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Re: BVI Impounding boats
[Re: CaptainJay]
#240814
11/27/2020 06:31 PM
11/27/2020 06:31 PM
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Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 289 Perdido Key, Florida
cbinparadise
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 289
Perdido Key, Florida
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Just saw this on BVI Abroad Facebook page....
"USA state dept travel advisory for the BVI Level 3 – Reconsider Travel: Avoid travel due to serious risks to safety and security. The Department of State provides additional advice for travelers in these areas in the Travel Advisory."
Last edited by cbinparadise; 11/27/2020 06:32 PM.
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Re: BVI Impounding boats
[Re: Carol_Hill]
#240857
11/28/2020 09:06 AM
11/28/2020 09:06 AM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 74,035 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 74,035
Central Florida!
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I just removed a couple of posts here, which had gone further off topic and into personal insults. You know guys, if this weren't such an IMPORTANT topic, I would lock it down right now.
Get back to the subject at hand. And this chippiness stops NOW.
Carol Hill
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Re: BVI Impounding boats
[Re: CaptainJay]
#240862
11/28/2020 09:38 AM
11/28/2020 09:38 AM
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Joined: May 2006
Posts: 837 Louisville, KY
NoelHall
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 837
Louisville, KY
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Wow! I'm just realized I'm traversing USVI waters on nearly every trip out of Soper's Hole to Norman Island, and seems I remember having plenty of company. Looking at Google Earth, it appears I would need to head east to Nanny Cay before turning south.
Noel Hall "It is humbling indeed, to discover my own opinion is only correct less than 50% of the time." www.noelhall.com
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Re: BVI Impounding boats
[Re: CaptainJay]
#240873
11/28/2020 11:50 AM
11/28/2020 11:50 AM
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 5,811 GA/NC
GeorgeC1
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 5,811
GA/NC
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My fear is that if this is not settled soon the US will ban travel to the BVI.
Last edited by GeorgeC1; 11/28/2020 01:32 PM.
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Re: BVI Impounding boats
[Re: sleepychef]
#240876
11/28/2020 12:01 PM
11/28/2020 12:01 PM
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Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 115 Mill Valley, CA
Husker
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 115
Mill Valley, CA
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Noel that is the exclusion zone,not territorial waters so hopefully you are safe. This is confusing. What exactly is the Exclusion Zone? Is the area west of the Norman-Nanny Cay line and east of the USVI/BVI border a no-fly zone?
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Re: BVI Impounding boats
[Re: Husker]
#240878
11/28/2020 12:38 PM
11/28/2020 12:38 PM
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,231 Saint Thomas, USVI
CaptainJay
OP
Traveler
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OP
Traveler
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,231
Saint Thomas, USVI
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There has been a lot of talk about the "exclusion zone". That zone is for BVI based boats in BVI waters. They closed this area to their own boats when they reopened recreational boating to people already legally in the territory. This "exclusion zone" has nothing to do with the US side of the Narrows or anything to do with US boats. They do not have the jurisdiction to exclude US boats or any other boats legally in US waters from transiting the US side of the narrows. They do have the right to close the border and the boundary. See the link below. BVI Exclusion Zone
Last edited by CaptainJay; 11/28/2020 12:39 PM.
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Re: BVI Impounding boats
[Re: GeorgeC1]
#240882
11/28/2020 01:08 PM
11/28/2020 01:08 PM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 74,035 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 74,035
Central Florida!
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George--Frankly, I think the US should consider making that threat anyway. This whole thing is BS.. Total over-reaction.
Carol Hill
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Re: BVI Impounding boats
[Re: CaptainJay]
#240891
11/28/2020 02:06 PM
11/28/2020 02:06 PM
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Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 740 Washington DC
bailau
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 740
Washington DC
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Maybe I am missing something but why exactly is the US going to "threaten" a strong ally for doing something that is totally within its rights under recognized international law? Never ever been a fan of the BVI government but they clearly indicated here with these 2 examples if you want to play loosely with their boundaries and rules there is a price to pay. As a Captain I stay away from international boundaries in normal times (or at least make my intentions publicly known) and here the BVI have telegraphed their intentions repeatedly on this and have had Covid come into BVI from people not respecting their boundaries. I agree with Zanshin that BVI has a complete disregard for their goodwill among both tourists and the BVI businesses that support tourism.... But "International Incident"....highly unlikely. Even this matter this week between UK and USA which was tragic never rose to an "International Incident" https://www.nydailynews.com/news/wo...24-o5m2fjap3bg3lhv2o6enhixwb4-story.htmlThe lesson here for serious Captains is don't mess with their boundaries.
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Re: BVI Impounding boats
[Re: CaptainJay]
#240917
11/29/2020 04:04 AM
11/29/2020 04:04 AM
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Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 1,804 BVI
Zanshin
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 1,804
BVI
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That was posted from the people aboard the impounded sailboat, the link is somewhere in this thread. I wondered about that distance as well, since 2 miles is more than an insignificant "incursion" in that area (considering the Sir Francis Drake passage has a distance of about 2 miles from Tortola to St. Thomas in the exclusion zone and the sea-border runs through the middle...)
Last edited by Zanshin; 11/29/2020 04:05 AM.
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Re: BVI Impounding boats
[Re: bailau]
#240938
11/29/2020 09:39 AM
11/29/2020 09:39 AM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 74,035 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 74,035
Central Florida!
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sleepychef must have deleted that link himself, as that was what I was responding to.
Carol Hill
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Re: BVI Impounding boats
[Re: CaptainJay]
#240948
11/29/2020 10:31 AM
11/29/2020 10:31 AM
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 639 BVI
kerry
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 639
BVI
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I had read that they left maho and were sailing in the direction of Jost with the intention of tacking back over. Who the heck knows
Last edited by kerry; 11/29/2020 10:32 AM.
kerry
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Re: BVI Impounding boats
[Re: CaptainJay]
#240951
11/29/2020 11:38 AM
11/29/2020 11:38 AM
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Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 740 Washington DC
bailau
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 740
Washington DC
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Here is another story that just resolved as well... https://www.seafoodsource.com/news/...tish-virgin-islands-finally-returns-homeI think the other great lesson is if you have an issue get legal help ASAP. I would note boat 1 that was released apparently had legal counsel on the phone before they docked and the issue was resolved. This boat on the other hand decided to broadcast to the world that they were guilty and had even broken PR quarantine....a good attorney would have not only advised them to be quiet but at least make sure if you aren't you don't admit wrongdoing publicly in a further attempt to embarrass an already embarrassed BVI. In the Foy matter in the link even the US involvement didn't really alter the outcome with the exception of possibly reducing his fine.... I am not condoning BVIs behavior here but I think it is a strong warning for all serious captains
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Re: BVI Impounding boats
[Re: JasonHelmbrecht]
#240977
11/29/2020 05:54 PM
11/29/2020 05:54 PM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 74,035 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 74,035
Central Florida!
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Interesting. Wonder why there wasn't some official word from the government to that effect before now? And the press release seemed to indicate that they were being criminally charged, but the timing seemed to be AFTER the story came out in the news.. So, are they being criminally charged?
Carol Hill
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Re: BVI Impounding boats
[Re: GeorgeC1]
#240992
11/29/2020 08:34 PM
11/29/2020 08:34 PM
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Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 432 Panama City Beach, Florida
xrayman67
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 432
Panama City Beach, Florida
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You generally don’t drag someone into your country to place them in quarantine. They are being held under guard against their will. The standard term for that is arrest. Completely agree. It makes zero sense. If this is simply to protect the BVI from COVID-19, they should have been warned and escorted back across the border. No contact and zero risk to anyone.
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Re: BVI Impounding boats
[Re: xrayman67]
#241015
11/30/2020 07:30 AM
11/30/2020 07:30 AM
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Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 2,304 Cane Garden Bay, Tortola
JasonHelmbrecht
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 2,304
Cane Garden Bay, Tortola
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You generally don’t drag someone into your country to place them in quarantine. They are being held under guard against their will. The standard term for that is arrest. Completely agree. It makes zero sense. If this is simply to protect the BVI from COVID-19, they should have been warned and escorted back across the border. No contact and zero risk to anyone. I'd guess there's more to the story or they got tired of warning people and needed to send a message. The timing seems like the perfect time to send a message as USVI charters will be increasing closer to the holiday season. Immigration officers in most countries have a reputation of being strict and that's for a reason. Just because it's normally a "softer" sea border does not make it OK to assume there will be a warning. I understand boats need to have space to tack but I'm also pretty sure that boat has a engine and not need to tack thru a narrow channel just because they felt like day sailing.
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