On Oct 22, 2:29 pm, wrote:
First time in a really long time... in fact, the first time ever
outside our home waters... we stayed at anchor in a lovely cove all
day yesterday instead of moving on. The charts & cruising guides did
not show any place that looked good to stop until getting into the
next town.

How does everyone pick an anchorage? Charts can show good shelter but
generally give only vague hints about holding ground, shoreline
property/development, etc etc. Most cruising guides give the *BEST*
anchorage for a long way and don't mention any alternates (indeed,
some "cruising guides" don't mention anchorages at all).

Today while running upriver we saw two nice creeks that probably would
have been fine for an overnight stay, and closer by a few hours to
today's destination.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

It seems like the herd instinct is high in humans.
I call these sailors sheeple!

I like to pick spots away from other people. Busy
spots are typically as close to town or a bar as possible.

It seems there is always often a pristine anchorage
nearly that is always empty. In some cases it is
because it is a spot that will roll you all night. I find
one like that in St Thomas. I'm going to try to anchor
fore and aft there next time I use it.

And it also seem that when I pick a spot two miles
from the nearest town, and put on my anchor light
because I'm not in a designated anchorage, I wake
up to find two other boats have come in after me.

And I wonder, are they sheeple, or like me--looking
for a quite spot?