[magnusmurphy]

Most important in my opinion;

mooring: Approach dead into wind (right on the nose) very slowly.
Anchoring: Take your time. Drive through the anchorage. Check out the other boats. Look at their rodes, ask about scope. Have an idea whether your boat sails at anchor (tip - all charter boats do - they're light and have high freeboard). Drop your anchor "behind" the stern of the boats next to you or they might swing over your anchor and you can't get out the next day... Make sure you're far enough so that the difference in swing characteristics and scope will not bring you too close. Do not drop too close in front of someone or you'll not be able to let out enough scope. It is ok to go very close to the boat in front to drop (as long as you're behind the boat AND its dinghy) - then fall back. One thing though, if the wind pipes up and that boat lets out more scope he might end up over your anchor and you're trapped again.

Don't reverse your engine on the anchor right away - it might pull out; let it settle a bit. let your engine cool down in idle while you make tea. Take bearings and look around. Then put boat in reverse in idle and feel chain for dragging. I assume you lay it out nicely as you dropped back in the beginning - not having dropped everything in a pile... The best way to drop back is to simply have the wind swing the bow around and then back. This way you'll find out quickly if you're too close to another boat. The rode will bring you head to wind again when you stop laying out scope.

Then if at ALL possible: DIVE the anchor.

DON't leave the boat for a while - rule of thumb; at least 30 min but it depends on conditions- while continuing to check that you're settled and don't move or come too close to others.

Check if others previously there have concerns that you're too close. If they have - you should move.

And PLEASE: if there's a wide open bay and one or two boats anchored on one side - don't snuggle up to them - anchor somewhere else. If you want company, dinghy over, don't crowd them.

M Murphy