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There’s one problem with the above scenario. Most of these boats are anchored with undersized ground tackle and very little scope in an area where the current rips through a narrow channel and spreads out over the flats. It’s a dangerous mess. Most of the boaters here only anchor for the day, and return to their docks at night, but a lot can happen in a day. Sea Tow and TowBoat US lie in wait in the channel next to the Sand Bar, and they keep busy. Boats drag anchor, run aground on the shoal just west of the channel, and run into each other every weekend.

All I want for Christmas is a good anchor.

This is no fun. Nobody wants to be involved in a boating accident, especially if it’s one that’s easy to avoid. There are a few rules of anchoring that could save your life (or at least your pride). Here are the basics:

• Make sure your ground tackle is heavy enough. Don’t buy the cheapest anchor available for your boat—invest in something a little heavier if you plan on spending any time "on the hook."

• You should have a minimum of 6 feet of chain attached to your anchor, followed by your anchor line. This prevents your anchor line from chafing against rocks or being cut by debris on the sea floor More is better. You should never attach rope directly to your anchor.

• Use enough scope. Check the depth before you anchor, and, if you are anchoring in fair weather, use five feet of scope to one foot of water. If the weather is not so good, or if you are planning on staying overnight, use seven feet of scope to one foot of water.

• Protect against chafing. Inspect your anchor lines regularly, and replace them if there is any sign of chafe. Where the line is attached to the chain, make sure you use a spliced thimble and a shackle. If your windlass doesn’t allow this, you can splice the line directly to the chain. There are several good books on splicing available, including The Art of Knotting and Splicing. Never simply tie the line to the chain. Also, check your shackles regularly, because shackles tend to shake loose while you’re underway. You can wrap your shackles with stainless steel wire in order to prevent this.

• Always make sure the anchor is set before you leave the boat. Take a bearing on a fixed object on land and make sure you aren’t moving in relation to that object. This is an easy way to tell whether your anchor is dragging. Also, you should try to anchor with your bow into the wind or current (whichever controls the way boats in that anchorage are swinging). Once your anchor is down, back down on it slowly until you feel the boat catch and the line becomes taught.

Following these simple rules will save you a lot or trouble, and you’ll look like you know what you’re doing next time you visit the Sand Bar at Bakers Haulover.

For more detailed information on anchoring, refer to Brian Fagan’s book Staying Put: Anchoring and Ground Tackle.

The harsh reality of anchoring: Dan Roblee is covered with mud after hoisting the anchor on the author’s boat in No Name Harbor, Key Biscayne.