I disagree completely with the assertion that on the East Coast anchorages are challenging and “restricted due to shallow depths” unless you are talking exclusively about the waters from north Georgia to south Florida. We have anchored out in literally hundreds of comfortable deep anchorages from Nova Scotia to South Carolina and then from South Florida through the Bahamas, T&C, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, the Virgins, the Leewards, the Windwards and south to Trinidad. We have found the waters from South Carolina through most of Florida to be less accommodating, but quite doable.
We have found very few actual anchoring restrictions except in extremely busy harbors (think Boston, New York City, Baltimore, Norfolk, Charleston) until we hit the Florida Georgia line and then the Floridians turn up the heat. Once south of Florida, Bahamas are easy, T&C you have to pick your place carefully, Dominican Republic has some funny rules and regulations (yes, I did get deported, but that is another story and a badge of honor), Puerto Rico is tough on the north coast but easy on the east, south and west, the Virgins are crowded but easy, Saint Martin / Sint Marteen fun and easy, Anguilla does not like cruisers much unless you rent a villa, Montserrat doesn’t want you in the firing range of their volcano and the anchorages on the north are limited but easy and beautiful, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines restrict park access to a degree. The French islands are gorgeous, unrestricted and food and wine is either flown in daily on Air France or prepared in the French bakeries and shops on island. Dominica maybe the most well preserved nature island in the entire Caribbean and easy, Tobago rustic and friendly, Antigua very British and proper and Barbuda laid back and easy. Trinidad IS South America, and you realize that as you approach and hear the howler monkeys and tropical birds calling.
Everywhere else we have been over here where the anchorages are plentiful and the water is warm most of the year has been pretty simple. Point to point runs are usually not much more than half a day, even when changing countries. Overnight passages are mostly a choice rather than a necessity in all but a few situations. Running inlets is rarely a hair raising experience. Marinas are plentiful. My opinions are based on 26 years owning and operating big boats on the east coast and in the Caribbean and too many decades to admit in smaller boats in the same areas.
Regarding the cost of marinas, they seem pretty expensive everywhere compared with living on the hook, our preference anyway. We go to a dock when we want to be pampered or require some services for the boat. Otherwise, the tender gets us to shore for drinks, dinner, grocery shopping, touring and adding and offloading crew.
Regarding expenses, we also save some money over here - not so much cash spent on diesel heaters, foul weather gear, those puffy down jackets that seem to be all the fashion in the PNW, enclosures for our cockpits and flybridges, heavy wetsuits for diving, etc. Mostly it is shorts, T-shirts, bathing suits, ball caps, lots of sunglasses. And, oh yes, simply gobs of SPF-50 sunscreen.
Jack :)
Jack Burgess, Shangri-La 6047