MY FAVORITE ANCHORAGE:  LONDON, ENGLAND

Written by Mindy Puik, SV Rockhopper

We crossed the Atlantic in 2019 with plans to sail Europe for a few years. We spent 3 years in the UK, and now we are sailing Scandinavia, but one thing that remains constant is where we want to be when the long days of summer have come to an end. Once the weather has become blustery and the sun is no longer dominant, we want to travel a few hours up the Thames and grab a slip in St. Katherine Docks beside the Tower Bridge in London. 

St. Katherine Docks (SKD) is a modern marina with a rich nautical history, a welcoming staff, and comfortable amenities. The former tea warehouses have been converted to a residential area full of trendy restaurants and shops. Somehow this bustling area also manages to be surprisingly peaceful, leaving you barely aware you are in the city.  There is a grocery store on either side of the marina, waste pump outs on every dock, and a fuel ship which can fill your tanks in your slip. The closest metro stop is just a few minutes walk away, and you pass through a history lesson on the way. Additionally, an extremely helpful OCC port officer lives aboard in the marina. Of course all of this convenience comes at a higher price than other UK harbors, but is not significantly higher than many US and Caribbean marinas. 

It is a wonderful place for guests to visit, and you’ll never run out of things to do, even in the winter. The National Museums are all free, there are many interesting street markets, live theaters of all sizes have last minute ticket deals, and there is live music in all kinds of venues. Universities have talks, pubs have quizzes, and galleries have showings. Holiday celebrations begin early in London, and there are Christmas lights and decorations, winter markets, and parades all over town. 

We really enjoyed our time in London as a complete change of pace from our typical cruising life. We spend hours a day just walking around the city and enjoying different types of cosmopolitan life. We’ve only stayed for 6-7 weeks at a time, but we’ve known plenty of folks to come for the whole winter, and some who have stayed on and become Londoners. For us this is another one of those places we could just stay forever. 

What's your favorite harbor?  Email [email protected]