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.

[edit] Examples

• Bizerte, Tunisia
• Boulogne-sur-Mer, France (artificial)
• Brest, France
• Carrick Roads, England
• 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
• Spithead, England
• Toulon, France
• Villefranche-sur-Mer, France
• Scapa Flow, Scotland

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