to take into consideration if you decide to spend the night at the anchor

Something that should always be taken into consideration to evaluate the pros and cons of spending the night at anchor, is your crew.

For example, if it is also composed of children and teenagers, we would then need to think of ways to make them entertained. As a matter of fact, having a dinghy, or something to fish or inflatable sup could help save your holiday.

On the other hand, if your crew has never been on a sailing boat before, nights at anchor should be planned in advance with a particular look at the weather. It is also important to look for a comfortable and safe place so we will not traumatize our crew.

Finally, all the stress that is related to the anchoring phase could play a stressing role, especially during those months that are quite “hot” in terms of the number of people traveling. If we think of August, during this month bays are always overloaded with sailing boats which leads to more difficulties in anchoring.

 

To sum up, it is advisable not to fall in love with the magic of sleeping at the anchor but to think of all the case scenarios that vary depending on our crew components.

If you are looking for advice on how to anchor during your sailing trip, read our dedicated blog article.