Crime Whilst Cruising the Bahamas

[Nicholson58]

We've sailed Abacos a few times on Florida Charters. We never had a moment's trouble. Nothing but a great time and nice people.

[Blue Crab]

Originally Posted by foamcore

A friend of mine had an outboard pinched from the dink in Georgetown last week.

Nassau sure. But in Georgetown, is it the consensus that locals got it rather than a neighboring yacht upon hard times?

[foamcore]

Don't know about concensus. The motor was down and on the dink for one day. Didn't get put away overnight and was gone the next morning. Sounds to me like someone was keeping an eye out.

[Sea Yawl Later]

Wow, we just left GT on Wednesday after having been there a month. A lot of people leave their dinghy down us included. I am surprised I didn't hear about it. Thanks for the info because we are going back in about 3 weeks for the Family Regatta.

[Texasdave]

I can only say that I happen to be on a cruse ship last October, who's last stop was at the private Island they own there. In the middle of the night they stopped to pickup people on a boat that was sending out a distress call. When the ship approached the people refused to leave the boat. They stated they did not know who owned the boat but would not leave it. The ship sent a tender over to them but again they refused help. so after much conversation with them and the ship contacting the coast guard. the ship left them and went on into Miami. It made us very late docking and I have heard of people sending out fake distress calls to rob the people who respond. I do not know this to be the case of this incident but have often suspected that might have been what they were trying.
Dave

[Lowcountry]

I have heard that the consensus is that when things get stolen from cruising boats down in George Town, it's usually being done by other people on cruising boats. I read that in Cruising World if I recall correctly. Either way, there is no excuse for stealing anything from anyone at any time.

[Sea Yawl Later]

A fellow cruiser would be the last person I would suspect of taking anything. I have found cruisers to be generous with not only their time but of their possessions. On the cruisers net you only have to mention a need, and if someone can fill that need you can count on it! We cruised last year and have been in the Exumas since January. That is not a lot of experience but that has been ours.
Sea Yawl Later!!
Linda

[Lowcountry]

That has been my experience as well, which is why I was surprised to read that there had been theft down there amongst cruisers.

[S/V Antares]

We have been crusing the Bahamas for the last 4 years. The big theft item is Yamaha outboards over 150 HP. A new 250+ HP is a clear target if left unattended on a lift at a dock. . I have never heard of anyone cruising having any issues. The little petty crime there is here is local on local on land. I never lock my boat or dink untill I get back to the states.

[Scott730]

Antares
I couldn't agree more. I have NEVER had anything stolen in 3 years cruising the Bahamas. The people are the kindest, nicest people I have ever met. The big outboard are the only hot targets, helps with moving drugs to the end users, the USA. Sad but true.

[osirissail]

Originally Posted by Sea Yawl Later

A fellow cruiser would be the last person I would suspect of taking anything. . . . Linda

Unfortunately in most of the Caribbean/Bahamas the two top categories for boat thieves are first "drug users" who need money for more drugs - and - cruisers without sufficient money to continue cruising when something breaks. These "poor-folk" have been known and seen "borrowing" stuff from other boats without permission. But by and large the overwhelming number of current thieves are "drug" related.
- - Specifically in the Bahamas and Georgetown - about 6 or so years ago there was a rash/large amount of dinghy motor stolen from the docks at Exuma Market. So many that the market installed a video surveillance system and hired a person to monitor and operate it. They were able to watch and catch the thief using the system.
- - It was explained by the authorities at the time that there is a major theft ring operating in the Bahamas stealing dinghy motors of all sizes/hp's. It operated on the premise that if you stole 2 - 15hp motors you could "fence" them for one 25hp or so motor. Motors stolen in the Exumas were collected and moved to the Abacos and vice versa.
- - In the specific Exumas Market incident, the thief was not too lucky as when hauled before the Magistrate - who just that week had his own outboard motor stolen - he was given a maximum sentence to jail time even though it was his "first offense."

[s/v 'Faith']

Originally Posted by Lowcountry

I have heard that the consensus is that when things get stolen from cruising boats down in George Town, it's usually being done by other people on cruising boats. I read that in Cruising World if I recall correctly.....

I know of many cruisers who get in a bind (like death in the family) who trust their boats to 'strangers' they meet in an anchorage... I would be comfortable with this.

It is difficult to express the boundless honor among cruisers I have met. I have known people to risk their lives for strangers without a thought.... The bond (at least in my experience) is much stronger then what every you might have read would suggest.

I do see it as important to be reasonable, (precautions are part of personal responsibility in my book)... but my experience is that cruisers are honorable in all things (except maybe anchoring too close, or cheating at cards).

[capn_billl]

I walked around Nasua at midnight last year no problems. Every island is different though. There was a lot less tension, and violence than most US cities even though the people were obviously poorer.

[skyskier]

Originally Posted by GnarlyMon

Just got though reading the posts of the attack on Mike Harker from last year on St. Maarten. Very sad. I hope he has recovered. Anyway, we are planning a passage from FL to Abacos and Exuma next Febraury. Just curious, what is the situation with regards to crime for cruisers in the Bahamas?

Mike Harker was my friend for over 50 years, I just heard about Mike's passing last friday in Marigot. I am NOT a sailor but I have been around boat racing since I met Mike in 1961, we ski raced together,behind 18 ft. flat bottom boats. I'm trying to find out ANY info as to whether or not Mike's death was a result of the beating he took awhile back when his boat was boarded while anchored in the harbor. All we know at this time we got from a post on another site, stating it was thought he had a stroke. Me and a couple other "old ski racers" were gonna meet Mike up in San Francisco at the boat show later this month. The attached pics are of Mike riding a skyski when he was here in the states.....
all of us ALWAY's looked forward to the rare occasion when Mike was here in America. If anybody know's of another sail boat forum this could be posted on , please let me know.
thanks in advance, and sorry for such a long read on the 1st post.

Denny Scales

[osirissail]

By and large, the cruising community is one of the best examples of "help thy neighbor" type societies. But just like the Garden of Eden, there are occasional "snakes" that can spoil your day.
- - This idyllic type cruising society leads to the existence of being rather naive about security and crime. Been there, done it, got the tee-shirt after $3K of theft off me and my boat while down island. It is amazing how many cruisers are such easy marks for various thieves. So much so that the byword in the Caribbean/Bahamas is "Lock it or lose it." Desperate people, be they under-funded other boaters or land thieves will find you and help you "update" your boat by causing you to have to buy replacement stuff.
- - So you can learn from others to be savvy and protect what is yours with some simple security measure or learn the hard way. I learned it the hard way. The problem with learning the hard way is it really turns you off to continuing cruising and you just want to go home to land.