Callantsoog (Groote Keeten)
Groote Keeten · Callantsoog beach · Noord-Holland coast
52°49.9'N 04°41.9'E
Depth
2–4m
Bottom
sand
Alarm Radius
90m
Holding
Good
Recommended Anchor Alarm Radius
90m
90m on clean sand in 2–4m. The open North Sea coast provides no significant protection — 90m radius is conservative for a coastal anchorage. Leave immediately if wind backs to W or NW. Not an overnight anchorage in any but dead-calm conditions.
Setting Your Anchor
- Check tidal height for your arrival time using Waddengids or Rijkswaterstaat tidal tables
- Plan arrival at HW -2 for tidal locations; IJsselmeer anchorages are non-tidal — arrive any time
- Navigate daylight only in all Wadden and coastal channels; IJsselmeer night sailing permitted with care
- Set your anchor alarm immediately after anchoring — before going below or sleeping
About This Anchorage
Callantsoog (population 4,000) is a small coastal resort town on the North Holland coast, known for its long sandy beach at Groote Keeten. The anchorage off this beach is a coastal stop for passage yachts making the run between Den Helder and the North Sea Canal (IJmuiden) or further south. The North Holland coast here is a long straight line of dunes with no natural harbours between Den Helder (14nm N) and IJmuiden (25nm S). The anchorage is strictly fair-weather only — any swell from the western quadrant makes it uncomfortable within hours. The beach is clean, the village pleasant, and the dunes behind offer walking. But this is passage anchoring territory, not a destination.
Protected From
E · SE · NE
Exposed To
W · NW · SW · N · S
Anchoring Rules
- Anchoring fee
- Free coastal anchorage
- Permit required
- No
Restrictions: Fair-weather only; no anchoring in strong westerly or northwesterly conditions; stay clear of the busy coastal shipping lane (TSS North Sea); monitor weather carefully.
Hazards
- !Completely exposed to W, NW, and SW — North Sea swell makes this anchorage untenable in any westerly conditions; leave immediately if forecast deteriorates
- !Coastal shipping lane (TSS approaches): busy North Sea traffic passes close offshore — maintain VHF watch Ch 16
- !Tidal range 1.5m — check depth carefully at LW; sandy shore dries gradually; keep 0.5nm offshore minimum
- !No facilities for emergency assistance — nearest harbour Den Helder (14nm N) or IJmuiden (25nm S)
- !North Sea weather changes quickly — this is not a harbour-of-refuge; use only in anticyclonic settled conditions
Skipper's Tips
- →Use Callantsoog as a lunch stop or tide-waiting anchorage on the coastal passage Den Helder–IJmuiden — not for overnight
- →Monitor GFS/ECMWF forecast carefully: any westerly backing in a 6-hour window makes this anchorage dangerous
- →The dunes behind Groote Keeten beach are worth a 30-minute walk — one of the most pristine dune systems on the North Holland coast
- →Approach from seaward (W) at high water only — the drying bank extends nearly 0.5nm offshore at LW in some areas
- →The North Holland coast has a 24h beach patrol in summer — VHF Ch 16 monitored from beach stations in emergency
Facilities
Beach cafés at Groote Keeten in summer (June–August). Small village of Callantsoog 1.5km. Provisions limited — stock up at Den Helder.
Nearest provisions: Callantsoog village (1.5nm)
Best Months & Season
Jun, Jul, Aug
June–August only, settled conditions only. Day stop or passage anchorage. Not recommended for overnight. Spring and autumn too exposed to be reliable.
Recommended Anchor Types
Nearby Anchorages
Set Your Anchor Alarm to 90m
In the Texelstroom and North Holland waters, tidal currents can drag your anchor without warning. Safety Anchor Alarm monitors your GPS position continuously.
Download Free for iOS