Anchoring early hours manoeuvres

Port Elizabeth Bequia is a classic Caribbean anchorage and meeting place for cruisers and bare boat charters alike.  It is a large bay with many different anchorage spots, laid buoys and the holding varies from location to location.

A recent experience highlighted many of the pit falls that can be encountered in anchoring and proved once again that poor anchoring leads to sleep loss for all.

We had anchored just south of bareboat reef in 3metres of water and had placed the anchor on sand in good visibility, the anchor was checked by snorkelling and 30 metres of chain laid. The trade winds funnel through the roadstead and with the minimal depth we wanted to avoid snatching in the gusts, we were going no where.
Light goes early in the Caribbean and a charter boat arrived in the dark and anchored 50 metres up wind.  Coming to rest approximately over where our anchor had settled.  At 2 am we were woken by our anchor chain growling and straining, looking out the fore hatch and 2 metres away the charter boat’s rudder was sawing away on our anchor chain.  Torch, hail and fend off in as few seconds and our night time visitor was motoring upwind dragging the sea bed.  After 10 minutes of watching some non text book anchoring procedures it was time to pop over for a chat so we could all get some sleep.
There followed some classic lines” I don’t think we dragged we just let a lot of chain out”, “this is our first time in Bequia and we are not sure where to anchor” “What is the solution and I know there is a reef here but where is it?”.
After some discussion, covering the local geography and with the other bay sleepers in mind, a new location downwind of all other yachts and anchored on sand, was agreed.

Good anchoring technique.
It is generally agreed that being stationary is the best moment to lower the anchor, travelling forward with the anchor trailing behind is not advised.
Dropping the whole chain locker on top of the anchor and then achieving 4 knots in reverse to check it has dug is not best practise.
And for the text book
Preplan where you are going to anchor in advance taking in to account the current, wind, the holding. Where possible check over the ground with a run by.  If you are coming to a busy new anchorage at night, you can be sure the best spots have been taken, anchor downwind or current of the sleeping boats, then:-
1 Stop the yacht on your chosen spot.
2 Lower the anchor until it reaches the bottom.
3 Move the yacht slowly astern laying the chain out at the same speed as you are moving.
4 Let out at least four times the depth of water, more if anchoring in shallow water and if space allows, chain does no good in the anchor locker.
5 Let the anchor settle for a couple of minutes, and then dig the anchor in by gentle applying reverse 1200 to 1500 rpm. Check transits for dragging. Then set your anchor alarm and sleep sound.