Boarded in Nassau

[Vasco]

0400 hrs wife woke me up. Somebody in the cockpit. I grabbed my baseball bat and made a lot of noise. The creep jumped over the side. I found a kayak tied to my arch. I let it go and the flood carried it out of the Harbour to the east.

Half an hour later saw the creep swimming back towards the boat. I guess to get his kayak back. I shone a spot on him and called the RBDF. The guy swam to shore on Paradise Island side. RBDF responded fairly quickly and searched the shore.

About 0600 I saw a guy paddling a kayak across the Harbour. Called RBDF. They just missed the guy but recovered the kayak which he must have stolen to get back across to the Nassau side.

I had a good chat with the Defense force officer and learned that this did not occur too much now and that they used to do it around 2300 but now usually try to board around 0400.

It's an unsettling experience. I always haul my dink up here and it's not easy to board from the stern. Im going to drop the aft part of my full enclosure. That'll make it more difficult.


Toronto in summer, Bahamas in winter.

[Cormorant]

Just curious -- where exactly were you anchored there, and how far from shore?

[Captain Bill]

This is why we don't go to Nassau.

[zboss]

We just spent a week in Nassau at the Baystreet Marina and we didn't think much of security but we did spend a day in front of Junkanoo beach. When we dinghied into Fat Tuesdays to leave the dink we always had a lot of guys checking out of dink, so we were sure to lock it real well.

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by Cormorant

Just curious -- where exactly were you anchored there, and how far from shore?

A few hundred feet from the shore at the Cloisters on Paradise Island. The guy paddled from the east end of Nassau. A very bad area. He paddled all across the Harbour to get to me. There were lots of boats anchored close to shore where he came from. Don't know why he came all the way over here. Anyway he'll have to steal another kyak to have another go. He stole one to get home but the defense force recovered that one.


Toronto in summer, Bahamas in winter.

[svHyLyte]

Originally Posted by Vasco

.... There were lots of boats anchored close to shore where he came from. Don't know why he came all the way over here. ...

Obviously Rick, such a handsome yacht makes an attractive target, No?

[AnchorageGuy]

Regardless of what the RBDF might say, this is very common in Nassau, for both boats at anchor and those in marinas. Lock yourself in at night and leave nothing on deck that isn't very secure. Use chain instead of cable. A cable can be cut one strand at a time with a pair of wire cutters no matter what they are made of. The best advise I can offer is to not spend too much time in Nassau. Chuck

[RTB]

Originally Posted by svHyLyte

Obviously Rick, such a handsome yacht makes an attractive target, No?

I thought they were after Rick's rum supply.

Sorry to hear your report. Happy to hear that no one got hurt. I need to step up my security before we head back.

Ralph

[Stu Jackson]

Glad you're safe.

[Group9]

Originally Posted by Captain Bill

This is why we don't go to Nassau.

Yep. And, when I do, I suck it up and pay to stay in a marina for security.

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by Group9

Yep. And, when I do, I suck it up and pay to stay in a marina for security.

THe marinas are no safer from these sneak thieves. Last year a buddy was in a marina with good security (Harbour Central) and lost cash and jewelry in the night to someone who paddled or swam up. They are quite stealthy. We're lucky he stepped on a cockpit locker lid which squeaks badly and woke my wife up.



Toronto in summer, Bahamas in winter.

[MarkJ]

Hey Rick, Glad you and Mrs I are OK.

Its good that the authorities responded quickly on both occasions.

Vigilance

[CSY Man]

Heard the same thing about Nassau for years, nothing new there.
Only spent one night in Nassau, Hurricane Hole Marina, or some such name.

Usually anchor next to Rose Island on our way to or from the Exumas.

[Arthur Garfield]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

Glad you're safe.

Echo/ditto/what he said .......!


All the Best

[nautical62]

Vasco, I'm sorry to hear of your experience. I'm sure it was scary. Thanks for keeping us informed. I've avoided Nassau on my most recent Bahamas trips and your experience encourages me to continue that practice.