Fjord Anchoring

In my last Bookshelf post I described a two volume cruising guide to Newfoundland and Labrador. I have never cruised those waters but I know anchoring conditions are often very difficult and williwaws or other high winds are prevalent. The guide contains a short piece by Stephen P. Loutrel (Lexington, Massachusetts) offering a method for anchoring his 40 foot (12 meter) Concordia Yawl (displacement 16,000 pounds, 7,000 kg) in fjords, where only a hundred feet from shore one is already in very deep water. As Mr. Loutrel's sketch shows, an anchor is taken ashore and set in the mud flats that may be seen even in steep fjords. A heavy anchor on heavy chain is set offshore, and the slope of the bottom gives this anchor the equivalent of excellent scope. Both rodes are taken to a swivel, see the sketches below. (Click on the photos to enlarge.)

If there are no flats, one can wrap a boulder in chain and secure to that. Where the inshore rode crosses boulders and rocks, it may be necessary to buoy the line to prevent it from getting caught under submerged rocks. It is important not to set the rodes too tight, or in a strong cross wind the loads could become quite high.