New daily anchoring fees for Exuma Land and Sea Park

[stormalong]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Cheapest Nordic 44 I've found is $108,000... guess $154/week must hurt a lot.

Wow, what an attitude. I lived aboard my boat for 19 years and visited 62 countries. If I spent $154 a week for just six months a year that would be four grand per year. Over 19 years that adds up to $76,000. Yes, I could pay that but I have better things to do with my money.

The very reason I was able to cruise for 19 years without working was because I managed my money carefully.

[mikedefieslife]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Cheapest Nordic 44 I've found is $108,000... guess $154/week must hurt a lot.

And a house is even more expensive, but few would welcome a $154 p/w tax on a $108,000 property.

[DotDun]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Never know.. maybe they'll dinghy out to you and knock on your hull at 0600 for the fee..

They are usually around 6pm actually. The park warden hits the out mooring fields, collects the envelopes (with $$ inside) out of the drop boxes and compares envelopes with boats in the mooring field. If he finds no envelope with your boat name, he knocks on your boat.

AFAIK, they only have 1 park warden boat running at any one time. Since they don't have drop boxes at every anchor spot, they'll need more park warden boats and more people.

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Probably not, although that might depend on the repercussions, as well as how badly I wanted to visit. I’d certainly go much further than that to clear in through customs. So it’s not like we cruisers won’t or can’t do it. It just comes down to a cost-benefit type of analysis I suppose.

In this case I guess I’d wait for them to show up to collect the fee, or perhaps pay the fine. But I wouldn’t intend NOT to pay just b/c I don’t agree with their rules (which I thought was the tenor or the discussion).

I agree, if you anchor inside the park you *should* pay. But I agree with SB in as much as if this is like most things in the Bahamas, they probably won't collect the majority of the time, they simply don't have the infrastructure to do so. They need more drop boxes, better information on where they are at, etc.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by mikedefieslife

And a house is even more expensive, but few would welcome a $154 p/w tax on a $108,000 property.

Silly analogy is it not..
Anyway, I doubt anyone would anchor there for more than a week.. if you chose to pay the fee drop your hook.. if you don't sail on by.
Just quit with the crying when your on a boat worth more than many earn in a lifetime.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by stormalong

Wow, what an attitude. I lived aboard my boat for 19 years and visited 62 countries. If I spent $154 a week for just six months a year that would be four grand per year. Over 19 years that adds up to $76,000. Yes, I could pay that but I have better things to do with my money.

The very reason I was able to cruise for 19 years without working was because I managed my money carefully.

Damn you must be careful.. we have folks on here with boats a tad smaller than yours struggling to manage on 4grand a month..
As for attitudes..!!!

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by DotDun

….I agree, if you anchor inside the park you *should* pay. But I agree with SB in as much as if this is like most things in the Bahamas, they probably won't collect the majority of the time, they simply don't have the infrastructure to do so. They need more drop boxes, better information on where they are at, etc.

I don’t doubt you’re correct (I’ve never been there). Maybe they will add more drop boxes and info as part of this expanded money grab. Or maybe they really don’t care, and this is just rhetoric. Or maybe they is a way for them to issue bigger fines.

My comments are really aimed at those here who seem to be suggesting it’s fundamentally unfair for them to do this. It’s their country. We are visitors. It’s up to them to decide what is in their best interest.

[mikedefieslife]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Silly analogy is it not..
Anyway, I doubt anyone would anchor there for more than a week.. if you chose to pay the fee drop your hook.. if you don't sail on by.
Just quit with the crying when your on a boat worth more than many earn in a lifetime.

Of course it is, as you posted in a live-aboard forum. These boats are people's homes.

[alansmith]

We addressed this just the other day as Stu Jackson remarked. Ya all better get used to it because that is the way it is going everywhere. Go and Google it if you don't think it is so. Bob Dylan's song "The Times They Are A Changing"...says it all.

Gov't looks for revenue where ever they can find it. I inherited my parent's home in 2012. The inherited property tax bill per year was 1200 dollars/yr. This season it jumped up to 1800 dollars/yr. It was not due to increase in value of the home...which i have rebuilt completely in the last six years. But due to increases for bonds for this and that.

Gov't are hungry for revenue where ever they can get it. It is their country and they have every right to do what they feel is best. It encroaches on your travel plans and your expense reports...for sure. Ever hear the phrase, "hide and watch?" It don't take too much intelligence to understand that boating is going to get more expensive as the years unwind. "Times...they are a changing" Bob Dylan

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by mikedefieslife

Of course it is, as you posted in a live-aboard forum. These boats are people's homes.

Yes.. but they are 'Mobile Homes'.. they have to come from somewhere to get there.. if they find the fee is to steep they move on the next day.. just as one would if one drove into the Crystal Palace Caravan Park in London.
Same as you in your cat.. arrive.. to dear.. move on.
Squatters rights only apply outside the 3 mile limit.

[alex_sauvage]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Yes.. but they are 'Mobile Homes'.. they have to come from somewhere to get there.. if they find the fee is to steep they move on the next day.. just as one would if one drove into the Crystal Palace Caravan Park in London.
Same as you in your cat.. arrive.. to dear.. move on.
Squatters rights only apply outside the 3 mile limit.

There is already 300$ fee to cruise Bahamas, it is really not a squatting. To introduce another fee to the top without providing any service is unfair. They could install mooring bouys as it is done in other marine parks.... woukd keep everybody happier

[Navicula]

I would rather not pay...but man what a nice place...at 150 bucks a week it is worth it....I cruised the bahamas last winter and I did find that we are taking advantage of these waters, I paid 300 for a permit and I came fully stocked from florida, all I bought was fruit, we ate out 2 times in 4 months , we rented a car once, and emptied my tanks in there water...all for 300 bucks....my biggest cost was dinghy fuel to go spear fishing for dinner, at the end I felt a bit guilty, it comes to no suprise that more costs will be imposed , like you said at the grohto or big major and gerorge town with 300 boats, some dont move for months (where do you think they are discharging)...everytime I stepped out of my dinghy into the water at the chat and chill beach I would cring of the thought of all the boats had just flushed.....we went to the jumentos as well and I think it may be better than the exumas...

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by alex_sauvage

There is already 300$ fee to cruise Bahamas, it is really not a squatting. To introduce another fee to the top without providing any service is unfair. They could install mooring bouys as it is done in other marine parks.... woukd keep everybody happier

Maybe seem unfair to you, but not to them (the Park, or the country). Point is, it’s their country. As foreigners we have no rights to visit their land, and certainly no rights to decide what we should pay.

Don’t like it? Don’t go. If enough stop going, then maybe they’ll change their minds. Or maybe that is exactly the point of the policy; to drive people away. Either way, it all seems a bit like First World Problem.

[boatman61]

What you get for your $300.. or in my case if I sail across $150.
Go small.. Go now..

If entering The Bahamas by boat, there is a flat fee to clear Customs and Immigration, which is $150.00 for boats 35 feet and under and $300.00 for boats 31 feet and over. This covers a vessel with three persons or less. Also included is a cruising permit, a fishing permit, Customs and Immigration charges and the $25.00 Departure Tax is waived for up to three persons. Each additional person above three will be charged $25.00 Departure Tax.

[arsenelupiga]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Cruisers crying poverty is really not going to garner a lot sympathy. Most of us ARE rich — especially compared to most lesser-developed countries.

funny you say that. i presume you are sarcastic.

people in the 'rich' west work whole life so can afford last couple of healthy years to live with people in these 'poor' countries and this is best of what they experienced in their lives. See all the blogs on internet.

nope, people in these poor countries have desirable rich lifestyle, and not westerners, that are pretty much slaves. media presents it all wrong.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by arsenelupiga

funny you say that. i presume you are sarcastic.

people in the 'rich' west work whole life so can afford last couple of healthy years to live with people in these 'poor' countries and this is best of what they experienced in their lives. See all the blogs on internet.

nope, people in these poor countries have desirable rich lifestyle, and not westerners, that are pretty much slaves. media presents it all wrong.

If I’m understanding you correctly, I don’t think I disagree. But we are talking about financial/material wealth here. We’re not talking other forms of wealth, which I would agree, are fundamentally more valuable.

Many Westerners have gone cruising specifically because they recognize that the consumerist lifestyle is a trap.