Rules

[daletournier]

Today I arrived back in my home port after 6 years abroad, Tweed river NSW Australia. Had only been here for two hours when maritime (water police) approached me and advised me that they will take photos of my boat and that I can only anchor here for a maximum of 28 days per calander year before recieving a fine. Also when using the dinghy to go a shore (50m) if by myself I must wear a life jacket! If someone else is in the dinghy I then only have to have the jackets aboard but not on.
Wow!!!! It was actually so ridiculous it was laughable. I asked him very politely if theres anything regulation wise I need to know regarding wiping my a... in NSW.
He was actually a very nice guy just doing his job BUT when are we going to workout that a nanny state only ends badly.
Rant over.



Sent from my vivo Y35 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[MarkJ]

That's why I'm never going back.

[El Pinguino]

My boat is never going back....

I think the poms have a word for it - 'jobsworths' - https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/jobsworth

[svseachange]

Yeah, I was also been given lifejacket talk by a "very pleasant" water cop here in Balmain within a few weeks of moving our boat here. I had a life jacket in the dinghy for my 50m row but not on.

Our boat is now registered with AMSA, Qld and NSW to keep everyone happy. And I got my NSW boat licence. All seems very heavy handed after spending 20 years in North America.

We are moving the boat north to my home state of Queensland in April/May. I'm under the impression things are a bit more flexible up there. We'll see.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by svseachange

We are moving the boat north to my home state of Queensland in April/May. I'm under the impression things are a bit more flexible up there. We'll see.

Pigs bum Queensland will be better.
Well, it was slightly better compared to NSW when I was there, but we had the heavy booted cops on board a few times.

In the 6 months in Australia we were bailed up by police more times than the rest of the 8 years world wide, combined.

Here in the Caribbean you may get a paperwork inspection once every 6 months... but its an area that international boats are flicking between different country islands and drug smugglers working through from South America.

The other thing about northern Australia, above Cairns thru to Darwin is the daily flyover by CoastWatch planes sometimes with a VHF check in. It feels like being watched very carefully by Big Brother. Never have I been buzzed in that manner anywhere else in the world.
I know Australia needs laws and environment is important as in the security of out wet boarder (Australia's "Wall")... but it's a blessed relief to be in places where the laws are few.

I can have a beer or glass of wine on any beach unashamedly, from a unconcealed bottle out of a proper champagne flute, and then jump in the dink for the drive home.

I fail to see why Australians who buy their boat in the Med, USA or Caribbean are in such a hurry to get back home the land of signs, rules and Police harassing non-criminals for having fun.


Mark

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

... I fail to see why Australians who buy their boat in the Med, USA or Caribbean are in such a hurry to get back home the land of signs, rules and Police harassing non-criminals for having fun.
Mark

And the sign said "Long-haired freaky people need not apply"
So I tucked my hair up under my hat and I went in to ask him why
He said "You look like a fine upstanding young man, I think you'll do"
So I took off my hat, I said "Imagine that. Huh! Me workin' for you!"
Whoa-oh-oh

Sign, sign, everywhere a sign
Blockin' out the scenery, breakin' my mind
Do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign?

And the sign said anybody caught trespassin' would be shot on sight
So I jumped on the fence and-a yelled at the house, "Hey! What gives you the right?"
"To put up a fence to keep me out or to keep mother nature in"
"If God was here he'd tell you to your face, Man, you're some kinda sinner"

Sign, sign, everywhere a sign
Blockin' out the scenery, breakin' my mind
Do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign?

Now, hey you, mister, can't you read?
You've got to have a shirt and tie to get a seat
You can't even watch, no you can't eat
You ain't supposed to be here
The sign said you got to have a membership card to get inside
Ugh!

And the sign said, "Everybody welcome. Come in, kneel down and pray"
But when they passed around the plate at the end of it all, I didn't have a
penny to pay
So I got me a pen and a paper and I made up my own little sign
I said, "Thank you, Lord, for thinkin' 'bout me. I'm alive and doin' fine."
Wooo!

Sign, sign, everywhere a sign
Blockin' out the scenery, breakin' my mind
Do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign?

Sign, sign, everywhere a sign ...

[rognvald]

Dale, don't you feel safe? Isn't it great to have Big Brother think for you rather than having to think for yourself? Don't get out of line . . . don't question authority . . . and don't go counter to the current. You know, anything you can do the government can do better. Ask me how I know after the last 8 years in the US. Good luck and safe sailing.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Sign, sign, everywhere a sign
Blockin' out the scenery, breakin' my mind
Do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign?

Thanks, Gord.

That song was so ahead of its time. They certainly nailed it. Great song.

[Crazy Talk]

As a US citizen who has never visited your country this thread goes against every preconception I have about Australia.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by Crazy Talk

As a US citizen who has never visited your country this thread goes against every preconception I have about Australia.

Me too, and I almost emigrated there in 1981. However thee are a whole lot more people now than just a little while ago, and I think that has a lot to do with it.
There are more than twice as many people on the Earth than there were when Gord's song was written

[boatman61]

Seemed pretty much okay to me.. yes I did have the daily fly over and chat through the Torres and till a day outa Darwin but they were great to break up the days..
Darwin after clearing in was fine and I noticed nothing overbearing.. the same down in Perth.. once they realised I was not stealing a boat.. in fact they apologised for bringing me back in once they'd heard my tale.. tho' I must confess they did play the 'Heavy' till I was tied up alongside again..
On the whole during my 6 or so weeks in Perth everyone was fine.. even the petrol sniffing Abo who shouted at me every day as I headed for the Supa and my Internet fix.. same in Albany and Port Fairy as I crossed the Bight..
And Tassie.. never saw a single copper.. so.. from a foreigners view point the only downside was the exorbitant price of a bottle of beer.. coming from a land of 1euro a bottle.. and the Caribe at $1.50.. if your not in St Barts..
Hell.. $9/bottle was horrendous and that was 2012.. dread thinking what it must be today.. made a bottle of Bundi seem a bargain..

[Island Time O25]

$9 a bottle? It probably includes $8 worth of environment saving tax. The one to offset the harm done by the beer use by-product on the neighborhood vegetation.

Hey, if all those 'copter overflights and drug sniffing dogs don't scare a potential wetback - $9 beer surely will. I'm not even going to ask about free pretzels and nuts with that.

Bet you aborigines now wish they had that $9 beer back in the day. Would've saved them a whole lotta country.

[rwidman]

At least you don't have to worry about your neighbors packing guns like we do in the USA.

You people elected the people who make the laws in your country. How did that happen? Are most folks happy with the Government controlling their lives?

[Suijin]

I think it's true everywhere. I was in Connecticut a few years ago and was troubleshooting my outboard in a marina, tucked back in a cove way WAY away from the very small and largely deserted channel into the harbor. Started the engine and took a loop out in the cove, about 50 yards, and on my way back a police boat comes tearing up and "pulls me over".

I got a $100 ticket for no life preserver. They asked for my "boater's certificate" and when I told them that I was from Maryland, and grandfathered based on my age they were highly skeptical. Interestingly, showing them my USCG captain's license left them unimpressed and they informed me that they were "overlooking" my lack of a certificate. WTF.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by daletournier

Today I arrived back in my home port after 6 years abroad, Tweed river NSW Australia. Had only been here for two hours when maritime (water police) approached me and advised me that they will take photos of my boat and that I can only anchor here for a maximum of 28 days per calander year before recieving a fine. Also when using the dinghy to go a shore (50m) if by myself I must wear a life jacket! If someone else is in the dinghy I then only have to have the jackets aboard but not on.
Wow!!!! It was actually so ridiculous it was laughable. I asked him very politely if theres anything regulation wise I need to know regarding wiping my a... in NSW.
He was actually a very nice guy just doing his job BUT when are we going to workout that a nanny state only ends badly.
Rant over.

'Sounds like you missed a turn and ended up in Southern California. Bin your faulty nav gear, buy an ipad and we'll see you in Italy and Croatia in a year or two.