Hoek van Holland
Hook of Holland · Nieuwe Waterweg entrance · Rotterdam Sea Gate
51°58.7'N 04°07.2'E
Depth
3–7m
Bottom
mud
Alarm Radius
90m
Holding
Good
Recommended Anchor Alarm Radius
90m
90m on mud/sand in 3–7m with 1.5–2m tidal range. Use 6:1 scope minimum. The Nieuwe Waterweg fairway carries ships day and night — any drag risk must be taken seriously. Monitor AIS continuously. Use the designated small craft anchorage position marked on chart 1804.
Setting Your Anchor
- Check tidal height for tidal locations (Hoek van Holland, Scheveningen, Biesbosch); Grevelingenmeer and Veerse Meer are non-tidal
- Plan arrival at HW for tidal locations; non-tidal lakes can be entered at any time
- In Rotterdam waterways: monitor VHF CH 67 and stay in designated small craft areas at all times
- Set your anchor alarm immediately after anchoring — before going below or sleeping
About This Anchorage
Hoek van Holland (Hook of Holland) is the sea entrance to the Nieuwe Waterweg and the Port of Rotterdam — the world's busiest port by cargo volume (450 million tonnes annually). The Nieuwe Waterweg (New Waterway) was cut in 1872 specifically to provide Rotterdam with a direct North Sea connection. The entrance is formidable: two long parallel breakwaters (Noorderdam and Zuiderdam), continuous ship traffic day and night, and tidal streams of 3–4kt at springs. The Stena Line ferry to Harwich (UK) departs from the Hoek van Holland terminal on the north bank. For yachts, the anchorage area on the south side is designated and functional — but this is not a destination anchorage, it is a port of entry/exit for the southern Netherlands and the route to Rotterdam, the Rhine, and inland Europe.
Protected From
N · NE · E · SE · S
Exposed To
W · NW · SW
Anchoring Rules
- Anchoring fee
- Free in designated anchorage area; Vluchthaven (refuge harbour) south bank available in emergency
- Permit required
- No
Restrictions: MANDATORY: VHF CH 67 (Rotterdam Port Control) must be monitored at all times in the Waterweg; do NOT anchor in the main Nieuwe Waterweg fairway — use only the designated small craft anchorage zone marked on chart 1804; 6 km/h speed limit inside port area for small craft; AIS required; do NOT impede commercial shipping.
Hazards
- !WORLD'S BUSIEST WATERWAY — VLCC tankers, container ships (20,000+ TEU), chemical tankers transit 24/7; do NOT enter the main fairway; small craft wake from ships can be significant
- !Tidal streams 3–4kt at springs in the main Waterweg — very strong; anchorage area is outside main stream but currents still 1–2kt
- !North Sea swell enters the anchorage from W and SW — can be uncomfortable in westerly gales
- !Stena Line ferry (Harwich service) creates significant wash at all hours
- !Night navigation: the port is lit but extremely confusing with AIS targets, ship lights, and buoy lights — do not navigate here at night without prior experience
Skipper's Tips
- →Treat the Hoek van Holland anchorage as a port of entry or transit stop — not a destination; move upriver or south to Stellendam/Haringvliet for proper sailing territory
- →VHF CH 67 Rotterdam Port Control: call before entering or departing the Nieuwe Waterweg to report your position and intentions
- →The tidal stream can be used to advantage: flood current (east) carries you upriver to Rotterdam; ebb (west) carries you out to sea
- →Stena Line ferry (Hoek van Holland–Harwich) is an excellent option for UK crew — overnight crossing, good facilities
- →Time your approach for slack water or flood tide — against a 3kt spring ebb the entrance can be rough in SW wind
Facilities
Hoek van Holland village (1km from anchorage) has cafés, a supermarket, and restaurants. Stena Line ferry terminal has limited facilities. Full services in Maassluis or Vlaardingen (further upriver).
Nearest provisions: Hoek van Holland village (0.8nm)
Best Months & Season
Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct
Year-round port of entry. Best navigated April–October by small craft. The Nieuwe Waterweg is usable year-round but winter conditions can be severe at the entrance.
Recommended Anchor Types
Nearby Anchorages
Set Your Anchor Alarm to 90m
In the Rotterdam waterways and Delta lakes, shipping wash and anchor drag can push you into dangerous areas. Safety Anchor Alarm monitors your GPS position continuously.
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