Anchoring is relatively easy – most of the time. The problem is that some boaters think it is easier than it is. In 40 feet of water (maximum including the tide change), you should (in theory) have 7 x 40 = 280 feet of anchor line (rode) to ensure the anchor resets when the wind causes the boat to swing to a different direction. That’s an almost 600 foot diameter circle that shouldn’t intersect with any other boat’s swinging circle. The reality is that all the boats will swing – but not all the same – so some reasonable compromise is in order.
So you find a spot that has good holding power, where the depth is enough that boat isn’t going to go aground when the tide goes out and you drop your anchor and back up with the motor – letting out 280 feet of line (or whatever), then tie off the anchor and keep backing up with the motor until the anchor is set.
Then some guy comes up next to you (well within your swinging circle) with his expensive yacht and its fancy winch that allows him to drop the anchor from the cockpit. He drops his anchor crashing into the water until it hits bottom and he and his buddies grab a beer and sit down in their cockpit with a self-satisfied look on their faces of a job well done.
WR Foster 