We Finally Anchored Out… and Barely Slept 😅
- ericaoliviasilva24
- May 15
- 4 min read
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A few weeks ago, simply leaving the marina felt terrifying. Now somehow we’ve:
picked up mooring buoys
anchored out for the first time
and made it all the way down to Ramsgate without drifting into France overnight.
Honestly, we’re still slightly surprised.
West Mersea Yacht Club (Mild Panic Included)
After leaving Pyefleet Creek, we headed over to West Mersea Yacht Club.
According to the East Coast Pilot, the process seemed simple enough: radio in, get directed to a buoy, pick it up.
In reality? We were nervous about absolutely everything.
The approach.
The radio.
Sounding stupid on VHF.
Accidentally saying the wrong thing.
People who’ve sailed for years probably don’t even think about this stuff anymore, but when you’re new to it, every tiny interaction suddenly feels weirdly high pressure.
We reached the beacon where we were supposed to call from and were told someone would come out to help us. Except… nobody came 😅 It was an incredibly busy day and things were clearly chaotic, so we overheard another boat get asked for their length and draft before being told to head for the nearest buoy.
So we basically copied them and hoped for the best.
Three attempts later… we actually picked it up. Not graceful. Not elegant. But successful!
Rewarding Ourselves for Basic Competence
Once securely attached to the buoy and no longer drifting around looking confused, we headed ashore to pay and grab a drink at the yacht club. The buoy cost us £20 for the night, which honestly felt pretty steep considering Uncle Paul had paid £10 not that long ago 😅 Still, the setting itself was lovely.
We wandered along the beach while Luna cautiously inspected the world from her backpack. I say “walk”, but realistically she spends the entire time on full alert like a tiny furry security guard constantly scanning for danger.
She’s definitely still adjusting to all of this. Honestly… so are we.
Finally Anchoring Out
A few days later we moved down towards the River Roach and finally decided it was time to properly anchor out for the first time. This felt like a MUCH bigger step psychologically. A buoy still feels like someone else has sorted the difficult bit for you.
Anchoring feels very different. Suddenly it’s:
“Right… so we’re trusting ourselves now?”
I’m fairly sure Adrian barely slept the first night. Every gust of wind sounded dramatic.
Every movement of the boat felt suspicious. Every few minutes one of us seemed to check outside just to confirm we were still vaguely where we’d left ourselves.
Realistically, though? We were absolutely fine.
Then Something Clicked
By the second day, everything started to feel completely different. Quiet. Calm.
Peaceful. No marina noise. No footsteps on pontoons. No boats squeezed in around us.
Just water, birds, sunsets and the occasional nervous anchor check.
And suddenly we understood why people love this lifestyle so much.
Not just because anchoring is free (although after marina prices, free accommodation feels pretty magical 😅). But because it changes the whole feeling of boat life. Everything slows down. It feels less like floating accommodation… and more like actually living on the water. We ended up staying for several days and honestly didn’t want to leave.
Queenborough, Ramsgate & Tiny Adventures
After leaving the Roach, we slowly headed down towards Queenborough before eventually making our way to Ramsgate to meet friends. Both places completely charmed us and we’re already talking about going back. Ramsgate especially has been brilliant so far.
We even managed a day trip into Canterbury, which felt slightly surreal after spending the previous week nervously checking anchor alarms and wondering if we’d drag across an estuary overnight. Boat life is strange like that. One minute you’re covered in mud trying to pick up a buoy without embarrassing yourself. The next you’re wandering around Canterbury eating pastries.
We’re Still Learning
One thing this whole experience has made very obvious is how much of boat life is confidence. Not necessarily sailing ability. Just confidence. Using the radio. Picking up buoys. Trusting the anchor. Learning what sounds are normal. Figuring out what actually matters and what’s just anxiety.
We’re absolutely still learning all of it as we go. But for the first time, it genuinely feels like we’re starting to understand why people fall in love with this lifestyle. Not sure where we’re heading next yet…but we’ll keep you posted
⚓ Thinking About Boat Life?
We put together a free liveaboard checklist based on everything we wish we’d known before moving aboard.
Useful Posts If You’re Figuring This Out Too
A Few Things That Have Helped Us
FAQ
Is anchoring scary the first time?
Honestly… yes 😅
Everything feels unfamiliar at first, especially overnight. Every sound suddenly seems important. But confidence builds surprisingly quickly once you realise the boat is usually moving completely normally.
Is anchoring cheaper than marinas?
Definitely. Most anchorages are free, which makes a huge difference compared to marina fees or paid mooring buoys.
What’s the difference between a mooring buoy and anchoring?
With a mooring buoy, you attach to a fixed buoy that’s already secured to the seabed. Anchoring means dropping and relying on your own anchor and chain.
Can beginners anchor safely?
Yes — especially in calm, sheltered conditions. Starting somewhere protected makes the experience much less stressful while you learn.
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