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White Bay swim area #106914
09/05/2016 12:39 PM
09/05/2016 12:39 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,545
Here and There
rita_irvine Offline OP
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rita_irvine  Offline OP
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Here and There


Rita
It is better to be happy than it is to be right

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Re: White Bay swim area [Re: rita_irvine] #106915
09/05/2016 01:17 PM
09/05/2016 01:17 PM
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 826
Tortola, BVI
L
LianeLeTendre Offline
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LianeLeTendre  Offline
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Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 826
Tortola, BVI
That initiative was long past due. Very glad the government finally got around to it. Excellent!

Re: White Bay swim area [Re: LianeLeTendre] #106916
09/05/2016 01:46 PM
09/05/2016 01:46 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,545
Here and There
rita_irvine Offline OP
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rita_irvine  Offline OP
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Here and There
We avoid White Bay because of the dangerous boating situation. Maybe now it will resolve and be a fun place to visit again. The party boats from St John and Elswhere must be pissed,with this and the new entry regs their cash cow is drying up.


Rita
It is better to be happy than it is to be right

[Linked Image]
Re: White Bay swim area [Re: rita_irvine] #106917
09/05/2016 01:52 PM
09/05/2016 01:52 PM
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 165
SW Missouri
P
pedalpusher Offline
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pedalpusher  Offline
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SW Missouri
Where are the buoys located? Just looked at the Soggy cam and there are boats parked right close to shore and no signs of buoys there.

Re: White Bay swim area [Re: rita_irvine] #106918
09/05/2016 01:58 PM
09/05/2016 01:58 PM
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 528
Ohio
jagmansr Offline
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jagmansr  Offline
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Posts: 528
Ohio
We always grab a mooring ball in Great Harbor and dingy over. Is there a tie off area or/and is there still access to the beach to drag and park in the sand?

Re: White Bay swim area [Re: jagmansr] #106919
09/05/2016 02:12 PM
09/05/2016 02:12 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,545
Here and There
rita_irvine Offline OP
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rita_irvine  Offline OP
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According to the ongoing thread the buoys start west past One Love with breaks in the bouy chain for dinghy drop off. One would assume they would have a dinghy line somewhere but that is not clear.


Rita
It is better to be happy than it is to be right

[Linked Image]
Re: White Bay swim area [Re: rita_irvine] #106920
09/05/2016 03:19 PM
09/05/2016 03:19 PM
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 225
Dallas
C
camelot Offline
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camelot  Offline
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Dallas
just there last week -- no swim buoys; no mooring balls either on that side -- were mooring balls on east side in front of Ivans

Re: White Bay swim area [Re: camelot] #106921
09/05/2016 03:51 PM
09/05/2016 03:51 PM
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 8,530
Ya never know...
HillsideView Offline
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HillsideView  Offline
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Ya never know...
Interesting reading the comments on the FB page from the day boat captains. They've never seen a problem. If you can't see the problem, maybe you are the problem? <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Yikes.gif" alt="" /> I doubt the bars will miss any traffic either. Can't count the number of times we have watched them come ashore with everything they need and swim back to grab another out of the cooler later on.


My foot fits right into my shoe and my shoe will fit right into your...
Re: White Bay swim area [Re: camelot] #106922
09/05/2016 03:51 PM
09/05/2016 03:51 PM
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 10,213
GJ, CO S/V Long Overdue
sail2wind Offline
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GJ, CO S/V Long Overdue
Wow, I just went to their webcam and it really looks weird without boats in front of Soggy Dollar. Did they actually remove all the mooring balls?

Re: White Bay swim area [Re: sail2wind] #106923
09/05/2016 04:03 PM
09/05/2016 04:03 PM
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 304
California
Sunnykm Offline
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Sunnykm  Offline
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California
Is anchoring better than having mooring balls?

I know we will be spending the day there on a 4800 so we will be anchoring

Re: White Bay swim area [Re: Sunnykm] #106924
09/05/2016 05:54 PM
09/05/2016 05:54 PM
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 5,861
Bradenton, FL
Winterstale Offline
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Winterstale  Offline
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Bradenton, FL
I would not anchor there -- I would head over to GH and either dinghy or taxi over. Not worth risking the damage with all the boats crammed in there these days....it is just PACKED almost all of the time now. I have to say...it was one of the things we enjoyed about being land-based when we stayed on Jost last October -- we could enjoy the quiet in the morning before their arrival...and enjoy the quiet in the later afternoon after they were gone...it's still a beautiful place to be at the right time of day.


[Linked Image]

Re: White Bay swim area [Re: sail2wind] #106925
09/05/2016 06:00 PM
09/05/2016 06:00 PM
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 5,675
An island state of mind
tradewinds Offline
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tradewinds  Offline
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An island state of mind
Quote
sail2wind said:
Wow, I just went to their webcam and it really looks weird without boats in front of Soggy Dollar. Did they actually remove all the mooring balls?


The mooring balls that were there lasted about 6 months, due to no maintenance, and getting run over.

Re: White Bay swim area [Re: Sunnykm] #106926
09/05/2016 06:30 PM
09/05/2016 06:30 PM
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 10,213
GJ, CO S/V Long Overdue
sail2wind Offline
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GJ, CO S/V Long Overdue
Quote
Sunnykm said:
Is anchoring better than having mooring balls?

I know we will be spending the day there on a 4800 so we will be anchoring


Anchoring in White Bay it not easy and the conditions need to perfect. We once anchored for 3 days there with a few other TTOL peeps. The bottom is part sand and part rock, you really need to be experienced anchoring. If there is any swell whatsoever, I would not even moor there. As Bridget says, Great Harbour is more protected and there are some good anchoring spots as well.

Re: White Bay swim area [Re: tradewinds] #106927
09/05/2016 06:46 PM
09/05/2016 06:46 PM
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 1,049
S
StormJib Offline
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Quote
tradewinds said:
Quote
sail2wind said:
Wow, I just went to their webcam and it really looks weird without boats in front of Soggy Dollar. Did they actually remove all the mooring balls?


The mooring balls that were there lasted about 6 months, due to no maintenance, and getting run over.



When there is any swell with the shallow depth and short rode the moorings are simply abused. Well built moorings must be in deep enough water to add a good length of chain to absorb some of shock loads from swell, waves, or even wakes.

Re: White Bay swim area [Re: StormJib] #106928
09/06/2016 11:33 AM
09/06/2016 11:33 AM
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 312
Canton, GA
Felix Offline
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Felix  Offline
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Canton, GA
It'll be interesting to see how long the swim area lasts. I love Jost and White Bay, but the behavior I've witnessed by some of the visiting day boat captains leads me to believe that if it interferes with their business, the buoys may "disappear". I can't count the times that I've been standing in the water and have been forced to move to avoid being hit by a day boat coming in. If they don't care about a person in their way, I guarantee they don't care about a buoy - especially if the beach bars decide it's not good for business either.

Felix


* What we do in life echoes in eternity *
Re: White Bay swim area [Re: Felix] #106929
09/06/2016 12:28 PM
09/06/2016 12:28 PM
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,390
Ill, USA
Will_L Offline
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Will_L  Offline
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Posts: 2,390
Ill, USA
This probably won't last. Though not my kind of beach experience, White Bay has become a drive up day boats destination..many from USVI but also BVI. Unlike Spring Bay where the same sort of buoy line keeps dinghys out, there is an economic consequence to this action. I am unsure of the length of White Bay that the buoy line goes ..if it simply moves the anchored day boats and keep from congregating in front of Soggy Dollar area, will work. If it's a small "safe area" will likely stay. If is restrictive for most of that side of white bay and keeps day boats and their passengers from the lines at Soggy Dollar, there will likely be some changes. When it's not about the $$, it will become so quickly.
During the day for a long time White Bay has become a place to watch the parade of people, not a pristine beach experience.

Re: White Bay swim area [Re: Will_L] #106930
09/06/2016 12:34 PM
09/06/2016 12:34 PM
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 6,993
GA/NC
GeorgeC1 Offline
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GeorgeC1  Offline
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GA/NC
It's bad from noon to 3. Pretty good the rest of the time!
G

Re: White Bay swim area [Re: GeorgeC1] #106931
09/06/2016 12:53 PM
09/06/2016 12:53 PM
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,392
Maryland
Kirk Offline
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Kirk  Offline
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Maryland
Thankfully I did it as a day-tripper from St John once for the true "soggy" experience. There's absolutely no way I'm bringing a boat that I chartered in there. I take a cab over from Great Harbor.

It will be interesting to see how it works out.


Kirk in Maryland
Re: White Bay swim area [Re: GeorgeC1] #106932
09/06/2016 12:57 PM
09/06/2016 12:57 PM
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,999
Macon, Georgia
GlennA Offline
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GlennA  Offline
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Posts: 10,999
Macon, Georgia
The day boat invasion seems to be increasing at Smugglers too. Last week two USVI boats pulled up in waiding distance in the middle of the bay and let off a couple dozen people and coolers then proceeded to provide "musical" intertainment by turning up their sterios full blast.

Last edited by GlennA; 09/06/2016 12:58 PM.

Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. - Mark Twain
Re: White Bay swim area [Re: GlennA] #106933
09/06/2016 01:04 PM
09/06/2016 01:04 PM
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 36
PNW
J
JustBS Offline
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JustBS  Offline
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Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 36
PNW
Looks like JVD is next...

Re: White Bay swim area [Re: JustBS] #106934
09/06/2016 01:07 PM
09/06/2016 01:07 PM
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 304
California
Sunnykm Offline
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Sunnykm  Offline
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Posts: 304
California
A check of the Soggy Dollar webcam today shows the bouys are not directly in front of the bar and there currently is a day boat there.

Re: White Bay swim area [Re: Sunnykm] #106935
09/07/2016 04:22 PM
09/07/2016 04:22 PM
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 240
Texas
purplelily Offline
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Texas
I like the idea of forcing boaters to park off to the side, and not directly in front of Soggy. I don't like to look at tons of boats lined up, and certainly don't want to swim among them.

When we have been moored in White Bay on charter, we always pull our dinghy up away from the bars. It's just the polite thing to do.

Re: White Bay swim area [Re: rita_irvine] #106936
09/08/2016 12:43 PM
09/08/2016 12:43 PM
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 1,861
MA
Meg Offline
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Meg  Offline
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Posts: 1,861
MA
This is FANTASTIC NEWS! It's about time. Years ago they did have a swim area and it worked very well! Love it!

Re: White Bay swim area [Re: Meg] #106937
09/08/2016 01:49 PM
09/08/2016 01:49 PM
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 10,213
GJ, CO S/V Long Overdue
sail2wind Offline
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GJ, CO S/V Long Overdue
look at the webcam today, nobody is there and it looks like the swim area has been reduced

Re: White Bay swim area [Re: sail2wind] #106938
09/08/2016 01:53 PM
09/08/2016 01:53 PM
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,392
Maryland
Kirk Offline
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Kirk  Offline
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Posts: 1,392
Maryland
Looks the same to me. There was a boat right where that CC with the 3 OB's is when I looked yesterday.


Kirk in Maryland
Re: White Bay swim area [Re: Kirk] #106939
09/08/2016 02:18 PM
09/08/2016 02:18 PM
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 1,861
MA
Meg Offline
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Meg  Offline
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MA
I believe that the swim area is farther over than you can see on the webcam and there is also supposed to be an area down near One Love as well.

Re: White Bay swim area [Re: Meg] #106940
09/08/2016 02:48 PM
09/08/2016 02:48 PM
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,392
Maryland
Kirk Offline
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Kirk  Offline
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Maryland
Quote
Meg said:
I believe that the swim area is farther over than you can see on the webcam and there is also supposed to be an area down near One Love as well.

Some of the bigger buoys are periodically behind the palms on the cam also.


Kirk in Maryland
Re: White Bay swim area [Re: Meg] #106941
09/12/2016 08:02 PM
09/12/2016 08:02 PM
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 826
Tortola, BVI
L
LianeLeTendre Offline
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Tortola, BVI
There is an article about the swimming area on the government website here and larger photos here and here.

Re: White Bay swim area [Re: LianeLeTendre] #106942
09/12/2016 08:04 PM
09/12/2016 08:04 PM
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 10,213
GJ, CO S/V Long Overdue
sail2wind Offline
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GJ, CO S/V Long Overdue
nice, about time

Re: White Bay swim area [Re: sail2wind] #106943
09/13/2016 07:12 AM
09/13/2016 07:12 AM
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 6,993
GA/NC
GeorgeC1 Offline
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GeorgeC1  Offline
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GA/NC
It will all be gone by Dec. They may or may not put them back.
G

Re: White Bay swim area [Re: GeorgeC1] #106944
09/13/2016 08:27 AM
09/13/2016 08:27 AM
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,392
Maryland
Kirk Offline
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Kirk  Offline
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Posts: 1,392
Maryland


Kirk in Maryland

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