Bryan,
I anchor at various coves in Catalina all the time.

At Cat Harbor it is most common to anchor on only one hook on fairly short
scope. Some boats will use two hooks (bow and stern), though it generally is
a minority in this cove. Cat Harbor has quite a bit of open anchorage area,
so there is a bit more swinging room here.

I was over at Whites during the Labor Day weekend and there were rows upon
rows of boats at anchor (just outside of the moorings), parallel to one
another and close together, anchored bow and stern. Clearly the purpose for
two anchors was to prevent swinging.

--Alan Gomes


"Bryan" wrote in message
om...
I'm skeptical that we can do any better than a guess, but I'm wondering if
anyone knows, really knows, why we anchor bow and stern at Catalina Island
(California).

Is it because of wind or swell direction? Or is it because of trying to
squeeze in as many boats as possible in the overcrowded anchorages?

There is an onshore wind to offshore wind shift each day. It is also a
high population density zone in the summer.

Just asking for fun.

Bryan