Holding tank disposal

[Neil Holck]

Thinking of going to the Bahamas next winter. Can't seem to find their laws concerning where we can empty the holding tank. Do they have a lot of pumpout stations? Do they have a "distance from shore limit" (like our 3 mile one) and, if so, what is it? Anyone know the laws?

[FSMike]

Pump out stations are practically non-existent. My best recommendation is to pump out offshore off soundings, by which I mean over 300' of depth. In the Bahamas that's going to mean in the Tongue of the Ocean, or Exuma Sound, or similar.
The object is to not pump out in confined harbors or areas with little current flow.
I have no ideas what the specific Bahamian laws are from location to location.

If you find it necessary to pump out while sailing across the banks, that's a lot better than pumping out in a small anchorage. It's a matter of doing what your common sense tells you is best, rather than worrying about what people will tell you are the fine legal details.
In my experience most people in the Bahamas do not use holding tanks to start with, unless they are in a confined area with little current flow, or in severely populated anchorages such as Georgetown.
I'm going into my foxhole now.