Boarded in Nassau

[Prairie Chicken]

Very disturbing I'm sure, but happy to hear you're ok at the end of the day.

[DotDun]

Glad all are safe!

I avoid Nassau, but if you have to pickup crew, etc., we just stayed a night at Palm Cay Marina on the SE side of Nassau....it's located in a gated community, nice place and the cheapest diesel in all of the Bahamas that I found ($3.94/gal).

[Group9]

Originally Posted by DotDun

Glad all are safe!

I avoid Nassau, but if you have to pickup crew, etc., we just stayed a night at Palm Cay Marina on the SE side of Nassau....it's located in a gated community, nice place and the cheapest diesel in all of the Bahamas that I found ($3.94/gal).

That ain't bad. A week ago, it was 3.95 at The Wharf marina in Orange Beach, Alabama.

[rognvald]

Vasco,
Glad to hear that you and your wife avoided any personal harm. Your encounter is truly sad since Nassau is an outstanding place to re-provision for cruisers heading to and from the islands. However, as was the conversation in many previous discussions, the rules have changed and cruisers need to vote with their pocketbooks and spend money in those areas that appreciate their dollars. I, personally, hope that the Bahamas are not next in line to replicate the growing crime statistics found in the Windward/Leward Islands and Central and South America. "The times they are a changin' ". Good luck and safe sailing.

[CarstenWL]

... a British Sailor was shot to death on Friday it seems.

The Nassau Guardian

Really sad, no more information yet ...

Carsten

[hellosailor]

I'm thinking that perhaps we need a modern version of Slocum's tacks, more like a spike strip. Take two rubber sheets, like bathtub mats or carpet runners. Pound a couple hundred carpet tacks through one, glue the other one to the back to keep them in place. Roll it up to stow, so you don't have to pick up damn tacks, and unroll the welcome mat in the cockpit when you want a little extra warning?


Of course a proper yachtsman would have those hydraulically installed IN the topsides, but for the rest of us...

[Group9]

Originally Posted by CarstenWL

... a British Sailor was shot to death on Friday it seems.

The Nassau Guardian

Really sad, no more information yet ...

Carsten

British man shot dead after armed robbers board his sailboat | The Tribune

Good thing he didn't have a firearm. Things could have gone really bad.

[Vasco]

The ones that board you at anchor in Nassau harbor are sneak thieves who paddle out in stolen kayaks. This has been going on in Nassau since I first came in 1990. In those days they swam, now they paddle.

They are not armed robbers. In my instance yelling and a baseball bat was enough to make him jump over but I must admit it has made me and my wife re-think the question of having firearms.

Having someone board our boat at four in the morning has really disturbed us and will affect us for quite a while, even in quiet, safe anchorages.



Toronto in summer, Bahamas in winter.

[AnchorageGuy]

Originally Posted by Vasco

They are not armed robbers. In my instance yelling and a baseball bat was enough to make him jump over but I must admit it has made me and my wife re-think the question of having firearms.

Rick, In rethinking this, keep in mind that if you shoot even an armed intruder in the Bahamas, you will probably sit in a Bahamas prison while authorities sort things out and you finally get a hearing in front of a Magistrate. This can take months. And lord help you if the intruder you shot happens to be the Magistrates nephew. Oh, and you will need to hire and pay a local attorney to represent you. Carrying firearms in another country is an individual decision each must make on their own. It's best to find security solutions too keep intruders off the boat or prevent them from getting in the boat. We NEVER leave doors, hatches or any access to the interior open at night. If someone climbs on board, we immediately turn on deck lights, spreader lights and lay on our exterior horn. They will quickly exit without incident and probably not come back. And we also don't stay in Nassau any longer than we need to. The best approach is to know where the problem areas are and avoid them. There are too many other safe, wonderful places to visit in the Bahamas.

[RTB]

Originally Posted by Vasco

Having someone board our boat at four in the morning has really disturbed us and will affect us for quite a while, even in quiet, safe anchorages.

That's quite understandable, Rick. I'd feel the same.

If I may ask...do you have a way to secure the companionway from inside? I know, even in Nassau, we always have the boat opened up even when we sleep. Actually, no way to secure ours from inside. Maybe something like Mark J has? This would allow some airflow in the cabin.

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If you come up with some security ideas for yourself, please post them, or feel free to pm me.

Ralph

[Vasco]

In future I will open the cockpit locker and lazarette hatches slightly. Beneteau hatches have a spring loaded ball that slides into a hole in the hardware. If someone steps on a cockpit cushion (which they must do to get into the cockpit) the hatch will slam shut making enough noise to wake the dead. Then I will take the safety off my AK47.


Toronto in summer, Bahamas in winter.

[robert.]

I'm glad you are OK. What a bad experience. I guess it is something we have to deal with, choosing the life we do.

[FSMike]

When I stop in Nassau I avoid anchoring and usually dock at either Yacht Haven, which has the Poop Deck restaurant/bar, or Nassau Harbor Club, which has a swimming pool and is across the street from a shopping center with a good grocery, liquor store, a pizza place, and even a Starbucks!

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by FSMike

When I stop in Nassau I avoid anchoring and usually dock at either Yacht Haven, which has the Poop Deck restaurant/bar, or Nassau Harbor Club, which has a swimming pool and is across the street from a shopping center with a good grocery, liquor store, a pizza place, and even a Starbucks!

We always stay at Harbour Club for a day or two and then anchor if we have to wait for weather. Harbour Club is very cruiser friendly and Peter, Clarke and Dudley always do a good job of taking the lines and making you feel at home. But, even though they have security, marinas are not much different from anchoring as far as security goes. Many cruisers have been boarded and have had valuables stolen while in a marina in Nassau.

[bgallinger]

I'm done with Nassau.