Bahamas vs Covid vs Weather window

[flyingfin]

Here are the latest rules,,,apparently written by people who make the crossing without checking the weather:

Everyone travelling to The Bahamas must obtain a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR (swab) test taken no more than 5 days prior to the date of arrival. The day the test is taken is considered day zero. Test must return a negative result for entry into The Bahamas.
Negative PCR test results must be uploaded in order to complete a Bahamas Health Visa application. Health Visa applications take up to 48 hours to process and should be completed with adequate lead time.

Assuming you get your test results 24 hours after the swab, then have internet access to apply for the Health Visa, then wait 2 days for issuance of the Health visa before embarkation, better hope the weather cooperates for the crossing before you need to start all over again!

So what is the purpose of flying the Q flag??

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by flyingfin

... So what is the purpose of flying the Q flag??

The yellow “Q” flag is displayed to declare your vessel/crew free of quarantinable disease, and requests boarding and inspection by local authorities to allow the grant of "free pratique*" ("My ship is healthy and I require the free pratique*.").
* Pratique is permission to do business at a port, granted to a ship that has met quarantine or other health regulations.

Historically, the L (Lima) flag (black and yellow squares) signified “I have or had some dangerous, infectious disease on board”.
Evidently, some local ordinances were enacted to re-use the old meaning of the Lima flag, for the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic (Alaska and Newport, R.I.?).

International Code of Signals (Pub. 102) ➥ https://msi.nga.mil/Publications/ICOS

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by flyingfin

Here are the latest rules,,,apparently written by people who make the crossing without checking the weather:

Everyone travelling to The Bahamas must obtain a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR (swab) test taken no more than 5 days prior to the date of arrival. The day the test is taken is considered day zero. Test must return a negative result for entry into The Bahamas.
Negative PCR test results must be uploaded in order to complete a Bahamas Health Visa application. Health Visa applications take up to 48 hours to process and should be completed with adequate lead time.

Assuming you get your test results 24 hours after the swab, then have internet access to apply for the Health Visa, then wait 2 days for issuance of the Health visa before embarkation, better hope the weather cooperates for the crossing before you need to start all over again!

So what is the purpose of flying the Q flag??

Had my PCR test results next morning after taking. Had my approved health visa within 10 minutes of applying, it is just an automated system. Took 24 hours from the time I started my drive to the lab to having all my approvals done.

Now I have a 25 hour sail and the weather has changed so my plans have also changed as to going to Bimini instead of straight to Nassau. If you want to do the cheapest way you have to do Lake Worth to West End or Miami to Bimini. If you can not plan a 12 hour trio within 5 days of weather forecast just don't go.

[flyingfin]

Not how Merriam Webster calls it:

a yellow flag hoisted by all ships to request pratique on entering a harbor, by a ship to show that it has contagious or infectious disease aboard, or by a ship that has been quarantined

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by flyingfin

Not how Merriam Webster calls it:

a yellow flag hoisted by all ships to request pratique on entering a harbor, by a ship to show that it has contagious or infectious disease aboard, or by a ship that has been quarantined

Wouldn’t the NGA be a better source, than a dictionary?
International Code of Signals (Pub. 102) ➥ https://msi.nga.mil/Publications/ICOS

[davil]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

Had my PCR test results next morning after taking. Had my approved health visa within 10 minutes of applying, it is just an automated system. Took 24 hours from the time I started my drive to the lab to having all my approvals done.

Now I have a 25 hour sail and the weather has changed so my plans have also changed as to going to Bimini instead of straight to Nassau. If you want to do the cheapest way you have to do Lake Worth to West End or Miami to Bimini. If you can not plan a 12 hour trio within 5 days of weather forecast just don't go.

===========================================
tried to contact the Bahamas immigration and health sites with the question re:
plan to sail from Morehead City NC and IF miss the 5 days arrival while underway what will my status be (meeting all requirements prior departure) but have not received any response besides leaving my questions on recorded messages.
Since my plans are postponed to March hope things clear? some.
The recommendation to depart from Florida is something I prefer to avoid as do not feel comfortable with current Florida pandemic status.

[BillKny]

Originally Posted by flyingfin

Not how Merriam Webster calls it:

a yellow flag hoisted by all ships to request pratique on entering a harbor, by a ship to show that it has contagious or infectious disease aboard, or by a ship that has been quarantined

Apologies to Webster, but NO.

Here is the modern day rational for the "Q" flag without the legal mumbo-jumbo: You are signaling that you have not yet cleared all entry formalities and are in the process of doing so.

Once you DO complete all entry formalities, you take down the Q flag and replace it with the local country's courtesy flag.

This makes the job of local law enforcement a lot easier. If you are flying a "Q" flag, everybody should be staying on the boat. If you are flying a courtesy flag, you should have all the visas, entry permits, and paperwork onboard ready for inspection. If you have no status flag, you might need to be stopped and asked about your status.

This has not changed at all with the current pandemic situation, although many countries have gotten a lot more serious about making sure the right signal flags are displayed so they can keep closer track of the status of boats in their harbors.

From a practical matter the "Q" flag has nothing at all to do with "quarantine" in the normal sense of the word. It is only about your status with customs and immigration formalities. This has always formally included health status, but for a very long time (until this last year) that was pretty much irrelevant.

[davil]

Originally Posted by BillKny

Apologies to Webster, but NO.

Here is the modern day rational for the "Q" flag without the legal mumbo-jumbo: You are signaling that you have not yet cleared all entry formalities and are in the process of doing so.

Once you DO complete all entry formalities, you take down the Q flag and replace it with the local country's courtesy flag.

This makes the job of local law enforcement a lot easier. If you are flying a "Q" flag, everybody should be staying on the boat. If you are flying a courtesy flag, you should have all the visas, entry permits, and paperwork onboard ready for inspection. If you have no status flag, you might need to be stopped and asked about your status.

This has not changed at all with the current pandemic situation, although many countries have gotten a lot more serious about making sure the right signal flags are displayed so they can keep closer track of the status of boats in their harbors.

From a practical matter the "Q" flag has nothing at all to do with "quarantine" in the normal sense of the word. It is only about your status with customs and immigration formalities. This has always formally included health status, but for a very long time (until this last year) that was pretty much irrelevant.

===============================================


once cleared by customs make sure you take the flag down,an officer called me on that,since I left the flag up after been clear,ooops!

[redneckrob]

Originally Posted by flyingfin

Here are the latest rules,,,apparently written by people who make the crossing without checking the weather:

Everyone travelling to The Bahamas must obtain a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR (swab) test taken no more than 5 days prior to the date of arrival. The day the test is taken is considered day zero. Test must return a negative result for entry into The Bahamas.
Negative PCR test results must be uploaded in order to complete a Bahamas Health Visa application. Health Visa applications take up to 48 hours to process and should be completed with adequate lead time.

Assuming you get your test results 24 hours after the swab, then have internet access to apply for the Health Visa, then wait 2 days for issuance of the Health visa before embarkation, better hope the weather cooperates for the crossing before you need to start all over again!

So what is the purpose of flying the Q flag??

I can also confirm that I got the health visa within 5 minutes of submitting it last week, so although I know they say it may take up to 2 days in reality you don't have to worry about that. Also note that:

Per Emergency Powers (COVID 19 Pandemic) (No. 13) Order 2020 posted in Dec 1. Para 16. Travel Health Visa (6)

... A person traveling to The Bahamas on a commercial or private vessel whose arrival in The Bahamas extends beyond the five day period for a valid a RTPCR COVID 19 molecular diagnostic test result, shall be granted a travel health visa upon application and permitted to enter the Bahamas provided the captain of that vessel can prove at their point of entry into The Bahamas that the vessel’s travel to The Bahamas was a direct one with no prior stops to any other ports of call....