Ajchan 10 years ago on Trust chief: Anchorage fees must be nationwide
Trust chief: Anchorage fees must be nationwide
I am frankly surprised that the trustees of the Bahamian National Trust would permit the unsubstantiated bombast of the chairman Eric Carey to stand unchallenged. His comment
....“They come down there they anchor and they pay absolutely nothing and they come fully stocked. Half of the time they don’t even spend $5 in the Bahamas and what do they eat? Our fish,”....
is unsubstantiated and irresponsible. I am a regular visitor to the Bahamas and in addition to the $300 entry fee, I spend thousands of dollars annually on fuel, food and services. To imply that boaters are opportunistic free loaders who do nothing to contribute to the local economy is untrue and inflammatory. Adopting a stance of "pay or go elsewhere" is short sighted and will harm local businesses as many people will actually chose to go elsewhere.
While a dialogue on how to protect the natural beauty of the Bahamas is long over due, to single out boaters as the sole source of environmental stress is naive. Instead of engaging the cruising community as a partner and a resource, Mr. Carey seems to view visitors on boats as a troublesome burden who should be exploited at will.
Eric Carey has done the Bahamas National Trust a disservice with his ham fisted undiplomatic remarks and he should be sanctioned by his trustees for alienating visitors and potential visitors to the Bahamas.
Canucksailor 10 years ago on Trust chief: Anchorage fees must be nationwide
Trust chief: Anchorage fees must be nationwide
Mr. Carey - google my name, Wally Moran, along with the word sailing. Now, tell me you want me discussing your willingness to drive cruisers away from your islands with more fees. Tell me you want me discussing your dismissive attitude towards tourists who travel on boats. Do you have any idea how large my personal audience is, and just in North America? Your islands survive on tourism. Your attitude is to drive us away. Is that an intelligent way to help your country? I think not. My personal plans for this coming winter were to sail through the Bahamas on my way to Cuba, spending a considerable amount of time, and money, while there. I also planned on producing a video extolling the beauties of cruising in the Bahamas, something to promote your country. YOUR attitude, Sir, means that I will go directly to Cuba, and leave you with nothing. Is that what you want? Just how stupid do you think we cruisers are? If you don't want us, we'll gladly go elsewhere, and to hell with you. This is not what I want. I happen to love your islands, I'll miss going there, but if your attitude prevails, there are other places I can go - and WILL go. Perhaps you have forgotten, boats are mobile. We can go where we are welcomed. You need to rethink your attitude, before we rethink it for you.
skipgundlach 10 years ago on Trust chief: Anchorage fees must be nationwide
Trust chief: Anchorage fees must be nationwide
I've been to the national park, and very much enjoyed myself there.
However, I anchored out in a vast area with nearly no boats. The mooring balls were full.
In areas with safe, effective mooring balls, there are always those who will gladly pay for them. If there are viable alternatives (such as the area we were anchored in), I see nothing wrong with mooring balls.
However, the approach isn't one designed to win friends among the cruising community. There are now many moorings in Elizabeth Harbour - but none of them are rated for anything most folks using a mooring are interested in - protection from a blow which would threaten an anchored boat.
Put in all the moorings you want, but don't limit the ability to anchor out. You'll find takers if they are reasonably priced, safe and secure. If you make it such that the only ones who can come and spend their money in your area are those who can ALSO afford a mooring ball you will limit the number who can come by more than just the number of balls installed - which in itself is self-limiting.
I know of many cruisers who are effective fishermen - but they STILL participate in shoreside spending.
Most of the cruisers do not fish at all, and some of the rest are only the most occasional fisherfolk. As one on a very limited budget (requiring, now that relatives have stripped my retirement funds, with no visible prospect of repayment, working some months of the year - in the US, as I'm not allowed to contribute to your economy other than to pay people for goods and services there), I still get all my food, gasoline and diesel fuel, propane, repair parts, services etc., there, purchased from your businesses, while in your wonderful waters. I believe I represent the bulk of cruisers to your country.
When I learned of the proposed increase in entry fees, I actively considered passing by. Now that it has been reversed, I was still planning on coming next year (we do our visiting in the warmer months, unlike most other cruisers). But I can tell you categorically that we cannot afford mooring fees, whether daily, monthly, or multi-month discounted rates. We would have to give it a pass.
Likewise, we are not alone, and, I believe, represent a significant portion of the cruising community in financial terms.
l eagerly await movement on this subject, as it is a critical step in the decision of whether to continue to support the Bahamian economy...
Osborn 10 years ago on Trust chief: Anchorage fees must be nationwide
Trust chief: Anchorage fees must be nationwide
He is grossly misinformed about spending by cruisers visiting the bahamas. We spend several months there each winter and spend plenty. We eat out several times a week and would do so more often if there were more places to do so. We also buy plenty, if not all of our groceries, especially perishables. We also pay the $300 entry fee and rent moorings in the park several times each season.
Sure, there are some who don't pay anything but to implement these fees will surely drive away cruisers, you can take that to the bank.