SAILING GLOSSARY
Drop anchor
Dropping anchor means lowering the anchor to the bottom to keep the boat from drifting away. At least, that’s the theory! The anchor needs to dig into the bottom and hold firmly enough to withstand the wind, current, and movement of the boat. The amount of chain and line deployed, called the **rode**, also plays an important role. Because an anchor that doesn’t hold is basically just a big piece of metal going for a ride with us.
Aboard Eolo
While anchoring, we noticed that some powerboaters have really taken the term “drop anchor” quite literally. We’ve seen them toss over their 5-pound anchor and 10 feet of chain without paying much attention to the depth or even checking whether it’s holding. One of them even came to pay us a visit… a little too close for comfort!
ALONG OUR JOURNEY