I'm relatively new here, so please forgive me if I offend anyone...

I've only chartered in the BVI three times, the last one with my kids, both in their twenties. They're joining my wife and me this July when we return for our fourth trip. When I told them that the Willie T would be absent from the Bight, their response was "oh well, we'll still have a great time."

The Willie T was iconic, to be sure. Watching drunken revelers toss themselves naked off the top deck was amusing, if only for a moment. And while its loss is sad and painful to some, I don't think the BVI economy is going to collapse without the Willie T.

On the other hand, two massive hurricanes that obliterate the businesses and infrastructure of the islands would crash the economy.

I love the BVI and return there to spend my money, even while having wonderful sailing options like Nantucket, Block Island, Martha's Vineyard and Narragansett Bay. My history with the BVI is far less extensive than many folks here and my experience with the government is equally less established.

But if I were managing the BVI economy, I'd ask, is the Willie T going to employ all those people whose jobs were lost when the businesses in which they were working were washed away? Is the Willie T going to pay for all of the medical treatment for injuries sustained during the storms? Will it pay to clean up the landscape, pave the roads, rebuild businesses and homes? Will it provide enough tax revenue for the government to pay for adequate law enforcement, emergency services, transportation hubs, or schools for the children of residents? Honestly, the owners of the Willie T were unable to find an effective solution for getting its carcass off the beach (I know they tried, but they failed and it seems like they gave up). Is that attractive to sailors spending tens of thousands of dollars on vacations?

Having small, quaint businesses within an economic eco-system is a necessary and desirable thing. But, despite being distasteful to many, the long-term health and sustainability of the islands will be built on large capital investment, job creation and tax revenues.
That's capitalism. Let's face it, the sailing destinations of New England are doing quite well with a mix of small and large businesses, but without their version of the Willie T. I think the BVI will live without it too. Maybe the thing to do is take a deep breath, relax, remember the Willie T with fondness and move on.

I suppose, those who are truly repulsed by this can exercise their right to avoid the BVI and sail elsewhere. I respect that. I also appreciate the vacant mooring ball that will produce.