Anchorage

Valcour Island East

2.5United StatesLake Champlain

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Shelter: NW, W, SW, S
Seabed: algae
Anchoring: Allowed

Anchorages along the eastern shore of Valcour Island, on Lake Champlain about 4 miles south of Plattsburgh, New York.

Beach

Guide

Approach and anchoring

The island sits roughly one mile off the New York shore and is reached only by boat. Sloop Cove and Spoon Bay are the main holds on this side, with anchoring in 3 to 8 metres. The bottom is weed, so set the anchor with care and check the hold before leaving the boat.

Ashore

The whole island is state land within the DEC Lake Champlain Islands Complex, with a perimeter trail linking the bays and the Bluff Point lighthouse on the western side. There are no shops on the island. Plattsburgh Boat Basin lies 4.1 miles north for provisions and fuel.

History

Valcour Bay, the strait between the island and the New York shore, was the site of a naval action on 11 October 1776. Benedict Arnold positioned the Continental fleet in line across the narrows, then slipped his surviving vessels south through the gap during a foggy night.