Anchorages you have had to yourself for a week

[Sealife]

Went to blue hole, didn't jump in though. Did have a lot of fun using a pole spear to catch dinners

[BandB]

Originally Posted by diver dave

I'm on the lookout for those semi-exotic anchorages where I expect to be the only one there. They may be hard to enter, in a tucked away area, or otherwise just been lucky to have no other boat in site for at least a week.

I'll start with two:

26ºN 33' 25.4"; 77ºW 51' 44"

24ºN 07' 39.9"; 74ºW 29' 37.1"

Wifey B: Not going to be just you now. Millions of TF'ers now on their way there.

[diver dave]

Originally Posted by BandB

Wifey B: Not going to be just you now. Millions of TF'ers now on their way there.

HA! the first one will hold maybe one boat, and those over 3' draft need not apply. The second was written up by Columbus, (so that's been awile now). Even so, I was surprised we had such an enormous area to ourselves for a week. The quote (this area will hold the entire fleet of Christendom) applied to that one.

[MurrayM]

My suggestions are well separated from the thundering herd

[Rufus]

Originally Posted by k9medic

If it were not for Active Captain and other cruising groups there would be a lot less business activity too at marinas and restaurants. More business = more jobs for the locals...

.

Don't kid yourself. Waterfront towns on the Great Lakes are overwhelmed with land based tourists. They wouldn't miss the relative trickle of full time "cruisers" who are well known to be notoriously cheap. Among the Great Lakes boating community, it's the local boaters on their summer vacation cruise who are the big spenders. Further, all of these small town governments are actively looking for ways to attract non-tourist businesses to cut back on the hoard that invades their communities and is changing quaint little villages into small copies of Coney Island.

[BandB]

Wifey B: TF gives us a warped perception of the boating world as Trawler types are a very small percentage and among those even the majority have never heard of TF or AC. Most boaters don't know what Active Captain is. We've told many we've seen along the way at marinas and were wondering about marinas in other places. On the Great Lakes you have marinas packed full of boaters who have never spent a night on a boat and never go more than a 100 nm or so away. Then those who occasionally cruise further, but not too far.

It's like the Loop. It's talked about here. They even have their own group. But the percentage of boaters who have done it is infinitesimal.

There were tens of thousands of boats on the lake we boated on in NC who never boated anywhere else. No locks. Couldn't take your boat and jump the dams although a couple appeared to have tried. Really, how do you run into a dam? Dam, with the other spelling. It just jumped in front of me? What? I didn't see it? Were you wearing a blindfold?

[AusCan]

OK - I'll play the game. I don't think they will be overrun with tourists.

Here's one I visited earlier this year. It even has a cave you can pull your boat into.

Get out of there if a southeasterly starts blowing.


35.1669197 South 136.492756 East

[k9medic]

Originally Posted by Rufus

Don't kid yourself. Waterfront towns on the Great Lakes are overwhelmed with land based tourists. They wouldn't miss the relative trickle of full time "cruisers" who are well known to be notoriously cheap. Among the Great Lakes boating community, it's the local boaters on their summer vacation cruise who are the big spenders. Further, all of these small town governments are actively looking for ways to attract non-tourist businesses to cut back on the hoard that invades their communities and is changing quaint little villages into small copies of Coney Island.

And people wonder why nobody retires "up north!"

When we go places by boat we spend money in the local economy. My AMEX bill from our last trip was right around $4500 with at least $1500 of that spent on food while eating out over 16 days.

I know that some cruisers can be notoriously cheap though too. When we were in Hopetown we saw first hand just how cheap can be. The locals hated it for sure.

[MurrayM]

Originally Posted by k9medic

And people wonder why nobody retires "up north!"

When we go places by boat we spend money in the local economy. My AMEX bill from our last trip was right around $4500 with at least $1500 of that spent on food while eating out over 16 days.

I know that some cruisers can be notoriously cheap though too. When we were in Hopetown we saw first hand just how cheap can be. The locals hated it for sure.

Holy-Moly!

We just got back from a 16 day trip and spent under $1000.00 fuel included. (Left with full tanks, filled up again on way home, and had two restaraunt meals on trip) Not being 'cheap', just staying out of towns/marinas.

[BandB]

Wifey B: No comment on spending.

[Rufus]

Originally Posted by k9medic

And people wonder why nobody retires "up north!"

When we go places by boat we spend money in the local economy. My AMEX bill from our last trip was right around $4500 with at least $1500 of that spent on food while eating out over 16 days.

I know that some cruisers can be notoriously cheap though too. When we were in Hopetown we saw first hand just how cheap can be. The locals hated it for sure.

"Up North" is just fine with cruiser opportunists who pass through on the cheap during the summer months.

You described a local boater on a summer vacation cruise....as I said, the boaters who do spend money.

Taken on the whole full time cruisers clog up all the small anchorages, stay in only the cheapest slips they can find and dump piles of trash when they arrive. They frequent the local grocery store, laundry and liquor store, then make excessive noise in the marina while they party and "dine" on the nearest sundeck boat with their cruiser buddies. They consume inordinate amounts of booze and marina fresh water to wash their filthy boats. They are cheap tippers. Opportunists. Vagabonds. Tolerated, but not really welcome. There are outliers, but we don't see many. (Ten years observing).

[Salish Nomad]

Hole In The Wall, Prince of Wales Island.

Lies just south of Port Protection, Sumner Strait.

[Lou_tribal]

I am wondering how the "quality" of a boater (or even non boater) can be measured by the amount of money he spends... Some poor men are cheap disturbers and rich men very cool people but also some broken guys are real angels while some golden boys just stupid blokes.
Pardon me but if anyone judge anybody on the money spent, he must not be part of the best fellow of the two categories.
But this is just my opinion

Note: The use of male is for simplification and not sign of any machismo, the same apply to females

L

[AusCan]

Originally Posted by Rufus

"Up North" is just fine with cruiser opportunists who pass through on the cheap during the summer months.

You described a local boater on a summer vacation cruise....as I said, the boaters who do spend money.

Taken on the whole full time cruisers clog up all the small anchorages, stay in only the cheapest slips they can find and dump piles of trash when they arrive. They frequent the local grocery store, laundry and liquor store, then make excessive noise in the marina while they party and "dine" on the nearest sundeck boat with their cruiser buddies. They consume inordinate amounts of booze and marina fresh water to wash their filthy boats. They are cheap tippers. Opportunists. Vagabonds. Tolerated, but not really welcome. There are outliers, but we don't see many. (Ten years observing).

I don't make much noise, but I'm guilty of the rest of your slurs.

I guess I wouldn't be welcome up there.

[Lou_tribal]

Originally Posted by AusCan

I don't make much noise, but I'm guilty of the rest of your slurs.



I guess I wouldn't be welcome up there.

You are very welcome if you don't make noise, it will give me a break

L

[Rufus]

Originally Posted by AusCan

I don't make much noise, but I'm guilty of the rest of your slurs.

I guess I wouldn't be welcome up there.

Correct.

[k9medic]

Originally Posted by MurrayM

Holy-Moly!

We just got back from a 16 day trip and spent under $1000.00 fuel included. (Left with full tanks, filled up again on way home, and had two restaurant meals on trip) Not being 'cheap', just staying out of towns/marinas.

We (family of 4) ate out 10 of the 16 days. We did run fast from Boca Grande to Key West which burned a round trip total of 450 gallons of fuel and burned a total of 750 gallons.

We left with very little fuel in the tanks since our home marina doesn't see fit to provide any discount. We ran on fumes until we got to the next marina 65 miles away to save almost $1.00 per gallon (almost $350 per full tank, I guess I am a cheap boater.)

With the exception of one night we stayed in marinas with a pool so the kids could get off the boat after 10-12 hours underway. The marina in Key West was $4.00/ ft. while most of the others were $1.75-2.25/ ft.

[AusCan]

Originally Posted by Rufus

Correct.

No Problem. I know they offer plenty of hospitality on the north side of the lakes regardless of how fat my wallet is.

btw Rufus, You are still welcome to use my secret anchorage listed above, but I'm afraid you won't find anywhere to spend your money.

[Lou_tribal]

Originally Posted by k9medic

The marina in Key West was $4.00/ ft.

4$/ft Hope this include services, and the limo to do your grocery

L.

[Lou_tribal]

Originally Posted by AusCan

No Problem. I know they offer plenty of hospitality on the north side of the lakes regardless of how fat my wallet is.

btw Rufus, You are still welcome to use my secret anchorage listed above, but I'm afraid you won't find anywhere to spend your money.

No worry for your wallet, hospitality cannot be priced. If you get there I will welcome you in our favorite anchorage with a beer or wine glass or whatever you prefer (but if you ask for water you have the river ). And do not worry about crowded anchorage, we did not see anybody there for the last 2 years, most of people don't even know you can anchor there.
But after, if you talk... lol

L.