roadstead n : a partly sheltered anchorage [syn: roads]

English

Noun

1. A partly-sheltered anchorage outside a harbour.

A roadstead is a place outside a harbor where a ship can lie at anchor. It is an enclosed area with an opening to the sea, narrower than a bay or gulf. It has a surface that cannot be confused with an estuary. It can be created artificially by jetties or dikes. Natural roadsteads offer shelter from storms and are frequently used for naval bases.

Examples

• Bizerte, Tunisia
• Boulogne-sur-Mer, France (artificial)
• Brest, France
• Cherbourg, France (artificial)
• The Downs, England
• Geneva, Switzerland (in freshwater Lake Geneva)
• Laninon, France (artificial roadstead near Brest)
• Hampton Roads, Virginia, USA
• Lahaina Roads, Hawaii
• Lorient, France
• Nagasaki, Japan
• Toulon, France
• Villefranche-sur-Mer, France
• Scapa Flow, Scotland