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29 January 2012 - Whale Migration Season in the Eastern Caribbean
Two vessels reported spotting whales over the week-end: one was seen between Grenada and Carriacou and the second about two miles off Rodney Bay, St. Lucia. This is the time of year when they are moving north and yachts are cautioned to keep an eye out for any activity, from sleeping just at the waterline (which is sometimes difficult to spot) to breaching and other actions.
29 January 2012 - Possible Navigation Hazard in Antigua
During the evening of 26 January, Sugar and Spice sank on the approach to Jolly Harbor Marina in Antigua. At the time of sinking, part of the mast was still above water at 17 degrees 4.97 minutes north and 61 degrees 57.69 minutes west, or about three nautical miles from the channel marks into Jolly Harbor. The director of ABSAR (Antigua and Barbuda Search and Rescue) confirmed that all aboard were rescued by a passing vessel and that the Antigua and Barbuda Coast Guard, upon investigation, can find no trace of the yacht above water. The assumption is that she shifted sufficiently to bring the mast below the waterline. Nevertheless, yachts are cautioned to avoid the waypoint by several hundred yards in case the mast and rigging are just below the waterline and to keep a close watch for floating debris.
26 January 2012 - St. Martin French Bridge
According to a spokesman from the St. Martin Marine Trades Association, the bridge into Simpson Bay Lagoon on the French side is now open. It had been closed for maintenance for several weeks.
4 January 2012 - Tyrrel Bay Incident Status
Further information has become available concerning the assault and robbery of a yacht in Tyrrel Bay on 14 December 2011. Four people between the ages of 21 and 25 have been arrested and charged. One is from Carriacou and the other three are originally from Grenada but living in Carriacou. They are due in court around 20 February 2012. While the identities have not officially been disclosed, all four are out on bail.
22 December 2011 - Cruising Notes from the ABCs and the Venezuelan Out-Islands
These notes came from a cruiser who just completed his annual cruise around Los Roques and Las Aves. The information that follows has not been verified by the CSSN. However, the source is a long time visitor to these islands and anchorages and has been reliable.
Changes in the Venezuelan Out-Islands
Los Roques:
There is an increase in middle class Venezuelans going to Los Roques for holidays, traveling on yachts and staying at some of the small upscale hotels. Foreigners are not as welcome as in previous years: if you go to Los Roques avoid holidays. Don't stay too long or you are likely to be reported, run off, or fined.
Las Aves:
The Guardia will no longer allow yachts to stay more than a few days. All yachts must go to Puerto Cabello to check in before arriving in Las Aves. If you land in Las Aves before going to Puerto Cabello, you will be required to leave. The Guardia has been making regular trips recently to Barlovento twice a week or more to clear it out.
The Lieutenant that heads the Guardia Station of Las Aves de Sotavento has indicated that he will accept a yacht going to Puerto Cabello, doing a three day check in and check out with the agent there, and then coming back to Las Aves, but only for a few weeks not a few months. No more sailing allowed from Bonaire or Curacao to the Aves and returning without checking into Puerto Cabello first.
Conditions at the marina in Puerto Cabello are uncertain. Additionally it is uncertain of the time required to get a Cruising Permit from the port captain, possibly in the neighborhood of four to six weeks. It is still possible to do all of the checking in out leg work yourself, but it is quite a time-consuming task requiring many many copies of every document in every office. Carlos the agent charges 80 USD for checkin/out which gives you three days at Puerto Cabello. Staying longer requires the cruising permit discussed above.
There are few slips available at the marina and weather conditions (wind and surge) make it advisable to use chains to the dock or heavy chafe gear on all lines. Security in the anchorage in the past has been a problem, leading to the suggestion that cruisers take a slip if at all possible. If you speak some Spanish it is helpful.
Changes at Bonaire and Curacao:
In other news, the changes in Bonaire and Curacao are the result of government status change as of 10/10/10 and new Dutch supported computer systems for immigration that can count days.
Bonaire has tightened up their practice only allowing 90 days in any 180 day rolling period. They have started asking for a Zarpe when arriving from Venezuela. So far they have accepted the Safety Inspection that you get at Las Aves Sotavento issued by the Guardia. You have to have a way to copy the safety report on board or furnish the Guardia carbon paper for your copy. As far as the boat, the practice is still six months in Bonaire with the possibility of one extension; otherwise you need to import the boat at high tax rates.
Curacao has tightened their practice of allowing only 90 days stay in a calendar year. You must have an anchor permit issued by the Harbor Master for USD 10 and it requires you to file a float plan upon check out - out of each anchorage you visit. As for the boat, you can get six months and a possible extension for another six months after which you must import the boat at a high tax rate. There is a special status granted to yachts in storage and any local Marina or Shipyard will have the details and fees associated with that. A few months ago they chained forty boats to the dock or the ground until their status could be sorted, and sent the Coast Guard to board all boats and check papers.
On some days in Curacao and in Bonaire the anchorages were visited and boardings conducted by the black rubber dink twice per day. On other days the frigate cruises by in Bonaire, or the helicopter hovers taking pictures of boats and the black rubber dink shows up a day or so later.
18 December 2011 - Progress Reported in Tyrrel Bay Incident
On Saturday 17 December Carriacou police representatives of the Royal Grenada Police Force announced that four persons have been detained and charged in connection with the robbery and assault of two yachtsmen in Tyrrel Bay 14 December. Police investigations remain ongoing. As more facts relative to this incident are received by the Caribbean Safety and Security Net, they will be posted on this site.
The Carriacou police should be commended for their fast and efficient response to this incident. This is the first report to the Caribbean Safety and Security Net of a violent incident against yachts in Carriacou.
14 December 2011 - Tyrrel Bay (Carriacou) Armed Boarding
Shortly after midnight, four masked men armed with at least one machete boarded a yacht anchored in Tyrrel Bay just after the crew returned from shore. The boarders tied up the captain, beating him severely, and tied a plastic bag over the head of the woman. They then proceeded to ransack the boat, looking for money and threatening more bodily harm to both. Eventually, they left with a computer, a cell phone, and cash, taking the larger dinghy with outboard to shore, where they carefully clipped it to a mooring line. The captain broke his bonds, rescued the woman and the two rowed over to a nearby boat in their small dinghy. The captain of that boat phoned the police, who came on scene promptly to investigate.
Just after daybreak, the larger dinghy was found on the beach, with a machete left inside. The police were again called and they came out a second time, retrieving the machete as evidence. The injured captain did not need hospitalization but visited a local doctor that morning.
Anyone visiting Tyrrel Bay is warned to use the utmost precautions until the perpetrators are caught. This is the first violent incident in Tyrrel Bay reported to the Caribbean Safety and Security Net.
27 November 2011 - Tyrrel Bay (Carriacou) Navigation Hazard Removed
Under the auspices of the Carriacou Port Authority, Tyrrel Bay Yacht Haulout and Arawak Divers removed the last of the floating debris from the sinking of the Phebeana Corion on 11 September (see 20 September NEWS item for details). The debris has been piled on shore just south of the commercial jetty in Tyrrel Bay. Georg Schmitt of Arawak Divers, who did the underwater work, advises that there is still a considerable amount of debris in the form of ropes and lines, the old engine, and a couple of anchors, which they were not able to raise. The end result is the wreck is no longer a hazard to navigation but continues to be a hazard to anchoring at 12 degrees 27.490 minutes N and 61 degrees 29.134 minutes W. There are currently some seven or eight fish pots and mooring buoys around the site but none of those are permanent markers.
21 November 2011 - Lessons Learned for Dinghy Towing
During mid September, the Security Net announced the loss of a dinghy under tow between Las Aves and Los Roques. The owners have written an account in two parts: safe dinghy towing and dinghy recovery for the benefit of other cruisers.
The short version of safe towing is always use two separate lines, with capable hardware. We used carabineers, and BOTH failed. The convenience of clip on is their problem. It does not seem possible for them to "unclip" but believe me, they do. In our case the primary one unclipped itself, and the safety line carabineer, had the spring pop out when it took a side load, best guess. So we had two lines and two clips (one failed) and no dinghy.
There is a screw type of carabineer, called a quicklink that we will use from now on; it cannot come unclipped. I would offer this same advice for folks and their safety harnesses - I know that it is less convenient, but safety is safety! It seems important to me to KNOW the device will ALWAYS do its job. All the harnesses we have seen have the same kind of carabineer we had come unclipped. Weird side and shock loads seem to cause the problem.
There is a related issue of the dinghy's ability to be towed. On ABs up to ten feet, they put two towing eyes (glued to hypalon, which does not seem like a great idea) plus a bow eye. On the larger ones like ours, there is ONLY a single bow eye, and the owner's manual suggests installing a second pair if you plan to tow. Our safety line was clipped to an interior lifting eye. It seems that AB thinks anyone with a larger dinghy has davits or, for a big motor yacht, a crane. I have heard from others who have lost dinghies to pulled-out bow eyes, and both were lucky to recover, but they then added additional towing eyes, and beefed up the backing plates as well, similar to what is now suggested by AB. Personally I think AB and the other manufacturers should design and install proper towing hardware. Budget Marine has made this point to AB, but with no success. We are going to beef up ours once we get it back.
On recovery ours was mostly luck. There was NOTHING in the dinghy to ID it, not even the yacht name since we no longer put it on but it may not have helped anyway. The marine police in Aruba contacted the Aruba Budget Marine store manager knowing that they sold AB's, to see if he had any registration info from the dinghy serial number. They did not, but contacted Budget Marine St. Martin to see if they did; they did not. The marine police mentioned that a Bonaire cap was found in the dinghy, and because of the cap Budget Marine St. Martin suggested getting in touch with Pam at Budget Marine Bonaire to see if she knew anything. Of course she did: she had been helping us order a new one! She sent the bill of sale to the Aruba Marine police directly, so they were happy they had the right owner. Having a bill of sale with the serial number from either the chandlery or the previous owner is critical to prove ownership. For backup, a photo is a good idea as well, especially if there is something distinctive about your dinghy - a patch, or added hardware.
So it comes down to what sort of info should be in the dinghy (and where). We have a bow compartment, so I plan to put something inside, with some sort of contact info, but what should that be? If we are offshore we can't get email. I'm thinking I will put our YAHOO e-mail address, the phone number and e-mail address of a friend in the US, and the e-mail address of Caribbean Safety and Security Net. One or more of those should be able to get a message back to us.
Locally lost dinghies probably find their way home, if there is a link to the yacht or a local net, or friendly, helping locals; long distance ones are the problem, and hopefully there are not very many of those.
18 November 2011 - Update on Bequia (SVG) Security
The editor of the Caribbean Compass prepared the following which will appear in the December issue of the Compass, outlining the plan for enhanced security measures in Admiralty Bay as well as identifying the various individuals involved in creating and carrying out the plan. The success of this plan will be evident by a decrease in the number of yacht boardings in the anchorages. The SOUTHERN WINDWARDS page will continue to list incoming reports.
Following a rash of burglaries from yachts visiting Admiralty Bay, Bequia in late October and early November, as this issue of Compass goes to press there has been one relevant arrest and conviction with a six-month jail sentence reported, and the St. Vincent & the Grenadines Coast Guard has begun nocturnal patrols within the bay. In addition, police patrols including the Rapid Response Unit have been stepped up around the shoreline and adjacent beaches.
A meeting to discuss the problem was held on N
ovember 4th and included the St. Vincent & the Grenadines Minister of Tourism, the Police Commissioner, the Parliamentary Representative for the Northern Grenadines, the Chairman of the SVG Tourism Authority, the Chairman of the Bequia Tourism Association, the Harbormaster, representatives of the Coast Guard and Port Authority, and both the Director and Deputy Director of Grenadines Affairs, along with an exceptionally large crowd of stakeholders. At the meeting, a citizens' committee made up of tourism stakeholders was established to liaise with the police on crimes against visitors.
Some of the burglaries were from boats that were left unlocked while unattended. Sailors are reminded to always “lock it or lose it”, and to secure even small ports that can be reached through to grab items such as iPods, cell phones and cameras. It is also suggested that yachts not anchor within easy swimming distance of Princess Margaret Beach or the abandoned Plantation House Hotel.
8 November 2011 - Bequia (SVG) Boardings
Between six and eleven yachts have been boarded in the period 22 October to 5 November in Admiralty Bay, Bequia. Some of these incidents are thefts in that the boats have not been locked. Others have been burglaries, involving breaking in. It appears that all have occurred during the dinner hour, presumably while the crews have been off to shore or to another yacht for dinner and/or drinks. There has been at least one meeting among officials concerning this situation and there also is local coverage in the newspapers. Thus far, the Caribbean Safety and Security Net has received no word of what is being done to address the situation and to protect the visiting yachts.
There may be duplication of reports in these numbers, as dates and names of boats or owners are not easily available. If anyone has specific details concerning any of these incidents, please contact the Security Net, using the CONTACT US page.
Until there is evidence that someone is arrested OR that security patrols by the police and/or coast guard are routinely taking place in Admiralty Bay, the Caribbean Safety and Security Net urges all yachts to stay onboard after dark. Locking up during the day when leaving the boat is always the appropriate precaution.
Two vessels reported spotting whales over the week-end: one was seen between Grenada and Carriacou and the second about two miles off Rodney Bay, St. Lucia. This is the time of year when they are moving north and yachts are cautioned to keep an eye out for any activity, from sleeping just at the waterline (which is sometimes difficult to spot) to breaching and other actions.
29 January 2012 - Possible Navigation Hazard in Antigua
During the evening of 26 January, Sugar and Spice sank on the approach to Jolly Harbor Marina in Antigua. At the time of sinking, part of the mast was still above water at 17 degrees 4.97 minutes north and 61 degrees 57.69 minutes west, or about three nautical miles from the channel marks into Jolly Harbor. The director of ABSAR (Antigua and Barbuda Search and Rescue) confirmed that all aboard were rescued by a passing vessel and that the Antigua and Barbuda Coast Guard, upon investigation, can find no trace of the yacht above water. The assumption is that she shifted sufficiently to bring the mast below the waterline. Nevertheless, yachts are cautioned to avoid the waypoint by several hundred yards in case the mast and rigging are just below the waterline and to keep a close watch for floating debris.
26 January 2012 - St. Martin French Bridge
According to a spokesman from the St. Martin Marine Trades Association, the bridge into Simpson Bay Lagoon on the French side is now open. It had been closed for maintenance for several weeks.
4 January 2012 - Tyrrel Bay Incident Status
Further information has become available concerning the assault and robbery of a yacht in Tyrrel Bay on 14 December 2011. Four people between the ages of 21 and 25 have been arrested and charged. One is from Carriacou and the other three are originally from Grenada but living in Carriacou. They are due in court around 20 February 2012. While the identities have not officially been disclosed, all four are out on bail.
22 December 2011 - Cruising Notes from the ABCs and the Venezuelan Out-Islands
These notes came from a cruiser who just completed his annual cruise around Los Roques and Las Aves. The information that follows has not been verified by the CSSN. However, the source is a long time visitor to these islands and anchorages and has been reliable.
Changes in the Venezuelan Out-Islands
Los Roques:
There is an increase in middle class Venezuelans going to Los Roques for holidays, traveling on yachts and staying at some of the small upscale hotels. Foreigners are not as welcome as in previous years: if you go to Los Roques avoid holidays. Don't stay too long or you are likely to be reported, run off, or fined.
Las Aves:
The Guardia will no longer allow yachts to stay more than a few days. All yachts must go to Puerto Cabello to check in before arriving in Las Aves. If you land in Las Aves before going to Puerto Cabello, you will be required to leave. The Guardia has been making regular trips recently to Barlovento twice a week or more to clear it out.
The Lieutenant that heads the Guardia Station of Las Aves de Sotavento has indicated that he will accept a yacht going to Puerto Cabello, doing a three day check in and check out with the agent there, and then coming back to Las Aves, but only for a few weeks not a few months. No more sailing allowed from Bonaire or Curacao to the Aves and returning without checking into Puerto Cabello first.
Conditions at the marina in Puerto Cabello are uncertain. Additionally it is uncertain of the time required to get a Cruising Permit from the port captain, possibly in the neighborhood of four to six weeks. It is still possible to do all of the checking in out leg work yourself, but it is quite a time-consuming task requiring many many copies of every document in every office. Carlos the agent charges 80 USD for checkin/out which gives you three days at Puerto Cabello. Staying longer requires the cruising permit discussed above.
There are few slips available at the marina and weather conditions (wind and surge) make it advisable to use chains to the dock or heavy chafe gear on all lines. Security in the anchorage in the past has been a problem, leading to the suggestion that cruisers take a slip if at all possible. If you speak some Spanish it is helpful.
Changes at Bonaire and Curacao:
In other news, the changes in Bonaire and Curacao are the result of government status change as of 10/10/10 and new Dutch supported computer systems for immigration that can count days.
Bonaire has tightened up their practice only allowing 90 days in any 180 day rolling period. They have started asking for a Zarpe when arriving from Venezuela. So far they have accepted the Safety Inspection that you get at Las Aves Sotavento issued by the Guardia. You have to have a way to copy the safety report on board or furnish the Guardia carbon paper for your copy. As far as the boat, the practice is still six months in Bonaire with the possibility of one extension; otherwise you need to import the boat at high tax rates.
Curacao has tightened their practice of allowing only 90 days stay in a calendar year. You must have an anchor permit issued by the Harbor Master for USD 10 and it requires you to file a float plan upon check out - out of each anchorage you visit. As for the boat, you can get six months and a possible extension for another six months after which you must import the boat at a high tax rate. There is a special status granted to yachts in storage and any local Marina or Shipyard will have the details and fees associated with that. A few months ago they chained forty boats to the dock or the ground until their status could be sorted, and sent the Coast Guard to board all boats and check papers.
On some days in Curacao and in Bonaire the anchorages were visited and boardings conducted by the black rubber dink twice per day. On other days the frigate cruises by in Bonaire, or the helicopter hovers taking pictures of boats and the black rubber dink shows up a day or so later.
18 December 2011 - Progress Reported in Tyrrel Bay Incident
On Saturday 17 December Carriacou police representatives of the Royal Grenada Police Force announced that four persons have been detained and charged in connection with the robbery and assault of two yachtsmen in Tyrrel Bay 14 December. Police investigations remain ongoing. As more facts relative to this incident are received by the Caribbean Safety and Security Net, they will be posted on this site.
The Carriacou police should be commended for their fast and efficient response to this incident. This is the first report to the Caribbean Safety and Security Net of a violent incident against yachts in Carriacou.
14 December 2011 - Tyrrel Bay (Carriacou) Armed Boarding
Shortly after midnight, four masked men armed with at least one machete boarded a yacht anchored in Tyrrel Bay just after the crew returned from shore. The boarders tied up the captain, beating him severely, and tied a plastic bag over the head of the woman. They then proceeded to ransack the boat, looking for money and threatening more bodily harm to both. Eventually, they left with a computer, a cell phone, and cash, taking the larger dinghy with outboard to shore, where they carefully clipped it to a mooring line. The captain broke his bonds, rescued the woman and the two rowed over to a nearby boat in their small dinghy. The captain of that boat phoned the police, who came on scene promptly to investigate.
Just after daybreak, the larger dinghy was found on the beach, with a machete left inside. The police were again called and they came out a second time, retrieving the machete as evidence. The injured captain did not need hospitalization but visited a local doctor that morning.
Anyone visiting Tyrrel Bay is warned to use the utmost precautions until the perpetrators are caught. This is the first violent incident in Tyrrel Bay reported to the Caribbean Safety and Security Net.
27 November 2011 - Tyrrel Bay (Carriacou) Navigation Hazard Removed
Under the auspices of the Carriacou Port Authority, Tyrrel Bay Yacht Haulout and Arawak Divers removed the last of the floating debris from the sinking of the Phebeana Corion on 11 September (see 20 September NEWS item for details). The debris has been piled on shore just south of the commercial jetty in Tyrrel Bay. Georg Schmitt of Arawak Divers, who did the underwater work, advises that there is still a considerable amount of debris in the form of ropes and lines, the old engine, and a couple of anchors, which they were not able to raise. The end result is the wreck is no longer a hazard to navigation but continues to be a hazard to anchoring at 12 degrees 27.490 minutes N and 61 degrees 29.134 minutes W. There are currently some seven or eight fish pots and mooring buoys around the site but none of those are permanent markers.
21 November 2011 - Lessons Learned for Dinghy Towing
During mid September, the Security Net announced the loss of a dinghy under tow between Las Aves and Los Roques. The owners have written an account in two parts: safe dinghy towing and dinghy recovery for the benefit of other cruisers.
The short version of safe towing is always use two separate lines, with capable hardware. We used carabineers, and BOTH failed. The convenience of clip on is their problem. It does not seem possible for them to "unclip" but believe me, they do. In our case the primary one unclipped itself, and the safety line carabineer, had the spring pop out when it took a side load, best guess. So we had two lines and two clips (one failed) and no dinghy.
There is a screw type of carabineer, called a quicklink that we will use from now on; it cannot come unclipped. I would offer this same advice for folks and their safety harnesses - I know that it is less convenient, but safety is safety! It seems important to me to KNOW the device will ALWAYS do its job. All the harnesses we have seen have the same kind of carabineer we had come unclipped. Weird side and shock loads seem to cause the problem.
There is a related issue of the dinghy's ability to be towed. On ABs up to ten feet, they put two towing eyes (glued to hypalon, which does not seem like a great idea) plus a bow eye. On the larger ones like ours, there is ONLY a single bow eye, and the owner's manual suggests installing a second pair if you plan to tow. Our safety line was clipped to an interior lifting eye. It seems that AB thinks anyone with a larger dinghy has davits or, for a big motor yacht, a crane. I have heard from others who have lost dinghies to pulled-out bow eyes, and both were lucky to recover, but they then added additional towing eyes, and beefed up the backing plates as well, similar to what is now suggested by AB. Personally I think AB and the other manufacturers should design and install proper towing hardware. Budget Marine has made this point to AB, but with no success. We are going to beef up ours once we get it back.
On recovery ours was mostly luck. There was NOTHING in the dinghy to ID it, not even the yacht name since we no longer put it on but it may not have helped anyway. The marine police in Aruba contacted the Aruba Budget Marine store manager knowing that they sold AB's, to see if he had any registration info from the dinghy serial number. They did not, but contacted Budget Marine St. Martin to see if they did; they did not. The marine police mentioned that a Bonaire cap was found in the dinghy, and because of the cap Budget Marine St. Martin suggested getting in touch with Pam at Budget Marine Bonaire to see if she knew anything. Of course she did: she had been helping us order a new one! She sent the bill of sale to the Aruba Marine police directly, so they were happy they had the right owner. Having a bill of sale with the serial number from either the chandlery or the previous owner is critical to prove ownership. For backup, a photo is a good idea as well, especially if there is something distinctive about your dinghy - a patch, or added hardware.
So it comes down to what sort of info should be in the dinghy (and where). We have a bow compartment, so I plan to put something inside, with some sort of contact info, but what should that be? If we are offshore we can't get email. I'm thinking I will put our YAHOO e-mail address, the phone number and e-mail address of a friend in the US, and the e-mail address of Caribbean Safety and Security Net. One or more of those should be able to get a message back to us.
Locally lost dinghies probably find their way home, if there is a link to the yacht or a local net, or friendly, helping locals; long distance ones are the problem, and hopefully there are not very many of those.
18 November 2011 - Update on Bequia (SVG) Security
The editor of the Caribbean Compass prepared the following which will appear in the December issue of the Compass, outlining the plan for enhanced security measures in Admiralty Bay as well as identifying the various individuals involved in creating and carrying out the plan. The success of this plan will be evident by a decrease in the number of yacht boardings in the anchorages. The SOUTHERN WINDWARDS page will continue to list incoming reports.
Following a rash of burglaries from yachts visiting Admiralty Bay, Bequia in late October and early November, as this issue of Compass goes to press there has been one relevant arrest and conviction with a six-month jail sentence reported, and the St. Vincent & the Grenadines Coast Guard has begun nocturnal patrols within the bay. In addition, police patrols including the Rapid Response Unit have been stepped up around the shoreline and adjacent beaches.
A meeting to discuss the problem was held on N
ovember 4th and included the St. Vincent & the Grenadines Minister of Tourism, the Police Commissioner, the Parliamentary Representative for the Northern Grenadines, the Chairman of the SVG Tourism Authority, the Chairman of the Bequia Tourism Association, the Harbormaster, representatives of the Coast Guard and Port Authority, and both the Director and Deputy Director of Grenadines Affairs, along with an exceptionally large crowd of stakeholders. At the meeting, a citizens' committee made up of tourism stakeholders was established to liaise with the police on crimes against visitors.
Some of the burglaries were from boats that were left unlocked while unattended. Sailors are reminded to always “lock it or lose it”, and to secure even small ports that can be reached through to grab items such as iPods, cell phones and cameras. It is also suggested that yachts not anchor within easy swimming distance of Princess Margaret Beach or the abandoned Plantation House Hotel.
8 November 2011 - Bequia (SVG) Boardings
Between six and eleven yachts have been boarded in the period 22 October to 5 November in Admiralty Bay, Bequia. Some of these incidents are thefts in that the boats have not been locked. Others have been burglaries, involving breaking in. It appears that all have occurred during the dinner hour, presumably while the crews have been off to shore or to another yacht for dinner and/or drinks. There has been at least one meeting among officials concerning this situation and there also is local coverage in the newspapers. Thus far, the Caribbean Safety and Security Net has received no word of what is being done to address the situation and to protect the visiting yachts.
There may be duplication of reports in these numbers, as dates and names of boats or owners are not easily available. If anyone has specific details concerning any of these incidents, please contact the Security Net, using the CONTACT US page.
Until there is evidence that someone is arrested OR that security patrols by the police and/or coast guard are routinely taking place in Admiralty Bay, the Caribbean Safety and Security Net urges all yachts to stay onboard after dark. Locking up during the day when leaving the boat is always the appropriate precaution.