Boats with short scopes (the water depth, before the tidal range) is pretty deep. You're often anchored in over 25'-30' of depth.

If you left 7-1 scope out, you'd be clearing-out a good deal of the your neighbors in the harbor. A lot of people just leave very short scope out and don't seem to know how to set their anchors. It's amazing to see a big boat with 6' of chain and nylon simply drop very little scope and not set that very well. You get the guy who flings his anchor out and leaves for shore with 50' of scope out.

You get the large motor yachts "hanging" on a hook amid "normal" boats. A number of years ago, I had a friend on board who told some 115' motor cruiser "professional" captain that we had 150' of scope out, expected a blow that night, and that "he was responsible" for his election to anchor close to us within our turning circle. My friend was from NYC and enjoyed our sail up from Annapolis to Block, on our way to Newport. He wanted to get to Newport uneventfully :^))).

When possible, we generally get their as early as possbile and put-out a 100' or so of anchor (65' CQR & 3/8" HT chain on our 31K pound + cruising displacement boat). Then we start watching for the "rookies" to invade our zone of comfort.

Having said that, the water is clean, the harbor is big, etc. It can get VERY windy in their if you get a good blow. It is cool, as you say, Larry.