Please Be Vigilant

If this post is not appropriate for this forum, I apologize and please remove.

Many are probably already aware of the recent horrific event in Grenada. A cruising couple was apparently murdered by 3 escaped prisoners, their catamaran hijacked and used to temporarily escape to St. Vincent. The catamaran was found abandoned off St. Vincent the middle of last week. The 3 escapees are now back in custody. The couple was well known in the Caribbean cruising community and many in the BVI may have been acquainted with them.

I post this to inform but also to remind us all to be vigilant. Cruising and chartering are probably two of the safest hobbies/lifestyles one can choose; however, whether on the water or ashore bad things can and do happen. My wife and I just spent 5 months in Grenada and felt safe the entire time. Grenada has a reputation as a cruiser-friendly island and a very safe island. Nonetheless, just like back at home (wherever that might be) one must be careful. Likely this couple was careful and the events that unfolded were totally out of their control.

https://safetyandsecuritynet.org/incident-3242/

There are now numerous reports online with new information emerging.

Appreciate the PSA and had seen that report...a related question

Has any experienced crime on their boat in the BVI? I have always been curious..

The only time I have been boarded and robbed was in the BVI. We were on the dock at Conch charters in Roadtown.

OceanSong--why would it not be appropriate? It is information. Sad information but truthful. We all have a tendency to think that when we're on vacation, nothing bad can happen, other than maybe being overcharged for a meal, but that is sadly not true.

Only once, decades ago, certainly before 2000, in July, just before carnival, our dinghy gas tank was “borrowed” while we were at Trellis. Of course we were halfway to North Sound before we noticed. Moorings replaced the gas tank once we got to Bitter End. No one was upset, we were not charged since they were confident that the gas tank would be returned. Lesson learned? Not one, it was still many years later before we thought about securing the dinghy with a padlock. I don’t think we ever locked the companionway. Last sail was on my 70th birthday in 2016. So sorry to hear about the increase in petty theft and worse.

were you on board at the time, George?

I only asked about appropriateness because this is a forum dedicated almost exclusively to the BVI.

It’s not clear but the forum is also for charter boating anywhere in the Caribbean.

Thanks for the information and so sad for the couple and their family.

Co-incidently, on my flight home from BVI this week, I learned of the murder of a 22 year old female student at the University of Georgia.Her alleged killer did not know her, but like the incident Ocean Song posted about, the assailants had history of violence/crime. (the last murder of student at UGA was over 20 years ago.

I learned about this murder from a friend who's family had sailed with me in the BVI a couple years ago. Her daughter was good friends with the victim.

Just a reminder there is no place that is immune from crime. Always use appropriate amount of vigilance.

OceanSong--yes, the actual incident did not take place in the BVI's, but I took your post to be a more general one, for everyone to be careful, which is good advice.

We were onboard. My wife woke me and said someone was on the boat. To humor her I got up and looked around and lit the boat up. Saw no one and went back to bed. In the morning found several items missing including 300 in cash from wife’s purse which was on a shelf just outside our cabin door. Conch had camera’s and caught him boarding the boat. I was told he also hit a TMM boat. Police had zero interest in doing anything. Just said it’s Christmas time!

I just left Carriacou on Grenada 2 hours ago and am heading north to St. Martin for the Heineken. I fired up my Starlink and logged into the internet to see if I had connectivity and saw the posts regarding this terrible crime. Does anyone know which anchorage they were in?

I’ve seen different reports. Either anchored off Grand Anse, or at a “St.George’s marina”, which would most likely be Port Louis? I guess it could have been at the yacht club, but Port Louis seems more likely for transient dockage.

Based on the most recent information they were at a marina, not anchored. Having been involved in scores of murder investigations, I always caution that media reports (even from official sources) are often incomplete or inaccurate. It generally takes a few weeks to filter through all the available evidence to gain an accurate account of what happened.

The only time we have been boarded was in the Grenadines - Canouan. On our friends’ yacht - a 48’ FP. They had an alarm and it went off when they tried to get into the salon. They installed alarms due to the repeated issues in the area (there were based in Carriacou). Only minor things in the cockpit area were therefore taken. Local police do nothing about it. The waters there anre beautiful but I never felt completely at ease. Our friends have since left the area (on a circumnavigation). They implied they would not return to base in that area).

Way back in the late 90s our charter boat was boarded at Mayreau, Grenadines, whilst we were eating ashore. Personal items taken, some of sentimental value. Took hours to make a report to the police on Union as there was a cricket match, West Indies vs England, on the TV in the back office. Every time a roar went up from the office, the guy taking our report would put down his pen and disappear into the back for a while to watch. Needless to say nothing ever came of the report.

In the BVI, the only time we had a problem was when anchored in Deadman's Bay, Peter Island, while an 'important' wedding was taking place ashore. An off-duty C&I official in one of their go-fast boats came and told us to move. I pointed out we were fully entitled to be there and we weren't moving. He then ordered me into my dinghy, took me 50 yards from the boat and then informed that, yes I could stay there, but I really didn't want to find out what would happen if I did. I moved. Don't mess with C&I.

We got the "important wedding treatment" when we were staying at Katitche Point Great house in late 2007...They had most of the places rented out completely for guests but we had rented it over a year in advance. Everywhere we went there was security all over us...

Turns out Larry Page got married on Necker Island and the guests all stayed at VG

Both brothers are illegals.

so what if any precautions does anyone take? I once heard a story that someone put little tacks or nails before entering the salon, before they went to bed Maybe all charter companies should have alarms installed. I guess my husband will continue to sleep with knife by his bedside.

Chris Doyle does use a little alarm system on his boat when sailing the Windwards. I honestly think that would be overkill in the BVI unless you already had it installed. We have a dog, so that helps too.

The tack story is from the book, “Sailing Alone Around the World”, by Joshua Slocum. I think he was somewhere off the South American coast when he said he was given that advice and followed it. Although the “tack” deterrent may have worked onboard Spray more than 120 years ago, there are probably better methods available now.

I got the wedding treatment once in White Bay JVD. We arrived early at about 9 and no other boats were in the Soggy side. A woman was waiving arms at us from beach. I swam in to see what she wanted. She informed me we had to leave as her daughter was getting married on the beach at 1 pm. Our boat would mess up the pictures. I told her that at 1 pm our boat would be the least of her problems!

oh really I don't remember reading that book anyway ha ha i was thinking I would probably forget the tacks were there and end up stepping on them myself

Quote "I would probably forget the tacks were there and end up stepping on them myself"

Lots of battery powered motion detector alarms available that won't stick in your feet.