Several thoughtful blog readers have inquired about the disposition of our old anchor, once we attached the new one. Very good question.
It turns out many retired anchors sink to their destiny in the watery deep, joining other unwanted objects, such as outboard motors and 1989 Peugeots, on the bottom.
Others, like this one pictured in Chania, get 17 layers of paint and decorate maritime memorials, museums, and restaurants.
We felt fortunate to learn of an international nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the heritage and technodiversity of anchoring devices
And happily there was an active, volunteer-run chapter in Marmaris, where we got our refit. The Association Nationale for Conservation of Historic Ocean Restraints seeks to sustainably manage various heritage varieties of anchors as the mass-produced versions flood the market.
The ethic and mission of the organization is stewardship of a treasured resource: to propagate the anchors and remain connected to the diversity of their heritage.
We applied and were thrilled to have our anchor accepted to be curated with other anchors in the Marmaris area. Our anchor is not pictured, but it will have a place in one of the anchor gardens right at the marina. We visited during the dormant season, so there was not a lot of activity, but you can see that the various anchor species are identified.
A future aspiration of A.N.C.H.O.R. is to cultivate improved hybrid anchors even as the heritage varieties are preserved.
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