Readers’ favourite Anchorages of the World. Showcasing your favourite anchorages.
Porth Conger
From: Kraken Yachts’ Creative Director Trystan Grace
Location: Porth Conger, St. Agnes, Isles of Scilly, UK
Coordinates: 49°53.79’N 6°20.36’W
Seabed: Good holding in sand
Protection: Well protected from all winds except from the west to north-west.
Situated in the inlet between St. Agnes and Gugh in the Isles of Scilly, this beautiful little anchorage is one of the quieter spots throughout the islands, but it can get busier in the summer. St. Agnes is very quiet compared to the neighbouring islands and the lack of cars make it lovely to hike around or you can walk over to Gugh which is connected to St. Agnes by the sandbar in the bay which is submerged in spring tides.
There are some mooring buoys, but generally, these are private for the local islanders. Depths are about 4 to 5m but can quickly rise to about 1.4m closer in. The anchorage is well protected from all but westerly winds to northwesterly. ‘The Cove’, the bay on the opposite side of the sandbar is also a good anchorage with a little more depth and space and the wind conditions will determine the best side.
The island’s principal quay is located in Porth Conger and is a great jumping-off point to explore the island. There is a famous pub called the Turk’s Head, the most south-westerly pub in the UK, that overlooks the bay and offers excellent food and stunning views. Troytown Farm shop is also worth a visit and offers its own clotted cream, yoghurt and butter to replenish your provisions.
Savusavu Bay
From: Ocean sailor reader Graeme ‘ Ding’ Wilding
Location: Savusavu Bay, Fiji
Coordinates: 16°48.65’S 179°17.20’E
Seabed: Good holding in sand
Protection: Well protected from the normal SE trade winds.
Savusavu Bay is located on the southeast coast of the island of Vanua Levu, about 125nm NNE of the capital Suva and is one of the few ports accepting ‘Blue Lane’ visitors. For those yachts sailing in from Tonga, Samoa etc, this will most probably be your first port of call as yachts are not permitted to anchor in Fijian waters until cleared in, even prior to covid. Clearing into Fiji is a simple and straightforward process and the staff are very friendly. The main port is considered a cyclone refuge and offers haul-out facilities and repairs.
Only about 4 miles from the port of Savusavu, the anchorage off the Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort feels like a world away and is a favourite amongst cruisers. This is a perfect anchorage to retreat to after the clearing in formalities are completed or just to escape the hustle and bustle of the town. Its close proximity to the port is helpful when weather conditions deteriorate or if you need to provision. You are not permitted to go to shore at the resort but swimming and snorkelling in the crystal clear waters are well worth the visit.
The Cousteau anchorage is very well protected from the SE trades. If it comes from the north or west it can be very bumpy, especially when wind against tide. When a local rain cloud goes over (which can be most days in some months) this also happens, but usually only lasts an hour or two before the trades kick back in. The bottom is sand with low lying lumps of coral scattered not closely around. Holding is good and there are areas to be found of sand only. There is a good snorkelling reef along the shore and one can anchor in 8-10m, but, if the wind goes west it is too close for (my) comfort. Therefore, most anchoring is in 20-25m as it shelves quite quickly. For those cruisers who love to dive, the nearby islands of Lomaiviti offer world-class dive sites on the Namena Reef.
Levitha
From: Ocean Sailor reader Rene Tiemesen
Location: Levitha, Greece
Coordinates: 37°00.14’N 26°28.09’E
Seabed: Good holding in sand and public mooring buoys available
Protection: Protected from all directions with multiple coves in the bay available
Levitha is a small island located about 50 miles west of Bodrum in the Aegean Sea. When I arrived to drop the hook I thought the island was uninhabited, however, I later found out there is actually a local population of…..4 (as long as you don’t count the goats!). The island’s custodians are all actually of one family, the Kamposos family, who have lived on the island raising animals for over 200 years. As well as offering homemade feta and eggs etc, they also run a very small taverna in the summer season for visiting cruisers. A mouth-watering bbq of grilled fish and meat awaits the hungry yachtsman. The loose running donkey on the terrace called Dimitri absolutely adds to the flavor and the family is most friendly.
The anchorage we are suggesting is the one recommended in the pilot books at the east side of the main bay where a small dock is located for the local fishermen. You can find laid moorings for free but be aware. They are quite close together and the approach may be a bit tricky. Anchoring is almost not possible, I once tried, ruined a fishing net and almost saw the yacht back on the rocks behind me. Not the best way of ending your day of sailing I can tell you. The other anchorages in the bay offer protection from different wind directions making Levitha an excellent bolthole in bad weather. I anchored at the west end of the bay when the eastern anchorage was too busy.
The entire Island, as we once did can be discovered on foot along the goat trails and although a bit barren there are some excellent views and things to see. At the top of the hill, there are the ruins of an old Italian outpost, a reminder of the Italian occupation between the first and second world war. This truly is a remote and quiet island and is well worth the visit if you are traversing the Aegean.
What’s your favourite anchorage?
Please tell us your favourite anchorage and we’ll feature it in the next months ‘Dropping Anchor’. Send the anchorage details with a brief description of why you like this anchorage along with some photos showing the layout of the anchorage, plus the primary details: Location, coordinates, seabed type and protection.
Send your favourite anchorage to hello@oceansailormagazine.com
