Best Anchorage and Special Considerations

Anchor on a single hook in 45’ to 60’ at the northern end of the mooring field, just south of the large white guano covered rock.  This is the best anchorage in the area due to shallower depths, rather than the 70’ to 90’ you find farther away from shore.  The holding is good in dense dark sand, and you will likely find kelp floaters wrapped on you rode as you haul it in for departure.  Over this last Memorial Day, we had all the kelp floaters and found 20 or more small pink wriggling Brittle Stars attached to our rode as we hauled it up.

During the high season, Memorial Day to Labor Day, expect the wind to start out of the SW, shift during the day to WNW, and expect a light E wind overnight.

The first challenge in this area is to judge distance from the mooring field and the guano rock, because you will need to allow for a 360° swinging circle.

The second challenge is maintaining adequate distance from other anchored boats.  When the wind is light and variable, that’s time to keep watch on how you swing with the other boats.  Don’t bother yelling at another boat to keep clear – just move if you need to, especially if you are the latest arrival.

The anchorage can be a bit rolly, and even on a calm summer night a set of small rollers seem to almost always appear around 2-3 AM.  I usually have my flopper stopper deployed before sundown.  Cell phone service can be spotty – I usually have 1 to 2 bars with AT&T.

Moorings

There are about 25 moorings at Hen Rock.  During the season and holiday weekends, wave to the grey Harbor Patrol boat that will give you your mooring assignment and take payment, or hail “Hen Rock Harbor Patrol” on VHF 09 to get your mooring assignment.  In the off season if you don’t get an answer on VHF 09, pick a mooring to tie up on and be ready to pay up when Harbor Patrol arrives.

Use a quick release on the stern – a dock line that runs from your stern cleat through the mooring hawser and back to your stern – or tie off on the spreader line.  Remember to take the tide into account and ease out your quick release line on a rising tide.

Going Ashore

The best landing by dinghy is shown in the photo above on the S side of the rock outcropping near the BYC facility, where the waves rolling ashore are usually much smaller than near the pier at White’s.

The beach is wide open but the BYC and NHYC (at Moonstone) facilities are private and should not be entered without a member or an invitation.  After heading down the beach we’ve been able to hike up the White’s Landing road that leads inland from the pier at White’s through Camp Catalina White’s Landing which looks like it has pretty nice glamping.

Times to Avoid Hen Rock

While the anchorage is always a bit rolly, occasionally there is a larger E swell rolling in that can be anywhere from uncomfortable to hazardous.  Make your assessment of the conditions before you drop the hook.  I’ve only decided against anchoring here on two occasions over nearly 30 years.

Conclusion

Hen Rock is one of just two places I favor in a NW gale, the other being Cat Harbor.  And in those conditions at Hen Rock, I don’t want a mooring – I’d rather be able to swing to the gusts on a single hook – and I have done so numerous time.  And when things are calm and it’s not a holiday weekend, especially in the spring or fall, it’s easy to anchor and it’s a beautiful place to be.