Dumping the holding tanks

I have read that it is acceptable to dump the holding tanks when at least 1000 yards off shore which doesn't seem nearly far enough to me but if that is the rule so be it. I am not opposed to spending the money or taking a little extra time to find a pump out location. Does anyone else do this? If so, where can I find different places to pump out? The only one I have come across is Nanny Cay.

I usually try to dump the tanks more than the 1000 yards out if possible.

Working pumpout stations are not at all common.

You want to provide the maximum opportunity for dissipation away from swimming and snorkelling areas. It helps to give consideration to where the wind is blowing the surface waters.

Depending on your charter company the tanks may be wired open so you may not have a choice. There are functionally no pump out stations.
G

On my last Moorings charter the valves were zip tied so that the holding tanks could not be used. My understanding was that The Moorings was going to erect a pump out facility but not sure if that is in place yet. In fact, only Tortola has a sewage system for land based waste water. Some residences in the BVI have septic systems but most beach adjacent properties waste water flows directly into the ocean.

Virgin Gorda Yacht Harbour has a functioning pump-out facility. It is at the fuel dock. Costs $75.00 to pump out. Who knows what is done with the sewage after it is pumped out....??

Last time I checked, Nanny Cay has a pump-out facility on the fuel dock, but it was not operational......

All the Moorings boats should have a working holding tank system and you should be briefed on how to use the system. I have been on multiple moorings boats in the last two years and they have all worked. The Moorings system is super easy to use on most of their cats if not all. One valve in each hull. Closed to use the tanks or open to dump or not use the tanks.
George

I have to ask at Voyage to have the Y valves switched to the holding tanks, otherwise they are set to empty directly into the water.

I have been trying to avoided this thread but having testified before a House subcommittee on Type III MSDs I have done quite a bit of research on the subject.

I must say there is no safe place to dump a full holding tank anywhere between the North and South Drops. There are no operable pump out facilities on Tortola because anything that passes through them is discharged with virtually no treatment about 400 yards off Slaney Point along with 80% of the islands other sewage.

To make the best of a bad situation, dilution is the best solution. It is best to leave the tank open to the sea while underway until entering an anchorage then leave it closed until at least 1000 yards off shore in more than 200 feet depth. The reason for the depth is to allow solids to disburse. It will be consumed by bottom feeders. (Remember that when you chow down on some conch fridders or Lobsta <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Devil.gif" alt="" />) Fresh water bacterial will be killed off fairly quickly in the ocean. The big problem is nitrogen. Nitrogen stimulates the algae that smothers coral and can persist in strong concentration for miles. Think about your location and the currents before opening the tank. Where will the nitrogen end up? On the Indians? Monkey Point?

"Dilution is the solution to pollution." I think one of my sailing teachers said that during an off shore class when explaining the minimum 3 mile distance required from US shores to dump the holding tanks.

As usual, Glenn, a very realistic and thorough summation of the current situation. Godblessya!

The Slaney dumping site is just another one of 'Nature's Dirty Little Secrets'.

I'm not sure where it will end. Perhaps like in the DR where so many bays are so polluted that swimming is unthinkable.

I dunno.

I am pleased to make a correction to my previous post! After years of trying to get an overview of the sewerage infrastructure from the BVI water department and being treated as if I was after some state secret, BVI has just posted a pretty complete overview on Facebook!

The new Burt Point treatment plant that was started up in November is treating to tertiary level which means all solids, biologics and desolved solids are removed before being discharged at Slaney Point. (Evidently they are still figuring out how to operate it as they had a major overflow a couple weeks ago.)

Is that something new?

All of the Moorings boats we've been on had the Y-valves zip-tied in the overboard position, and our last Horizon charter did as well. I think of this often when swimming in mooring fields. Blech. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Sick.gif" alt="" />

Edit: correction: when we first started chartering with them the tanks were usable, then that seemed to change later on.

How long ago was that? If it's happened in the last 2 years we need to look into it. The only larger company I know of now that does not want the tanks used is Voyage. They have a complex system that can't just be dumped.
George

Sorry, I meant to mention that our most recent charter was over 2 years ago. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" />

Chartered w Moorings, Sunsail, Footlose. Got full instruction on holding tank instructions. No twist ties...ever.

Told to make sure valve was open on return to base. Otherwise a $200 charge, and "that would be some real expensive "stufff"". Same punch line every time.

You sure its not well over 2 years (maybe over 6?) since you used Moorings? In our 6 years of using moorings/sunsail, not once have we ever seen that. Even on our very first charter in 2009 which was on one of their older cats - the Leopard 47.

I'm not sure of the year, but there were a couple times that we broke away from our preferred Horizon because Moorings had a better boat available. We had chartered with Moorings prior to that & were always able to use the tanks so I was surprised to see it. Then when we went back to Horizon they were doing it too.

Perhaps the first was the time we chartered the new, unnamed boat from Moorings. Our first BVI charter was 07/08 (Christmas/New Years) so it wouldn't have been 6 years ago that this happened, though!

Maybe they had them zip tied for the voyage to the BVI? I know one trip we had the fuel tank transfer valve closed - possible from delivery as I don't see them closing it once its there at all.

On all of our recent Moorings charters the holding tanks were used and fines assessed if the tanks were not returned empty.

November 2013 valves were zip tied on Moorings 3700.

It depends on the boat design. Some are reliable and functionally gravity drained and other work at best if at all only with suction. If you ended up with untreated(even treated) sewage left in some tanks the odors are impossible to control. From a boat owner perspective. You never want sewage in your tanks if there is some way to avoid it. All around there is much $$$work$$$$ left undone in the industry here.

I'd love to know where Slaney Point is, so that I can give it a wide berth!

If you're headed East on Waterfront Drive, it's right before the Prospect Reef & Dolphin Discovery <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Sick.gif" alt="" />

2 weeks ago we returned our Voyage charter. We used the tanks and were taught how to pump out while underway.

All our Moorings charters also used the holding tanks. Within last 5 years

Glenn A. Thanks so much for you well informed info. on dumping tanks. I have been slammed for this comment before but I have to say it again. The BVI and outlying neighbors have one of the biggest if not the biggest concentration of sailboats in the world. I have been visiting all over the area since the early 70's and have noticed the steady decline of coral and fish. No I am not an expert and have no knowledge to connect the killing of coral (and decline of fish) to dumping holding tanks but I am amazed in this age of being more earth friendly that it is even allowed. The charter companies and private owners hould be pushing for or providing facilities to handle their boats. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out where all that nitrogen is coming from. It's certainly not coming from farmers fertilizer application!

I have generally been against the use of holding tanks in predominantly charter cruising areas because it creats hotspots. For example, people will tend to dump in the same place, just outside Road Harbor, Sopers, Nanny Cay or Fat Hog because they forgot to do it earlier and want to avoid an extra charge. Even the more conciencience will dump as they clear the pass out of North Sound and Cane Garden Bay. It is a simple statictical fact.

I may change my mind once I get a chance to verify the capacity and quality of the new Burt Point sewage plant and the new plant at Paraquita Bay comes on line. When that happens there will be no excuse for not having pump out facilaties at all fuel docks on Tortola.

Unless the pump out service is super cheap, people won't use it anyway. Our home marina charges $5 for a pump out & some people still don't do it.<img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/cloud.gif" alt="" />

It sooo bothers me to see the pizza boat (which I love) and a bunch of people living on moorings in Christmas Cove because I don't want them to ruin yet another reef. The reef at the caves of Norman is nearly dead & it seems as though we need to go farther & farther out to find healthy coral. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Sad.gif" alt="" />