Public Discussion Forum

I find this a fascinating discussion. Brad and I (Moonstone) spent 15 years cruising West Coast from Los Angeles to Southeast Alaska. In December of 2025 we bought Moonstone (previously Finish Grade) on the East Coast and sold our Ocean Alexander 50 Classico (St. Florian) in Washington state. We have only one boating season on the East Coast and that was all in Chesapeake Bay, so we are not well versed on broader East Coast yet.

However, our observations so far are that the East Coast moorage fees are much more expensive and the places to anchor are very restricted due to shallow depths.

We spent five years “going around the flag” periodically to not exceed time allowed in Canada versus time allowed in Washington State. Very manageable, and with a little practice you know what not to take, or say, to trigger customs issues.

I personally find California limited, not enough places to go, and LA is too expensive. The Pacific Northwest is imho the most beautiful place on earth. The Wagganer’s guide is fantastic for getting ideas of where you can go. The marine parks in the San Juan and Gulf Islands are amazing. Inexpensive mooring balls, docks for going ashore, many islands with maintained trails and history scattered throughout. Washington has a 45 foot limit on mooring balls, however Canada allows much larger boats as long as winds are below 30 knots. I wouldn’t want to be on a ball in that kind of wind anyway. Then heading north into Desolation Sound and the Broughtons provided an almost endless supply of anchorages. (Just avoid peak summer months in the more popular places). We got very good at stern-tying. There were plenty of places to provision, although not like the Chesapeake, we needed to plan a bit more and carry more staples. Some of our favorite times up there were boating shoulder season, September through November. You just need to watch weather and occasionally spend a few days at dock during storms. Off season rates are lower. Friday Harbor on San Juan Island transient rate is $1/foot off season. We have been a bit shocked by Chesapeake rates of $4/ft and up. We have friends and relatives who regularly cruise in December if the weather cooperates. You will want diesel heat or just run your generator more to run your reverse cycle heaters.

I could go on and on about the amazing boating in the PNW, but I think you get my point. We would be happy to tell you more. I blogged our 5 years up there, but had to remove it from my Wix site due to data storage requirements. I can send you compressed versions if you have any interest.

We are looking forward to becoming super-fans of the East Coast so maybe my tune will change!

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