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ā›µ BVI is in the news...for the wrong reasons

Published almost 2 years agoĀ ā€¢Ā 3 min read

Hi, it's Matt with the Yacht Warriors!

The British Virgin Islands were all over the news recently, so let's get right into it. Here's what I have for you today:

  • šŸ˜² Charter industry crackdown in the BVIs - vacations ruined
  • šŸ’„ļø BVI Premier arrested in the US on drug charges
  • šŸ”— Sunsail charter boat breaks free at Cooper Island and wrecks
  • ā›µ Planning my next boat trip - St. Croix and Culebra
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Charter industry crackdown in the BVIs

In case you didn't hear, the BVI government seized 184 Moorings, Sunsail, Dream Yacht Charter boats.

The reason? Non-compliance with new safety and paperwork regulations.

Customs seizing Moorings and Sunsail charter boats

Can you imagine showing up in Tortola for your charter trip to find out that it was cancelled and your only recourse was a refund?

Lesson learned? Many of the smaller charter operators such as TMM, Horizon, etc were able to meet the new rules. Might be worth a look for your next trip instead of the big boys (Moorings/Sunsail/DYC).

It's a bizarre way for the BVI government to conduct Public Relations, especially when the charter industry is your #2 source of revenue. But, there might be more to the story...see below.

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BVI Premier arrested on drug and money laundering charges

Amidst a U.K. inquiry to investigate widespread corruption, the BVI Premier (leader of the country) and Port Authority Managing Director were arrested in the U.S. for drug and money laundering charges. Wow!

They were targeted in a DEA sting operation, in which the DEA pretended to be a member of the Sinaloa cartel. That's not all - the meeting was set up by members of Hezbollah, a Lebanese terrorist/militant organization.

The charging affidavit reads like something out of a Hollywood movie script.

An industry insider speculates that the charter industry crackdown might be linked to widespread corruption in the government. Done in the name of safety, but maybe it was really about lining government official's pockets...more to come on this one.

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New Lagoon 46 breaks free at Cooper Island and wrecks

Last week, there were reports that a Sunsail cat, a new Lagoon 46, broke loose from a Boaty Ball mooring at Cooper Island.

The crew were ashore at Cooper Island Beach Club, and they returned back after dark to find the cat missing.

They reported it stolen to VISAR, and it's unclear if a search effort was organized that night.

The next morning, the cat was found grounded on the rocks with significant damage at Dead Chest Island - about ~2.8 nautical miles where it drifted on the wind and current.

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Afttermath of the Lagoon 46 Panema that grounded at Dead Chest Island

My takeaways:

  • This was a Boatyball mooring, which are supposed to be regularly maintained by Moor Seacure, so I suspect negligence from the captain
  • Perhaps the crew only ran one line through the pennant eye - heavy wind and swell could have caused chafe and sawing through of the line
  • Or, maybe they need more practice with cleat hitches
  • As always, properly inspect all mooring balls for damage - there are current reports the BVI National Park Service (NPS) balls are in a bad state of disrepair
  • Be careful about leaving your yacht unattended at night - if this happened during the day, it's likely another boat would have noticed and rendered assistance
  • Here's a video about how to properly pick up a mooring ballā€‹
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My next trip: USVI and the Spanish Virgin Islands

Flamenco Beach
Flamenco Beach in Culebra - a global top 10 beach

Check out this USVI and SVI itinerary design for a week-long bareboat trip. It's what I'm planning when I head out this fall with a group of guy friends. Here's what I like about it:

  • Two days of great sailing on the open, deepwater crossing to St. Croix and back
  • Excellent opportunities to catch mahi, tuna, and wahoo
  • Off the beaten path - fewer charter boats visit these areas
  • Schedule flexibility if the weather turns unfavorable
  • Clearing into SVI from USVI is relatively easy with the ROAM app
  • More exploring of the Spanish Virgin Islands - I've visited once before and loved it

Anchorage of the month: Sail Rocks North, Exumas

One of my favorite anchorages of all time is Sail Rocks North in the Exumas. Hard to beat the beauty and solitude we experienced on our last trip there in December.

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If you enjoyed the newsletter, I'd appreciate if you could share it with others who love boat trips! Here's a link you can use. Thanks!!

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