Welcome Anchorages includes the East Coast of Scotland in its cruising guide.

FOR THE first time, Welcome Anchorages includes the East Coast of Scotland in its comprehensive cruising guide, now completing the ‘full circle’ from the border with England, north to the Shetlands and down Scotland’s west coast archipelago to the northern coast of Ireland.

A first glance at our east coast chart above, might indicate a sparseness of berthing and shore facilities, but tough choices over harbour inclusion had to be made. Working on the time honoured basis that a WA entry is suitable for accommodating a 35ft cruising keelboat drawing 2.1 metres, only three ports of call met these parameters: Eyemouth Harbour, Port Edgar Marina and Arbroath Harbour.

There are other harbours in the area that could be suitable at high tide, but they mainly dry out, either that or they have no mainstream onshore facilities. So if readers are heading up the North Sea from the Thames or the Wash, or crossing over from France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany or Denmark, we have listed the three suitable ports of call on your journey north to help you enjoy the best of Scottish sailing.

When off Aberdeen, take care to avoid hazards around the huge floating wind farm being built during 2016.

For those ultimately heading west and wishing to avoid rounding through the Pentland Firth, have a look at our route sketches of the Caledonian Canal on page 52.