Anchoring 101

Several evenings ago a Hunter Passage 450 came in and anchored up in front of us.  We watched as the couple repeatedly tried to anchor in an area that in the past has been very poor holding.  At some point I think the couple got the anchor to bite and they settled down for the evening.  We had light winds so unless we had a squall come thru they should be fine.  During the night we had some squalls and gusty winds and the next morning we noticed that the boat has drifted back from where it had been overnight.  Boast hailing port is Naples Florida, no flag, no anchor light.....

The winds continued to gust and the boat started to drag through the anchorage.  We watched as the couple came up on deck, went below deck, came back up etc several times before they started the engine and began the process of reanchoring.

Most people I think would change locations and try to reanchor in the hope that the holding might be better but not this couple.  They tried and tried and just kept dragging.  Their ultimate solution was to drop a second anchor as they began dragging back into several (2) moorings.  During the day yesterday the boat started out in from of a mooring with the dinghy dragging over the mooring but then by late in the afternoon they were located just behind the mooring.

Late yesterday evening a large metal boat came in and took the other mooring and it was obvious that the anchored boat was to close to the one on a mooring.

This morning, light squalls and shifting winds and I noticed that both boats have fenders out.

I think I would have moved!
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UPDATE - The German aboard the moored boat called Daffodil Marine Services (owner of the mooring) and tried to describe the issue with the boat anchored in the mooring field.  I  came on the radio and helped explain the situation.  The proprietress of Daffodils said that she would come out and try to sort out the problem.  She came out and spoke to the owner of the Hunter then came over and talked with us.  She said that she had explained the situation to the owner but that he indicated that he had been anchored there for several days and did not think he should have to move - CAN YOU BELIEVE IT!  She then said that she was going to offer him a free mooring if he would pick up anchor and move.  A smart move on her part because he was interfering with 3 moorings.

We watched as Hunter picked up their main anchor (Bruce on chain rode) which was tangled on a mooring.  They sorted that out then had to dodge the German boat and then a French boat which was anchored very nearly on top of their second anchor.  I went over in our dinghy and offered to help but was refused.  Slowly they picked up the rope rode with the help of one of the Daffodil crew and are now situated on a mooring off our port stern.