Flags in Carribean area

[Jack_Sparrow]

Hello,

First of all I know there is huge post above about flags !!!

Any way I have a question

any vessel visiting a foreign port should fly that country's maritime ensign or national flag depending on the country

Ok, so if I have for example Cyprus flag(country of registration) and I travel in Italy I should have also Italian flag ?!

but I would travel carribean area and I would change country every week sometimes every day so I should have also all carribean countries flags??

[MarkJ]

You buy them at newsagents for $2. The ones school kids wave at parades.

[TeddyDiver]

Or a bit better ones and make a quilt when you're done..

[ryon]

It's a sign of respect, and I think a nice tradition. Just be sure to fly Puerto Rico's flag right side up!

[ryon]

Oh, wait! Jack Sparrow? Never mind.

[Jack_Sparrow]

Originally Posted by ryon

Oh, wait! Jack Sparrow? Never mind.

So maybe I should have a pirate one

[Jack_Sparrow]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

You buy them at newsagents for $2. The ones school kids wave at parades.

I quess I would buy it also in any marina I would stay. I quess I shouldn't have a problem at all to buy it anywhere but wanted make sure if I need them for 100%

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by Jack_Sparrow

I quess I would buy it also in any marina I would stay. I quess I shouldn't have a problem at all to buy it anywhere but wanted make sure if I need them for 100%

No, you can never buy them at marinas. Theres two places: Newsagents for $2 or chandleries for $22. I kid you not. Your choice

I always buy mine on arrival just after clearing in because some countries do get grumpy if you dont fly one

Look at this chandlery catalogue and tally up what you can spend on your Caribbean cruise compared with $2 each. Thats one hell of a lot of rum!
http://www.budgetmarine.com/Catalog/...paragraph.aspx

[kellymj]

Before we left the states, I bought a string of Caribbean flags on EBay. I think I paid about $40US and then purchased grommets and cut the string and added the grommets as we used each flag. The flags are cheap and we are starting to wear out for some our favorite islands, but the only flag we have purchased in our 2 seasons in the Caribbean has been for Grenada, where we have spent an extended amount of time. The chandeliers down here sell courtesy flags for roughly $20 to $25 a piece, so you can save money making your own. Our larger American flags we fly only last about 3 month in the sun/UV and trade winds (6 months up north). We also buy those on EBay at about $6 per flag.

I strongly recommend flying a courtesy flag (properly - flag halyard and proper orientation). IMO there is a direct correlation to local Coast Guard boardings and flag etiquette in some countries.

Marty
S/V True Colors
Currently flying the Grenada courtesy flag in Tryell Bay, Carriacou.


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[Seymore]

Originally Posted by Jack_Sparrow

but I would travel carribean area and I would change country every week sometimes every day so I should have also all carribean countries flags??

Yes, you should fly the courtesy ensign of every country you go into.

It's not as complicated as it looks from the outside. As others have said, when you get the hang of it, they're $2 and it's a nothing. Don't worry about it.

[Jack_Sparrow]

All off you guys thanks for help and advices

[SVJennie]

You might consider obtaining inexpensive flags from Quality Retail and Wholesale Flags $2.00 3x5 FT | FlagsImporter.com

[Russ]

You can make them with a piece of white bed sheet and a box of colored markers. By the way TECHNICALLY you have to fly the flag along with the yellow Q flag "ON ARRIVAL". so technically buying them AFTER arrival don't cut it.
Better still you can make most from colored cloth and do it right. There is a nice cheap book with all the measurements, colors etc. (Not a kit just a book on how to, you'd need it to color sheets too.). Remember the flag is going to be sooo far away that a fair copy is all you need.
Just to be "Pefectly Clear!" Russ

[DMCantor]

Just be aware that the $2 flags only last a week or two in the tropics. Our experience is that flying a ratty, shredded flag is more insulting to the residents than flying no flag at all. People are proud of their nations, and you are a visitor. A few dollars to show your respect is well worth it.

David
s/v Callisto

[hamburking]

I agree, its a sign of respect to your hosts.

When I was planning a trip from Spain to Antigua, via the canaries, I was unable to find "cheap" flags before the trip...so my wife sewed some for me! We looked up the flags online, and she was able to quickly sew what we needed. We were able to fly our courtesy ensign before arriving, and I think they looked a bit better than the "newstand" versions mentioned above.

I did notice that most boats did fly the courtesy ensign wherever we went.

(I should also mention, that our Antigua flag looked a bit too much like Lisa Simpson's head...but who looking that closely anyway?)

I was crew and navigator, so I took on this responsibility. The owner keeps those home made flags to this day as a treasured momento of the trip.