St Lucia murder

[Hud3]

Vieux Fort is well off the cruiser and tourist paths. The marina there is for fishermen, not yachts.

I only spent one day and night there anchored off the marina while dropping off crew and picking up my wife, who flew down from the States to join me. It's very near the international airport. I didn't like the "vibes" of the place--it felt nothing like the areas the cruisers frequent-Rodney Bay, Marigot and Soufriere. We got out asap and sailed off to Bequia.

[terminalcitygrl]

I wonder why they were not permitted to clear out? It's sad that perhaps an administrative hiccup led to their having to spend the night in harms way.

[Celestialsailor]

They weren't permitted to clear out because Immigration did not show up for work that day. So that basically means it is a one man band. You can bet your booty that the Dept. of Tourism jumped on it immediately, trying to downplay the crime in the area...
"It is important that people do bear in mind, that generally speaking it is a safe place to visit.
"There are occasionally problems as there are in any country, and it's important that you take the same sensible security precautions that you would anywhere, such as making sure your hotel room is locked at night, avoiding walking in isolated areas late at night.
"If you take those sensible precautions, the chances of you being caught up in an incident as terrible as this are very, very small."

It's nice to have the Internet to spread word around on forums like this and sites like Noonsite. If nothing changes, then nothing changes, as the saying goes. If tourism begins to dry up, you'd see them all over the problem...generally speaking!

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by terminalcitygrl

I wonder why they were not permitted to clear out? It's sad that perhaps an administrative hiccup led to their having to spend the night in harms way.

They tried to clear out of Soufiere but the immigration officer wasnt on duty that day, so they went to vieux Fort to wait until minday and clear out.

I went to Vieux fort once by local mini bus, leaving the boat further north. Its a nice town. Just a normal town without tourists.

To generalise about the Caribbean: the Windward islands, excepting grenada and the French Islands, seem to have a slight 'poor bugger me' attitude where they blame the rich whites for all their problems.
In grenada they are the reverse where they still clearly remember ebing pulled out of impending communism by the USA in the invasion. There is still a wall outside town with a lot of PRO-USA graffitti. Not something Americans are used to seeing! Many signs thank the USA and the other aribbean countries for the invasion. That wall hasnt been painted out since the invasion and I think it shows a real depth of good feeling. The locals ALWAYS say good morning/good afternoon when you pass them in the street. THey are working hard to make money and see the tourists as their way to affluence, not their way to crime.

The french Islands dont have too much of a problem because of their general affluence.

In the Leward islands any local with half a brain and physically able can land a job because the tourist insdustry is so large and diverse and the local population so small.

Then you have the terrible problems of Hispanola. I think many of the Caribbeans criminals come from Haiti and they move through the islands desperate for anything.

I dont think the caribbean is particularly dangerous. I would be very reticent in Trinidad outside the marina, I wont go back to venuzeala, and think haiti is a basket case. In the other areas, its fine but criminals from the three bad countries have infiltrated so one must be on a high level of precaution. And that means locing yourself in at night.

Really, no boats do that. Lock themselves in at night - none. (Maybe some catamarans do) I have a little bet to my friends when I chat to them in bars, hereabouts: I bet you $1,000 Within a week I can break into your boat, while you are asleep, and wake you with my hand on your shoulder.

I make the same bet to you.

So how can we bleat if we dont lock up?

[Capt'n Ricko]

Very sad to hear this...

I read that the seminar attended recommended a barking dog motion alarm setup. I like that concept (if you don't want to contend with having a real live guard dog).

I plan to have the ability to lock myself in - but I have read that some robberies have pryed off locks and still got in...



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[Vasco]

Originally Posted by Capt'n Ricko

Very sad to hear this...

I read that the seminar attended recommended a barking dog motion alarm setup. I like that concept (if you don't want to contend with having a real live guard dog).

I plan to have the ability to lock myself in - but I have read that some robberies have pryed off locks and still got in...



https://www.facebook.com/CaptainRickoAndTheSvSecondWind

Welcome - svsecondwind's JimdoPage!

or they get pissed off and pour your outboard gas in through those nice steel bars.....

[robert sailor]

Geeez you guys, must be time to start a gun thread, it can't be that bad or no one in their right mind would be there. We are heading that direction late this year.

[Capt'n Ricko]

I'm certainly NOT an alarmist - or afraid to go places... However, some measures - like a barking dog alarm - seem prudent to me...

[rockDAWG]

Originally Posted by Capt'n Ricko

I'm certainly NOT an alarmist - or afraid to go places... However, some measures - like a barking dog alarm - seem prudent to me...

Along with the barking dog alarm, set up a relay to turn on some spot light onto the direction where the motion comes from preferably before they get closed to the boat.

Deterring is far more effective than active fighting.

[Vasco]

They're already aboard. How's your feeble fake dog bark going to stop them. How about a fake shotgun discharge. Here we go.

[Capt'n Ricko]

Or how about an alarm - strobe light setup that can be switched on from inside the cabin (along with flipping on all your outside spot lights) - like this one:

Signal Mate Controller - Console Mount [SM-C] - $349.00 : MISEA Group!, Marine Safety Energy Affiliates

[a64pilot]

Seems like some are just can't wait for a pro-gun guy. OK I fit that bill but I won't bring it up as it's useless and pointless. I applaud other for not going there either.

BUT, In my little mind the loud obnoxious noise alarm and bright lights sounds like it has some merit. Seemingly most bad guys like the cover of darkness and sneaking up on you, remove both of those and they may go away for easier prey.
There have been studies and most violent criminals stalk their prey not unlike wild animals, and they do pick out what they think are the easy marks.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by Vasco

They're already aboard. How's your feeble fake dog bark going to stop them. How about a fake shotgun discharge. Here we go.

I'm not sure this thread, about a cruiser loosing his life, is a good place to debate alarm systems.
The 'feeble dog bark' along with lights are pre-intrusion alarms. They are designed to go off as early as possible when someone attempts to board the vessel. Before they get to any locked hatches or companionways. At that point, they help to encourage the intruder to stop entering your boat and go rob your neighbors boat instead. The barking dog probably works better in Central America, where the locals are genuinely afraid of big dogs.

[rockDAWG]

Originally Posted by Vasco

They're already aboard. How's your feeble fake dog bark going to stop them. How about a fake shotgun discharge. Here we go.

Hopefully, the motion of the intruders will trigger the alarm long before they come on board.

[Vasco]

I guess the real question is do you fight or give in when boarded in the dead of night. It seems that many who have not fought have still been hurt, some severely. In some anchorages I don't see the possibility of pre-intrusion alarms as the boats do not lie quietly. In the Bahamas we do not lock our boat when ashore and I cannot remember one case of cruisers being robbed on their boats (other than in Nassau Harbour). We sleep with the companionway hatch open. If at anchor in Nassau I sometimes lay my winch handle on the first step of the companionway ladder. I do not carry firearms but do have my fish killing baby baseball bat handy. I sleep with it. Quite comforting.