M/Y Top Gun dumps garbage in the Exuma Park, caught on camera

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Rorzech

That trash will be covered with DNA ! All they need is a cheek swab and they're busted.You can run but you can't hide ! John Wayne once said. Hanging's too good for them ! I hope they throw the book at them and take the boat ! Then word would get out and nobody will dump their trash in Parks anymore ! They'll wait till they're out in the ocean to dump it so they're long gone by the time it washes up on shore along with some different varieties of marine life !

Yeah right...CSI BAHAMAS...[emoji849]

[Palarran]

Originally Posted by smj

Maybe the crew of a $4 million yacht feels the value of their boat justifies their actions.

And maybe the crew and passengers had picked up all the trash on the shorelines and were told to leave it there to be picked up by the park warden. It just seems like an incredibly stupid thing to do so Maybe there was a good reason for it.

[zboss]

Just pick it back up and deliver it out on their deck. “Hey, you forgot this.”

[smj]

Originally Posted by Palarran

And maybe the crew and passengers had picked up all the trash on the shorelines and were told to leave it there to be picked up by the park warden. It just seems like an incredibly stupid thing to do so Maybe there was a good reason for it.

And that’s why the captain flipped of the photographer?

[Palarran]

Because my cat is in the Bahamas (I'm not) I have been reading the Bahamas cruisers facebook postings. The more I think about this, the more I go - WTF. Looking at the photos, one is taken actually from the boat, one is taken about 20' off it's stern, another is a profile picture like it was taken from the boat, the the final one is some trash bags in a pile around some shrubs. Now, that ground doesn't look like I'd typically think Bahamas ground would look, but I'm not an expert. It just looks too moist. Then the boat heads to Staniel Cay and hangs out - no problem...

[IslandHopper]

Originally Posted by Palarran

Because my cat is in the Bahamas (I'm not) I have been reading the Bahamas cruisers facebook postings. The more I think about this, the more I go - WTF. Looking at the photos, one is taken actually from the boat, one is taken about 20' off it's stern, another is a profile picture like it was taken from the boat, the the final one is some trash bags in a pile around some shrubs. Now, that ground doesn't look like I'd typically think Bahamas ground would look, but I'm not an expert. It just looks too moist. Then the boat heads to Staniel Cay and hangs out - no problem...

....And going on the time stamp in the photos the whole episode supposedly took only 12 minutes from the first photo.

If you go to 'yachtnerds" Instagram account (where it looks like all this started) you will find 4 photos/screenshots, the first 2 taken from a boat at 8:55am, then the one of the trash at 9:02am and the last one of the tender back at TG at 9:07am.....thats only 7 minutes from the first photo/screenshot to the one of the trash, and then only 5 minutes from the trash photo/screenshot to the tender back at TG.....something not right to me about that time period, another on Instagram posted the same concern....

chrissjudge@yachtnerd @captain_pascal @jovy_rod @nauticnomad Has anyone taken a good look at the timeline of those photos? Is there evidence beyond those four pics? Something doesn't add up. I'm not defending anyone, just want to be sure that the insta-world has the full story before we crucify these guys. Who took and submitted these pics? There's only 7 minutes between the photo of them heading to the beach and when the photo of the garbage was taken. Two of the photos were taken from another vessel, which one was it? Do we know?

and reply from yachtnerd.....

yachtnerd@chrissjudge No worries Chris, we aren’t quick to judge 😳 Lots more to this than a simple Instagram rumor. Originals came straight from the warden, who we know and have been in good contact with. Also, lots of behind the scenes that are involved and currently going on. This is the real deal, I certified douche, with a legit criminal record as well.

So it turns out the guy dumping the trash is a criminal now, and when asked where the photos came from he says the 'warden' but doesn't provide any more info other than telling the guy asking to check his in box, very cagey answer....

Have a read ya'll and see what you think.....

https://www.instagram.com/p/BsQlKsrg7b1/

[Palarran]

And, to me, if your actually a "Photographer" and going to post some pictures, it would seem pretty easy to get one with the actual people carrying the bags, walking on the beach with them, doing anything with them. Maybe you could actually get a shot of the trash with something in the background instead of straight down into the ground.

I'm still happy to join the pitchfork crowd when there is actually evidence instead of hearsay, but until then ....

[Woodland Hills]

I spoke with the broker who listed this charter and he is aware of this. He has not been able to contact Top Gun yet to hear their side of the story, but he sounded very upset about the whole episode and not so much about his business, but because he loves the Exumas. He is well aware of how this is blowing up on social media and is determined to find out what went on that day. Honestly, he sounded like a good person trying to sort out a complicated situation and willing to do the right thing once he is in possession of all the facts.

Nothing pushes my buttons like impunity and I think that I wouldn’t be so pissed off if one of those involved didn’t give the finger to those who filmed them. It was as if they were daring the observers to do anything about it since they were above the law, this may be an incorrect assumption, but it sure looks like that was their attitude. If they had just completed a beach cleanup, why flip off people, are they in the habit of giving the finger to random people with cameras?
As it is, after my conversation this morning I’ll suspend judgment for a while and see what develops. If there is an innocent explanation, I will call the broker back and eat some crow along with some humble pie.

[Palarran]

Brent Burrows, the Exuma Park Warden PM'ed me and said he can't comment about the incident as charges are being filed against the captain and the boat.

Break out the pitch forks - Bahamas style.

[sailingchiro]

If nothing else, I bet everyone on these forums will think twice about dumping trash in anything but a trash can. Especially in the Exumas.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Woodland Hills

I spoke with the broker who listed this charter and he is aware of this. He has not been able to contact Top Gun yet to hear their side of the story, but he sounded very upset about the whole episode and not so much about his business, but because he loves the Exumas. He is well aware of how this is blowing up on social media and is determined to find out what went on that day. Honestly, he sounded like a good person trying to sort out a complicated situation and willing to do the right thing once he is in possession of all the facts.

Nothing pushes my buttons like impunity and I think that I wouldn’t be so pissed off if one of those involved didn’t give the finger to those who filmed them. It was as if they were daring the observers to do anything about it since they were above the law, this may be an incorrect assumption, but it sure looks like that was their attitude. If they had just completed a beach cleanup, why flip off people, are they in the habit of giving the finger to random people with cameras?
As it is, after my conversation this morning I’ll suspend judgment for a while and see what develops. If there is an innocent explanation, I will call the broker back and eat some crow along with some humble pie.

I sent an inquiry to one of the listing brokers aking for their perspective, but no reply as yet.

I also find dumping on the Exumas Park especially offensive since it is such a beautigul place.

[MikeInMaine]

You can get anything you want at Alice's restaurant......

MikeinMaine

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by MikeInMaine

You can get anything you want at Alice's restaurant......

MikeinMaine

Different crowd I think.

[Nicholson58]

Originally Posted by Woodland Hills

She is an 82’ sunseeker that is in charter service in the Bahamas. My suggestion is to post this on every forum you know of and encourage all and sundry to contact the charter agencies direct asking if this is standard practice.

Name and shame only works if you do more than just name.

Agree. Also, look them up and find out who manages the charter. Mostly, the charter management companies do not tolerate bad behavior of the crews even if they work for the owner. We reported extremely unprofessional operation of a Jamaican flagged super yacht in the BVI to Camper and Nicholson after a look up. I sent an E Mail to their president. Less than an hour later she replied that they do not stand for such operation and would handle it.

How much prohibited plastic was in that pile?

[lboatbookings]

On behalf of everyone at Boatbookings, we would like to clarify that we are a yacht charter company and therefore do not have anything to do with M/Y TOP GUN, her crew or her owners. We do not condone the acts described here in this thread.