Hello all:

Because of all the years I spent sailing in the BVI, I enjoy a pretty large network of people there, giving me occasional heads up on what is coming down the pipe..
And so 2 days ago, I was let in on some pretty upsetting news on something coming up as of December 1st., 2015.
Allegedly, the BVI NPS (National Park Service) is getting ready to install meters (yes, as in “PARKING METERS”) on the day-use mooring balls, at the Baths, the Indians and all other NPS sites.
They will be equipped with waterproof credit card readers so the users can pay the fee. If the user lets allotted time elapse, a nasty horn will sound until the additional mooring fee is paid again.

Believe it or not, there is worse: apparently, Moor Seacure is contemplating the same devices for ALL moorings balls in regular anchorages. This would remove the need for collection by the usual guy in his dinghy knocking on your hull…
I simply cannot believe this is happening. They have decided to milk us to the core…
Sorry for the bad news….

Nice

Nice one Michael! I was expecting you to write that after the horn sounds five times you will automatically disconnected from the ball.

Beerman caught most of us last year with his free beer offer, we have our guard up today.

Cheers,

Tony

That should work well. Electronic credit card readers bobbing up in down in salt water 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year. I'm not thinking that's doable even if they want to.

Don't you guys be giving them any dumb ideas. Things are just fine the way they are now.

It's a 1st April joke, isn't it?

<img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" />

Well you got me!

I was busy looking up the National Parks Trust phone number (and muttering "You've got to be kidding me.") when I saw the second post. LOL! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

I am so easy to con. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Yikes.gif" alt="" />

Excellent Michael..got me til I checked the date!!!

That was a good one....had me until the "able to use credit cards" in the meters and then I remembered the date.

poster #2 = party pooper

The ST. Maarten newspaper generally has a good April Fool's Day story.

That's a good article. I liked this part: Phase 3 Project Extension to Runway 10 "Alpha-Foxtrot-Oscar-Oscar-Lima."

I'm with Wayne! Careful not to give them any "good" ideas!

Tony has a great one as well. The automatic disconnect is almost as good an idea as my idea of roving firing squads watching for people who stay on the parks moorings for one second more than the 90 minute limit. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

<img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" />

And all this would work over the BVI's ever reliable cellular data and telephone infrastructure . . . Right!

This is all to support the drag strip they are building through the area once known as "The Baths."

We were there when they demolished the area that they used to call "the Baths" with dynamite. They did it at night and it was very pretty. Now the area is called "the Pebbles."

<img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Laugh.gif" alt="" />

LMAO.....that one had me packing my bags, and I live here! Good one!

The there is this.