Yacht Cruisers Speak!

BVI News Link

Do you all agree with this?

Well, the BVIs, Trinidad & Tobago, and Jamaica are the only English speaking Caribbean countries, along with the French Caribbean countries, that still have their sea ports closed. I can tell you that there is a lot of resentment in the USVIs towards the yacht seizures, lack of safe passage, and spiraling fees for entry. The last time we took our private boat to the BVIs in February 2020 I needed a score card to understand all the fees. Returning to the USVI we pay no fees and check in with an app.

I can see Norman Island from my home anchorage. We'll visit again when the ports are open and quarantine is not required.

Cheers, RickG

If I had not already spent a small fortune rescheduling two charters twice already? I would be chartering with CYOA again for our upcoming June trip.
Yes, I agree with all of it.

Right now....I am just crossing my fingers for ferry availability since my Intercaribbean flight doesn't seem to take off but one day a week from SJU....so I will reroute to STT. Let's hope the seaports open for ferry travel in April!!! Annnnnd crossing my fingers for at least SOME relaxation of protocols but prepared to deal with them either way.....

After over 15 years of owning boats and sailing out of Nanny Cay, these most recent actions by the BVI will have me relocate my boat - once I can travel there in order to move her. While writing this response I got an e-mail from Nanny Cay saying that my temporary import has expired - now since I can't travel there I will have to spend several hundred dollars to have someone drive the 30 minutes into town to submit a form ... everyone is trying to squeeze ever last cent out of those "rich cruisers". No more. I think that the sentiments expressed on the page in that link are just the tip of iceberg and, as usual, reading the comments is true entertainment.

"I think that the sentiments expressed on the page in that link are just the tip of iceberg and, as usual, reading the comments is true entertainment".

Zanshin, The comments are entertaining. But also appear split about whether they appreciate our business or not. I have actually encountered that while there. I realize one person does not make a whole island. I can ignore most attitudes. But it does make you think.

I just helped move a Juneau 53 from STT to KeyWest. Spent a bit of time in STT prior to leaving. STT is booming in every way. Several locals I spoke with are hoping the BVI stays locked down for years. Covid from tourists seems to be a non issue. The 53 was a great sailing boat and handled some challenging weather very well. I really liked the boat but it was a lesson in catamaran appreciation! We went two days essentially unable to prepare food due to weather that would have been much easier in a cat. Several days of 25 gusting to 30 and one stretch for about 12 hours of 30 to 35 gusting to 40. Boat handled it all great with the exception of one rogue wave that broke over the boat! Not sure where that wave came from as nothing else was even close to that height. Nothing like being underwater at the helm station for a 2am wakeup call. I really wished for a elevated cat helm at that point.
All the anchorages in STT appeared full and slips are simply not available. The BVI’s loss is the USVI’s gain. It will be interesting to see if some of the current shift becomes permanent.
G

I read the Facebook comments from which the BVInews.com article was taken. Can't say I disagreed with anything. Working in the biz, we've complained about the attitudes at Customs and Immigration for years. They view themselves as "enforcement officers" and in no fashion are they "ambassadors". Pretty sure the training manuals were all copied from East Germany.

BVIslander - as a German, I resent your comment about the East German border officers. Albeit unfriendly, they were always well-trained and professional. When they disassembled your car at the border they would always watch with a polite smile as you tried to put it back together again

Re-reading the original Facebook post and the BVI News article and comments I see something concerning that we are also seeing in the USVIs - West Indians that are refusing the vaccine due to lack of trust or an outright belief that the vaccine can harm you. The USVIs are now vaccinating anyone who will be around for the second vaccine due to lower than expected demand. I worry about the health of those who refuse the vaccine and those vaccinated people who could be infected.

The biggest theme in the cited articles is the poor performance of the Customs & Immigration officers. We have always gotten polite service at Jost Van Dyke, our go to. Our February 2020 check in in Road Town had very busy and polite officers who gave a spot to wait while they checked in two ferries. We won't check in there again. Spanish Town is fine without a ferry from the USVI, chaotic when the ferry is there. West End? That is a mess. I've seen them force a boat to tie up to the wharf for inspection that had sailed direct from Grenada, lost their engine, no sleep for days. They were in tears. Too many stories to recount. I just make certain I go in by myself so no one else's day is ruined.

I'm happier to visit the BVIs after the ports open than my Sweet Christine. She holds a grudge and feeds it. If we can enter the BVIs in May on the way to Grenada and they are part of the CARICOM low risk bubble (suspended for now) I would consider sailing the BVIs for the 21 days necessary to get now quarantine access to the CARICOM islands. Dominica has the shortest quarantine at 5+1 days. Every island nations is different and keeping track of protocols is a lot of work. Noonsite.com is doing a good job.

Cheers, RickG

Rick--I think that is a theme throughout the Caribbean--many local peoples are actively afraid of the vaccine, with the wildest rumors going around. That is very concerning with regard to their long term safety.

My personal feeling is that the USVI will see a long term gain from Covid, and the BVI, very much the opposite.

Long term, the boat charter and marine tourism markets have fluctuated in growth between the BVI and the USVI repeatedly. There are big differences between the two and always will be, so trying to compare the two markets is like comparing coconuts to mangoes.

The BVI government is going to have to address whether tourism is going to be their only economy, and whether expecting tourism fees and taxes, and discretionary spending to carry their entire GDP is a viable long term economic policy. BVI voters choose the people to make those national decisions. Again, the BVI voters choose their own government.

If I've trod over the line in terms of " politics', I apologize. I've tried to make the point that BVI has to make their own choices.

Not only is tourism not the only economy, it's not even the largest percentage of GDP. The financial industry is larger than tourism for $$$; last number I heard was 60%.

I think tourism might have a slightly larger employee base than the financial industry.

Jason, I read shortly after the hurricanes that many of the financial institutions we considering not coming back to Tortola. I have not followed up on that. Did they return? Do they employ many islanders?

Not sure how many came back. They had a deadline to return from places they temporarily moved operations too.

I suspect tha CRS and FATCA reporting requirements have done more to hurt the BVI financial industry than anything else. Offshore banking is all about avoiding taxes and the above reporting acts make that much more difficult. I don’t believe the industry was a big local employer either.
G

BVI doesn't get top marks when it comes to financial reporting. Auditing of government accounts is always years behind. A lot of documents seem to disappear when investigations are held. Recently some financial services figures presented didn't seem to add up. How good are the statistics? Hard to say.

SVG and Grenada are seeing high uptake among the generational West Indian residents. I have not heard about St. Lucia. The islands handling COVID protocols better are going to see a boost in yacht services short term. Grenada's MAYAG yacht association created and ran a protocol in 2020 that saw thousands of cruisers and term charter boats visit for their hurricane season and maintenance. Yacht services were busy and yards were full. We booked our August haulout in Grenada in November and they yard was nearly full for the summer. This is work that I would normally have done at Nanny Cay or Marina del Rey. With much lower pricing, cheap AirBnB, $400 US monthly rental car Grenada is looking like a good long-term option. The USVIs lack the infrastructure to handle the level of hull maintenance needed for large charter fleets.

Cheers, RickG

I suspect the bvi will suffer greatly in terms of revenue again this year. The health Minister talked again recently about a "vaccine passport" allowing vaccinated visitors to skip some protocols when enough of the local population is vaccinated as well. As others said I suspect they will have a large number opting out . I have a good friend who mention that a number of the C and I people that work at entries have elected not to take a shot. That won't help .

The government as it often it seems to be flying by the seat of their pants from paper accounts. Not sure when elections are but seem to be a lot of politics being at the head of list. There is an unusual spate of violence following a couple of huge drug busts, there is a panel of inquiry from UK investigating government corruption. As mentioned there is a crackdown in both Europe and US on off shore accounts. All of which I suspect has led to lack of attention on a plan to open.

Yes, some who say they will never come back won't. My friend says this year is shot on the tourist side. But once open I would wager there will be a quick return of sailors and land based travelers. Others will find their favorite haunts but I will almost guarantee that many will find it to be the bvi . I know I am looking forward to sinking my toes in the sand while shoulder deep in Savannah Bay w a Caribe in my hand.

As long as it is safe and it is open, they will come .

BVI News

Apparently the government doesn't like the comments below news article. Detrimental to BVI reputation. And the comments below that one are even funnier!