More "cruisers" violate borders and more on S/V Zatara

[Tetepare]

So they quarantined off the yacht club, and finally gave in to the lure of young girls, music, and fellowship of drunken white men. I certainly could understand if it were buffet night, since the yacht club does have a great buffet at very reasonable prices.

While I understand quarantine laws are there for a reason, laws in Solomon Islands are flexible, enforced often sporadically and partial to political affiliation- not unlike USA. Purely speculation, but I will bet that wasn’t their first trip to the yacht club, but this time they did something to PO a local with connections in RSIP- that’s usually how one falls afoul of “the law” in SI.

[mindsofman]

Originally Posted by RaymondR

Non specific comment on the habits of "authorities".

Check and see whether or not their so called elites are in lock down or still jet setting on their tax payer funded international junkets?

I second this gentleman,

[Wallaby]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

Although they are "small island nations", these guys' customs and immigration services have been linked by computer communication since at least 1990, when we learned about it. Call it "enhanced" coconut telegraph.

--from the newspaper article linked in the first post

So now we know the Whitakers think it is okay to post lies on their blog. I, for one, will not ever look at it. For those of you who think boycotting might be too harsh, it is that each of us who leaves his/her country of origin to go cruising is of necessity a sort of friendship ambassador to the countries we visit. If they lie to people who look at their blog, they'll lie to anyone. Such people do not leave a "clean wake" for the cruisers who follow. One can never trust liars, except that they will continue to lie. Unfortunately, such behavior tarnishes all cruisers to the countries they visit, creates ill will towards us.

I feel really bad they're teaching their kids this. It is totally contrary to what most of the international cruising community stands for.

Good on the Solomon Is. for enforcing their laws.

Ann

If you are going to post comments such as these, perhaps you should cite specific examples of the lies you accuse them of. Broad generalities, avoiding the specific merits/issues, and comments that verge on ad hominem, tend to fallacy of the worst kind.

Critical thinking, which is nowadays in very short supply, begins with 'crap detection', and divorcing oneself from personal beliefs and opinions. Otherwise, one's point of view becomes so biased that any useful contribution is no longer possible.

[RaymondR]

Yep, the unintended consequences of this sort of anarchy are horrendous.

Centuries ago there was a bunch of these anarchic folks who, in a fit of pique, consigned numerous cargoes of tea to a watery grave and thereby consigned an entire nation to the habit of drinking that barbarous concoction called coffee instead of the more civilized tea.

You just never know where this sort of behavior will lead.

[Augi]

Originally Posted by Discovery 15797

Here is Zatara's track on PredictWind

If you could access the Tongan news site, or the government's statement you would see there is some inconsistency with Zatara's accounts.

Even on his predict wind page he posted the following statement on July 2.


I don't know him personally so I can't speak to his character. I condemn his arrogant narcissistic behavior. I do not care about his nationality or that he is a Youtube busker. And, this has nothing to do with "fear based thinking," or herd mentality, or concern about spreading the virus. It has everything to do with respect for island nations in the Pacific and their laws and peoples.

I do agree with Ann...he is a youtube busker looking to carve his own path for self-promotion and trying to keep his coffer filled...I think it's that simple.

I am not following. What were the specific lie(s) or inconsistencies?

[Tetepare]

Originally Posted by Wallaby

If you are going to post comments such as these, perhaps you should cite specific examples of the lies you accuse them of. Broad generalities, avoiding the specific merits/issues, and comments that verge on ad hominem, tend to fallacy of the worst kind.

Not to speak for Ann, I believe much of what she wrote was a generality.

Following a research expedition to Solomon Islands in 2001, one of the worlds top butterfly researcher, the manager of a famed museum, went to SI and proceeded to smuggle out some very expensive butterflies. When I returned six months later, Forrestry had a big sign NO WILDLIFE EXPORTS NO REASON. They were absolutely furious that some white man had come, ignored their laws, and did what he wanted. It took me hours to calm them down and get my own license, thanks to the actions of a “visitor”.

Even in a banana republic, locals look poorly upon visitors who flaunt the laws, taking it as a sign of disrespect for their community and culture.

[Discovery 15797]

Originally Posted by Augi

I am not following. What were the specific lie(s) or inconsistencies?

If you're not following the conversation, I won't waste your time or mine.

But, if you go back through the threads, and read the articles from Tonga and such...I'm sure you will find some inconsistencies in what is being reported. (I did not accuse him of lying.)

Have a great day.

[Discovery 15797]

WTF is wrong with people?

It's like some of you have the attention span of a spoiled 2 year old child and reading comprehension below that. You simply want to chime in with nonsense that is completely irrelevant to the specific topic at hand.

If you want to discuss illegals crossing a border, or authorities in some unspecified location, or fines in Australia...start your own damn thread and stop hi-jacking other threads.

I am only interested in hearing opinions and thoughts from other cruisers about the situation in the Pacific islands, with specific regard to the respect for the current situation regarding lockdowns and the googans that feel they are entitled to violate those orders.

Thank you.

[Augi]

Originally Posted by Discovery 15797

If you're not following the conversation, I won't waste your time or mine.

But, if you go back through the threads, and read the articles from Tonga and such...I'm sure you will find some inconsistencies in what is being reported. (I did not accuse him of lying.)

Have a great day.

Thanks for the follow up.

I am following the thread. I read every post.

No one specifically described what the lies or inconsistencies are. So what specifically was a lie or was an inconsistency?

[odonnellryan]

Zatara posted a long winded "why do people seem to hate Americans" and covid-19 conspiracy-esque video on their YouTube a month and a half to two months ago. People did not like it and they lost a lot of subscribers. Myself included. After looking back on it, they rarely practice safety onboard with kids (at least in their videos) and generally seem irresponsible and very arrogant.

[Wallaby]

Originally Posted by odonnellryan

Zatara posted a long winded "why do people seem to hate Americans" and covid-19 conspiracy-esque video on their YouTube a month and a half to two months ago. People did not like it and they lost a lot of subscribers. Myself included. After looking back on it, they rarely practice safety onboard with kids (at least in their videos) and generally seem irresponsible and very arrogant.

"Rarely practice safety onboard with kids" means what, exactly? Their kids, their value systems and standards; not yours, or mine. There is a spectrum of behavior regarding risk, from risk averse to risk seeker. One is not better than the other, just different.

By your standard they "seem irresponsible and very arrogant," by another standard, they are instilling a sense of adventure, and a can-do attitude.

Personally, I do not watch Youtube voyeur-adventures. I prefer to have my own adventure.

[Augi]

Originally Posted by Discovery 15797

It seems 3 arrogant self-righteous 'cruisers' decided to sail to the Soloman Islands and enter the country illegally are now in jail and have been denied bail.

GOOD!

Contrary to what Whitaker on S/V Zatara published in his blog, or vlog or whatever...the gov't of Tonga denied him entry.

Here is the latest from Tonga News

I don't like the lockdowns, but I respect the laws of a nation and the wishes of the islanders. Thus, I wait patiently in Hawaii until things reopen, or I figure out plan B.

In a previous post someone suggested we have a freedom to travel. Perhaps we do. But that does not give us the freedom to enter another country illegally.

You suggested above Whitaker lied or was not accurate on is vlog. Did you not?

Before he left New Zealand Whitaker said on his vlog(I just watched it), that he had been in contact with the authorities in Tonga's borders were closed, that Fiji was open with restrictions and their fall back destination was American Somoa since Americans cannot be denied entry to USA soil.

Is it at least debatable whether Whitaker should have set sail under the circumstances or arrived in Tongan waters asking for entry knowing entry would not likely be permitted? Absolutely. Were his actions(his Plan B), and attitude arrogant and potentially result in "leaving a wake"? Yes.

I just wanted to know if a lie was told or something said was "off" by Whitaker what specifically it was because if that occurred I missed it.

[alansmith]

And in the mean time... nothing about the 3 sailors who are in the slammer. I got a chuckle about the tea thrown into the harbor and look where that led to.

So, we can look at how the actions of bad boys in England caused them to end up in Australia and Tasmania. You never know what actions will lead to what results. Can you imagine the aboriginal inhabitants mind set when the ships started pulling in?

[Discovery 15797]

Originally Posted by Augi

You suggested above Whitaker lied or was not accurate on is vlog. Did you not?

Before he left New Zealand Whitaker said on his vlog(I just watched it), that he had been in contact with the authorities in Tonga's borders were closed, that Fiji was open with restrictions and their fall back destination was American Somoa since Americans cannot be denied entry to USA soil.

Is it at least debatable whether Whitaker should have set sail under the circumstances or arrived in Tongan waters asking for entry knowing entry would not likely be permitted? Absolutely. Were his actions(his Plan B), and attitude arrogant and potentially result in "leaving a wake"? Yes.

I just wanted to know if a lie was told or something said was "off" by Whitaker what specifically it was because if that occurred I missed it.

I never accused the man of lying. I clearly stated there are inconsistencies between his account and the accounts available from Tongan news sources and official posts.

That's being said, I am inclined to trust Ann's perspective (women are generally more perceptive and wise when it comes to a man's true nature, and she has always seemed spot on in her posts). So, I suspect there are some half-truths being said. It makes for good video. Youtube buskers paint a picture they want their audience to see...just like reality TV.

Clearly in your third paragraph above you cite one such inconsistency, and you also understand my personal perspective of his behavior.

[Discovery 15797]

Originally Posted by alansmith

And in the mean time... nothing about the 3 sailors who are in the slammer. I got a chuckle about the tea thrown into the harbor and look where that led to.

So, we can look at how the actions of bad boys in England caused them to end up in Australia and Tasmania. You never know what actions will lead to what results. Can you imagine the aboriginal inhabitants mind set when the ships started pulling in?

Seems they had a court date on July 6. I can't find anything after that yet.

http://www.solomontimes.com/news/thr...n-islands/9993