50 ports we all should go to.

[newt]

In response to another thread I thought we could list the friendliness ports to small boat cruisers, and maybe list some of their attributes that appeal to us as sailors. If the list gets too big, we could break it down by state or region. That would give us that explore in new areas places to go and see. Off the top of my head I would put down
1. Oriental, North Carolina see posts under "First cruise- Oriental" under sailing stories.
2. Venice, Florida (SW) Free short term dock, Free shallow anchorage next to a park. Great food (Crows Nest) Cheap bike rental, and great beach all within walking distance. Grocery and West Marine not too far either.

[mrb]

How about Charleston, Or.  Large estuary and when ocean to rough a good sail up bay to Coose Bay.  Can be very challenging but worth the effort.

Victoria B.C.  Great docks in center of town that is like being at a waterfront carnival. Great dock crew,  Showers and laundry with Provincial Museum, Capitol Bld. Building outlined in lights 24 hours a day with original bulbs from when it was first built early 1900's,  Empress hotel and great restaurants all across the street.  A touch of England.

Both a long way from East coast but if you ever find yourself out West 2 good places.

[Auspicious]

Annapolis, MD - free dinghy dockage at the end of any street that runs to the water; huge boat show in October; reasonably priced city moorings; nearby free anchorages; water taxi in season

[Godot]

Baltimore, MD - specifically the Inner Harbor or Fells Point area: Lots of city life easily accessible anywhere from inside the harbor.  Fairly inexpensive to free (I've never found anyone to pay, but 15$ for five hours before 6pm, $1.25/ft overnight, some with electric and water) city docks (no facilities).  Lots of marinas if you've got rich blood.  Water taxi, but I don't know if they service yachts or not.  Very short dinghy ride from anchorage.  It's a happening place, so if you like peace and quiet it isn't for you.  If you are looking for a plethora of shopping, restaurant, and entertainment this is the place.

http://www.boatinginbaltimore.com/bib/dockage_information_city_docking.html

[Auspicious]

I agree with Adam - Baltimore's Inner Harbor is pretty friendly to small boats. I like to anchor between Anchorage Marina and Baltimore Marine Center. There is a water taxi landing there so expect some minor wakes. Walking to Safeway and West Marine.

See http://www.boatinginbaltimore.com/bib/dockage_information_anchoring.html

[newt]

If we find ourselves at said harbor, can we contact you for directions? I was in Baltimore's inner harbor in 07, ended up paying a mint for the dockage. I would have liked to anchor out, but didn't feel comfortable because I didn't want to get in the way. I thought Little Italy was alot of fun.
I found the same problem with Victoria (I charter a lot). Where's the free anchorage, or at least a cheap mooring?

[Godot]

If we find ourselves at said harbor, can we contact you for directions?

Sure, let me know.  So far, it is the only real "destination" I really know enough about to comment on.  Normally, I anchor out in quiet little places.

There are several small little anchorage areas.  They have an old WW2 submarine (the Torske?) right in the Inner Harbor (a busy area that might get a little bumpy).  You can drop a hook between that and the World Trade Center.  I've heard that holding can be patchy there; but the couple of folks I know who dropped a hook there didn't have any trouble.  There are other little spots that don't cost anything.  I am not aware of any moorings, though.  I think if you arrive after 6pm the dockmaster has gone home (which would explain why he never answers my hails).  Pull up to a spot on a pier (the restricted ones I think have red painted cleats or signs), or the floating docks near the visitor center.  Enjoy the evening and be gone by eight am and you probably won't get charged.  My experience anyhow.  It would have been $30 had the dockmaster been around which isn't all that bad compared to some of the marinas.

Baltimore can be a dangerous city; but near the Inner Harbor, Fells Point, and nearby neighborhoods are heavily patrolled and are quite reasonably safe. 

[Joe Pyrat]

Let's see, so far I'd say in order of friendliness.

1.  Elizabeth City (Wine tasting for boaters, the Rose Buddies, free dockage, grocery store will come and get you, everyone in town was wonderful, the Mayor comes down and welcomes everyone to town)
2.  Oriental (Free docks, friendly people, the Bean coffee shop just across the  street from the docks.
3.  Annapolis (reasonable moorings, free dinghy docks, lots of stuff to watch from the boat (Spa Creek))
5.  Georgetown (can be kind of crowded but a really fun place with great people, fun to drive or walk around and look at all the old houses)

Gets a bit more difficult to separate them after that so no numbers.

Baltimore Inner Harbor (expensive marina, but really nice people, lots to do within walking distance)
Charleston Maritime Center (very reasonable rates, walking distance to all kinds of things including the old walled city, great people, lots of history)
St. Michaels (Join the museum and stay at their dock, great museum, The town is kind of touristy though but nice people)

[newt]

Now were getting somewhere- but where is Elizabeth City? :) I propose that after we get a bunch of towns here that we list them and vote for them in a poll. The top 50 we will try to get detailed information on, including best approach, best time of year etc. Then maybe one of you budding young authors who wants to make some cruising kitty could publish it!

[Captain Smollett]

Now were getting somewhere- but where is Elizabeth City? :) I propose that after we get a bunch of towns here that we list them and vote for them in a poll. The top 50 we will try to get detailed information on, including best approach, best time of year etc. Then maybe one of you budding young authors who wants to make some cruising kitty could publish it!

(1) Elizabeth  City, NC is on the ICW just south of the VA state line.  We almost moved there - it was a toss-up between EC and New Bern.

(2) There ARE very well written, highly informative cruising guides written for NC, SC, GA and FL.  The author's name is Claiborne Young.  While he does not focus on what we would call 'small boat,' he does use the term "cruising sized boat" a lot, and anchorages/channels are considered acceptable with 5 ft or so of water.

He's spent his life in these areas and his books are in 5th or 6th editions now.

A number of excerpts of his guides are available online.

My point is not to poo-poo the idea of compiling lists and publishing other books, but simply to say one should avoid reinvention of the wheel.

[CharlieJ]

Elizabeth City is the southern terminus of the Dismal Swamp route. Sits on the north side of Albemarle Sound.

[newt]

I agree we should not reinvent the wheel, but the idea of free places to hang out in, and perks along the way, intrigue me. Kinda like the Europe on a few dollars a day guides. Do you know of any guides that address the sailfar/KiSS/Cheapskate attitude  some of us have? I haven't really seen a book that says "You can anchor here on the weekends until they come back on Monday morning" But I just love that type of stuff.

Now I will pay a fair price for a good mooring, but there is so many expensive slips out there. I rather not sink into a $$lip just because I am tired, its night we all want a safe place to rest. I would have rather have planned a place like Elizabeth. (Thanks for the directions BTW)

Face it, I love the water and the beauty of a coastline. If I can find a way to stay there longer, I think I might do it.

[Captain Smollett]

I haven't really seen a book that says "You can anchor here on the weekends until they come back on Monday morning" But I just love that type of stuff.

I guess I'm a bit confused.  Any anchorage is free, and most (at least for now) have no time limit.  Any cruising guide that offers information about anchorages is providing the info you want.

Young's books do that...in spades, for this area (the four states his books cover).  I'm sure others covers other areas.

I kept my boat on anchor more than just a weekend - a year and a half - in one of the small-boat friendly towns mentioned above (Georgetown, SC).  It was no biggie, so long as the boat was not, and did not appear to be, abandoned.

Am I missing something obvious?

[Joe Pyrat]

Elizabeth City - The docks are kind of exposed and getting on and off can be a bit challenging, but the sign on the building means what it says, a real boater friendly place.

[newt]

Captain, your not missing anything- its just that when I show up at a new port, I tend to go to a slip first because I have no "Local knowledge"... and I don't want to anchor someplace and get asked to move, or even more embarrasing, be in the way of a local waterway that is not on the chart.  If there is somebody already there fine, but I tend to go to out of the way places where things are not always as they seem. Maybe my example was bad, but what I am really looking for is local knowledge. This is usually more than the guidebooks offer, and if they do offer it is often out of date.
That is one of the ways a forum like this can be really useful, because 30 heads is often better than one.

[Joe Pyrat]

Newt, you probably already know this, but I find Skipper Bob's guides (marinas and anchorages) a great asset aboard.  Not to mention the online updates.   :) 

http://www.skipperbob.net/index.htm

And The Intracoastal Waterway Chartbook, Norfolk, Virginia, to Miami, Florida which is a flip chart book with anchorages, bridge info, etc. marked on the margin of each page.

http://www.amazon.com/Intracoastal-Waterway-Chartbook-Norfolk-Virginia/dp/0071545794/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_c

[newt]

Thanks Joe, I will look into Skipper Bob next time I am on the east coast. (sorry so long to respond, I was in Seattle for a week) When I go down to SW Florida, there is a nice guide to anchorages down there. In the meantime, whenever I come across a jewel I will try to post it here. ;D

[thistlecap]

When speaking about local knowledge and information becoming dated quickly, keep in mind that maintaining the volumn of information that goes into a cruising guide is extremely difficult and time consuming.  Authors of guides appreciate it when cruisers exchange information with them.  If you find a new facility, service, that a channel has moved or markers have changed, or something that doesn't mesh with what's in the guide, they love hearing about it.  It helps them update the guide and make it more valuable to those who follow.