The NEW Bahamas Travel Advisory

[gatorman49]

Originally Posted by zeehag

would it be possible for those who KNOW the area to discuss the reality instead of the communique, as those seem to be sensationalized in many cases.....

There is no sensationalizing the crime problem in Nassau. Its a dangerous place, pure and simple. Freeport about the same.



Stick to the Out Islands and you'll be much safer.

[gatorman49]

Originally Posted by mglonnro

Spent an evening and walked around in downtown Nassau just a couple of months ago. Was a nice place. Visited twice last year with a few days inside a gated community as well.

The travel advisories have plenty of useful information but imho shouldn’t be used to form blanket opinions.

You were very lucky.

[Pegu Club]

Originally Posted by Captain Bill

This is pretty much the same advisory they give every year.

This^^^
It’s the annual reminder to those that need to be reminded that there are places you don’t want to be.
Glad to see the State Department is doing their job, be safe out there.

Fair winds,

[marcus02]

Having lived half my life outside the US I have learned not to use the US Stare Department as a source for much of anything. And I have watched those who have confine themselves into ever shrinking bubbles. Be smart, be aware be happy. If you don't feel like you have the ability to deal outside your strip mall-stay home.

[atlroofman]

Originally Posted by Saleen411

The Bahamas Travel Advisory

Travel AdvisoryFebruary 25, 2019The Bahamas - Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution
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Exercise increased caution in The Bahamas due to crime.

Violent crime, such as burglaries, armed robberies, and sexual assault, is common, even during the day and in tourist areas. Although the family islands are not crime-free, the vast majority of crime occurs on New Providence and Grand Bahama islands. U.S. government personnel are not permitted to visit the Sand Trap area in Nassau due to crime. Activities involving commercial recreational watercraft, including water tours, are not consistently regulated. Watercraft are often not maintained, and many companies do not have safety certifications to operate in The Bahamas. Jet-ski operators have been known to commit sexual assaults against tourists. As a result, U.S. government personnel are not permitted to use jet-ski rentals on New Providence and Paradise Islands.

Read the Safety and Security section on the country information page.

If you decide to travel to The Bahamas:

Exercise caution in the area known as "Over the Hill" (south of Shirley Street) and the Fish Fry at Arawak Cay in Nassau, especially at night.
Do not answer your door at your hotel/residence unless you know who it is.
Do not physically resist any robbery attempt.
Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
Follow the Department of State on Facebook and Twitter.
Review the Crime and Safety Report for The Bahamas.
U.S. citizens who travel abroad should always have a contingency plan for emergency and medical situations. Review the Traveler’s Checklist.

Reading on this forum I hear time and time again that the police, tour operatiors, marina operators do not want to document any crimes reported to them in the Caribbean. Is this skewing the statistics ? Is there more crime than we hear of ? One other thing, more than one poster has mentioned he suspected other cruisers as the perpertrators of the theft on his boat. I am not experanced in any of this so am asking this being totally uninformed . Need the experance of this forum to let me know the true view from the good seats.

[mglonnro]

Originally Posted by gatorman49

You were very lucky.

I tell that to myself every time I wake up in the morning.

[akprb]

Originally Posted by gatorman49

There is no sensationalizing the crime problem in Nassau. Its a dangerous place, pure and simple. Freeport about the same.



Stick to the Out Islands and you'll be much safer.

It is not a dangerous place “pure and simple” any more than Miami or any other city. Having spent CONSIDERABLE time in both Freeport and Nassau I have had nothing but good experiences and yes I have left the confines of the marina.

Just be cool, know that you are in another country, make friends with the locals. Your ENERGY is what gets you in trouble.

You walk into a liquor store and it is FULL of drunk Bahamians laughing and speaking unintelligibly. You are as white as Casper the ghost in your crocs, cargo shorts, tee shirt and tilly hat.

What to you do? Smile and ask where the Kaliks are. If they hand you a beer accept it and relax. Ask questions, they LOVE to talk about their islands. If you think they overcharged you do not start an argument. Just relax.

Some cruisers just seem so jacked up walking around because the have read answers like yours and are terrified.

Am I saying be stupid? Would you walk into the heart of Miami’s worst neighborhoods after dark in that same outfit looking for a restaurant? No. Use the same common sense.

Rant over.

[Adelie]

Most months CSSN posts a Caribbean security report. I suspect the Bahamas are included.
Here’s the summary for 2018: http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...an-214452.html

[Pegu Club]

I would also say, to those that are wary of cities in general, especially “foreign “ locations. Just think a little before you go to a given location. We have successfully visited many cities in the US and abroad with no issues, try your best to not look like and act like an American on vacation, it helps a lot...

[GordMay]

All OSAC* Crime & Safety Reports ☞ https://www.osac.gov/Pages/ContentReports.aspx?cid=2


* US Department of State Overseas Security Advisory Council

[UFGator]

Originally Posted by akprb

It is not a dangerous place “pure and simple” any more than Miami or any other city. Having spent CONSIDERABLE time in both Freeport and Nassau I have had nothing but good experiences and yes I have left the confines of the marina.
Just be cool, Rant over.

Sorry. But it is not "pure and simple". Actually it is "pure and simple" a higher risk than Miami. The Bahamas are the 11th most dangerous country in the world for violent crime and the US is 45th (https://www.nationmaster.com/country...e/Crime-levels). The facts not only don't backup your "pure and simple" philosophy, the disprove it.

I love the Bahamas (I hate freeport and Nassau), but just "being cool" might work for the Fonz, but statistically it's not going to work for you b(or anyone else).

No one should be scared of going to the bahamas, but they should understand that the crime rate is 4x higher than what they are used to (freeport/Nassau) and should exercise proper caution.

[Captainmitch]

I must comment here from Experience !!!
For many years my wife and I would stop in Nassau at a marina (N.H.C.),to visit our friends who are Bahamain and live in Nassau.
He is a VERY high ranking official in the police force and has been for many years.
After going out to dinner with them on Sunday evening , they dropped us off at the boat and we went to sleep.
At 4:00AM I awoke to noise in out stateroom, as my eyes adjusted I realized that there was a large Bahamain male who was naked going thru the drawers in the stateroom.
As I reached for a weapon he heard me and dashed down the walk-thru and up into the cockpit the onto the dock
In the seconds that it took for me to asertain that he was not lying in wait in the cockpit and for me to dash up the stairs he was gone! We later found sea water and oil on the floor that he must have been wet with,(probably to keep someone from getting a grip to apprehend him).
I then found the security guards for the marina (who were asleep against a wall). They refused to call the police before their boss arrived on scene, so I called and awoke my friend who got a car on the way.
When the police arrived (2 men) they were surely and irritated at being there.
The police response/work was a joke at best. Every one of them (except my friend and one other) were grossly incompetent and uncaring.
In conversation with my friend (who I mentioned is a rather high official in the P.D.) , he laments that the crime problem is only getting worse and the "new" administration is uninterested in an active response.
So take the warnings as you will, but the truth is the truth.

[daydreamer]

In 2015 we were robbed in Nassau. Anchored in the harbor. Woke in the morning and all wallets were empty, purses ransacked. Just took cash and the newest of three phones. Left the credit cards and didn't disturb anything else.

Lock your doors at night.

Was back again two weeks later. Talked to two different locals that warned us to be back to our boat by dark.

Roughly 350k people and 700 Islands in the Bahamas. 250k people in Nassau. 50k in Freeport. The other 50k people are spread across the other 698 Islands.

Avoid the two big cities when you can, be careful when you can't, and enjoy the rest of the Bahamas.

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by zeehag

would it be possible for those who KNOW the area to discuss the reality instead of the communique, as those seem to be sensationalized in many cases.....

I have stayed in Nassau twice a season on my way to and from the Exumas every year for the last 15 years.

Since our first trip in 1990 we have been aware of sneak thieves boarding boats both at anchor and in marinas with security. .We were boarded once at anchor but managed to scare the thief off. Being boarded is a bit traumatic and we now are more vigilant when anchored in Nassau Harbour One of our friends was boarded in a marina and lost cash and jewelry. They slept through it.

We shop ashore sometimes walking miles. Have never had an incident. Met one cruiser who had a gold chain snatched but he got the best of the thief.

If you take elementary precautions such as not displaying wealth ashore and locking up at night you should be fine.

Once in the Out Islands theft or violence is very rare and cruisers don't lock their dinks or their boats although theft of large tenders ( multi HP center consoles) is not unknown.

In the Family Islands, communities are very small and everyone knows everyone. In fact many are related. My theory is that the bad actors are known so they leave and end up in Nassau.

In my view as far as crime against cruisers goes, nothing has changed since our first trip nearly 30 years ago.

[happydog]

I've found the many islands and places throughout the Abacos to be very safe and the Bahamians there great people to know and interact with.