Hello from Jersey, Channel Islands. Couple Looking for Positions on the '09 ARC

[Lindyloo]

HiJersey couple looking for a position on the ARC race 2009Due to a change in circumstances we find ourselves in the position to complete this year’s ARC race and were wondering whether at this late stage anyone has two crew positions left? Our sailing experience is mainly around the Channel Islands/ Brittany (in our Mirage which we have owned for 10 years) and other holiday destinations (Greece, Croatia, Thailand etc). We are a very friendly professional couple, with a good sense of humour and get on with people of all ages including children. We are fit, can navigate (Yacht master theory), cook at sea, perform basic boat maintenance and are generally prepared to muck in with everything.Our plan is to have a brief six month adventure beginning in November and we would absolutely love to start it with a trip across the Atlantic, something we have thought about for a number of years. If you think we would be suitable please send your contact details and we will contact you to provide more information.

[swagman]

Hi Guys,
If you are not aware, the ARC site has a crew seeker forum for just this request.
Welcome to World Cruising Club: ARC
Good luck
JOHN

[Hud3]

Hello, Lindyloo, and welcome to the Forum. Best of luck finding a ride in the ARC.

You may have already thought of this issue, but when your skipper clears you in at St. Lucia, unless you're planning to stay on as crew on his boat, you'll need to provide the authorities evidence of a way off the island at the end of your tourist visa period (an airplane ticket is acceptable). Tourist visas are typically issued for a maximum of 30 days, and an extension may or may not be possible.

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha and Welcome to the forum.
It appears you are already getting good advice.
regards,
JohnL

[Gilbo]

Hello Jerseys!!

Always good to hear from fellow crapos

Gilbo (bean moved to the bvi)

[Dave]

Hud (or anyone), Please correct me if I'm wrong. I'm under the impression that the short plane hop South from St. Lucia to St. Vincent and the Grenadines would qualify, and that SV & G have no proof-of-departure requirements for entry. I'm also of the belief that you can stay as long as you want, subject only to a charge of about 30EC/year after the first year. Is that right, or am I out-to-lunch ?

[Hud3]

Dave,

When you fly into an eastern Caribbean country, they ask you where you will be staying and for how long. If you say, "on a charter boat (or in a hotel), for two weeks", that's the end of it--no need to produce a return flight ticket. The airline may have a problem with you if you only have a one-way ticket. They can get into trouble with the local authorities for depositing you on their shores with no visible means of departing. You'll need a convincing explanation for why your ticket is only one way.

The same applies if you arrive on a sailboat. The captain is responsible for clearing you in, and he's responsible for making sure you will be leaving before the end of your visa period. If the captain tells the immigration officer when he clears in the crew, " Crew A & B will be leaving the boat", the questions will start. If you, as crew, don't have a berth on another boat or a legitimate hotel or private house to stay in, and an airline ticket to somewhere else, you may not be allowed to clear in. If you can show proof of financial resources sufficient to buy a ticket out, that might work. Or they might require you to go buy a ticket, right then and there. Or they may simply refuse to admit you.

The only times I've been in a similar situation is when I cleared in to the BVI after a passage from the States. My crew was leaving the boat and flying home. I was required to bring their passports and plane tickets back to the States to Customs & Immigration, and they inspected them carefully. Also, when I have had crew joining me in the islands to sail back to the States, I've always provided the crew members with a letter stating that when they arrived (with a one way plane ticket) I would be responsible for getting them off the island, on my boat.

As far as how long you can stay, I never tested the limit as we cruised, because we always moved on after a week or two or three. But here on Nevis, where I live now and which has immigration policies that I believe are similar to other English heritage islands, you can get a visitor's visa for a maximum of 30 days, whether you enter by plane or by boat. If by plane, it's free (you pay at departure). If by boat it's about US$12 for all onboard.

Before the end of the 30 days, you must apply for an extension at the government admin office. They will grant up to 90 days extension, but only if you have a good reason. We did, because we own a home here, our only home. It costs about US$65. You then have to take the paperwork to the police station, where they check your passport and stamp it with the visa extension. The first time we did this, we were required to have a personal interview with the police chief. If you want to stay longer than the typical tourist, they really want to know why, where you'll be living, whether you have means of support, and if you intend to try to work on the island. After the second 90 day visa extension, we were required to physically leave the island for at least a few days before returning. Then the cycle starts over.

Others may have had different experiences, but this is what I've experienced and learned about the topic here in the Lesser Antilles. I'd suspect that SV & G has similar requirements.

[Dave]

Hi Hud,

Thanks for that. I recently sailed from the BVI down to SV & G (March through June this year) following the "tourist route" including your home island. The customs and immigration description you provide matches my experience as well... with the exception of St. Vincent & the Grenadines.

2 years ago I arrived in the BVI by boat without a departing airfare and immediately had my passport confiscated and held until I provided the air ticket about a week later.

This year, due to circumstances beyong my control, I had to stay in the BVI for 8 weeks and went through the extention process twice while I was there. The very strict immigration official required written letters of explaination for each renewal and thereafter I was required to leave the country. (So we went shopping at Red Hook in the USVI and then checked back in to the BVI next day without issue or paperwork... go figure :-)

As you point out, the reception was similar in the other English heritage islands. Nevis was very friendly but the clearing in process was somewhat like a treasure hunt. Fun but time consuming...

So you can imagine my surprise when I arrived in SV & G and cleared in at Wallilaboo Bay and the immigration official had no interest in how long I planned to stay nor how I planned to leave. I asked our local host on the island about it and that's when I was told the "open door" immigration policy that I described in my first post. Our host was not a government official, so I only have this unofficial word-of-mouth account. My passport only got stamped on departure, not on entry.

I'm hoping someone can confirm (or deny) that SV & G immigration is night and day different from the rest, perhaps to the advantage of tourists with "open" schedules.

Dave

[Lindyloo]

Hi All

Thank you ever so much for the advice. I am going to post a note on the World Cruising Club website. And we did not know about the Visa situation so we will make sure we have everything in order if we manage to get a place.

Does anyone know the best way for us to pick up other crewing positions while we are on our six month round the world trip as we may like to do this if we cant get a position on the ARC race?

Gilbo - Are you still called a crapo when you're a bean but live in the BVI? We went sailing in the BVI a few years ago (during a hurricane) and it was fantastic.

Thanks again

Linda

Thanks agian

[swagman]

Hi Linda,
Good luck in getting this all sorted, but don't forget it will not only be the officials you need to satisfy. Most skippers are aware of the responsibilities they carry by taking you into St Lucia so IMHO few would be happy to take you on unless you could show them your flight ticket out again.........

Cheers
JOHN