Block Island, RI Regulations Report 2020

[Chotu]

From the Block Island Harbormaster:

"Good evening,
If you do not have a safe haven to quarantine on land, you can not get off your vessel on Block Island. There are no facilities or accommodations open for you. You can drop your hook if you need to stop for weather related issues. "

So Block Island is completely closed to everyone who doesn't own real estate there.

Rhode Island is becoming quite unfriendly to boaters who aren't in the 1%. Other places don't have these types of draconian restrictions. This was the response after I had told them we'd been on the boat without getting off for a moment for 3 weeks. I had asked if we could go walk on the empty beach near the anchorage with masks on once or twice a week while sitting there on 14 day quarantine.

It seems only the wealthy are exempt from the draconian rules on Rhode island.

If you're spending a higher level of money than provisioning, or you are a wealthy land owner, you're welcome. Otherwise, get lost.

[GRIT]

Yeah, I passed through there once. Even before COVID, I didn't find it inviting at all.

I didn't bother to get off the boat, just turned around and left. There are lots of areas in that neck of the woods, that are inhabited by folks who really are from another planet. Not my kind of place.

I hope you can find somewhere more inviting to drop anchor. I imagine you'll have trouble everywhere "popular", these days..

Cheers.
Paul.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by GRIT

Yeah, I passed through there once. Even before COVID, I didn't find it inviting at all.

I didn't bother to get off the boat, just turned around and left. There are lots of areas in that neck of the woods, that are inhabited by folks who really are from another planet. Not my kind of place.

I hope you can find somewhere more inviting to drop anchor. I imagine you'll have trouble everywhere "popular".

Cheers.
Paul.

That's exactly it. It's a convenient stop for early season. So is Newport for provisioning by walking to the store. We are very well provisioned and getting good nutrition but a little fresh produce is something I'm craving.

It's also quite a bit warmer there than places more up. north early season. So it's good for those purposes.

Anywhere that's a boating place and has a Harbormaster is out. Leaving the dinghy tied to a bridge and walking to the store is the new way to cruise.

[kerrydeare]

Originally Posted by Chotu

... Leaving the dinghy tied to a bridge and walking to the store is the new way to cruise.

... except that we did this same thing 35 years ago and made a thoroughly vile impression on the locals, and for good reason. Boat people who travel and expect a welcoming committee avidly awaiting their arrival are living in a fantasy world.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by kerrydeare

... except that we did this same thing 35 years ago and made a thoroughly vile impression on the locals, and for good reason. Boat people who travel and expect a welcoming committee avidly awaiting their arrival are living in a fantasy world.

I don’t understand your post. Are there any boaters looking for a welcoming committee or even any acknowledgement that they arrive?

[Suijin]

I think you need to consider what Block Island is facing with the virus. It's an island with rather sparse medical facilities, and it's a tourist destination. There are plenty of very nice, not so wealthy people who live on the island and they are in a tough position, with tourists and summer visitors being a continual and effective vector for bringing the virus to the island. Personally, I think their restrictions make complete sense. Residents there, the ones that actually own and run stores and businesses there, are going to be hurt badly by these restrictions but I suspect that they prefer them to having some huge outbreak on the island.

I'm stuck in The Bahamas right now, in Exuma, and they only recently let us leave our boats after three weeks of a lockdown on cruisers. This island is decidedly NOT populated primarily by the 1%. The lockdown resulted from just a handful of idiot cruisers ignoring various social distancing rules, as well as emergency regulations about not going ashore while transiting through. Cruisers are an independent, stubborn lot who seem in many cases to think that rules don't apply to them for whatever reason. It's easier for municipalities to just ban them altogether vs. trying to figure out which ones are law abiding and which ones are morons.

I would not blame the restrictions on them being the stuck up 1%. I would blame it on them wanting to do their best to not have a sh!t show on their hands this summer.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by Suijin

I think you need to consider what Block Island is facing with the virus. It's an island with rather sparse medical facilities, and it's a tourist destination. There are plenty of very nice, not so wealthy people who live on the island and they are in a tough position, with tourists and summer visitors being a continual and effective vector for bringing the virus to the island. Personally, I think their restrictions make complete sense. Residents there, the ones that actually own and run stores and businesses there, are going to be hurt badly by these restrictions but I suspect that they prefer them to having some huge outbreak on the island.

I'm stuck in The Bahamas right now, in Exuma, and they only recently let us leave our boats after three weeks of a lockdown on cruisers. This island is decidedly NOT populated primarily by the 1%. The lockdown resulted from just a handful of idiot cruisers ignoring various social distancing rules, as well as emergency regulations about not going ashore while transiting through. Cruisers are an independent, stubborn lot who seem in many cases to think that rules don't apply to them for whatever reason. It's easier for municipalities to just ban them altogether vs. trying to figure out which ones are law abiding and which ones are morons.

I would not blame the restrictions on them being the stuck up 1%. I would blame it on them wanting to do their best to not have a sh!t show on their hands this summer.

Holy cow. I didn't say anything like all this you are talking about. Please go back to read the post.

I said the 1% types are the only ones being allowed in these popular Rhode Island locations.

Be it because they have a summer home on Block Island (as posted above), or because they spent $10,000 on a slip for the yacht in Newport.

Money in both cases gets you a completely different treatment.

[kerrydeare]

Originally Posted by Chotu

... Money ... gets you a completely different treatment.

Is this a recent development?

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by kerrydeare

Is this a recent development?

Ha ha ha.

Well, one would hope basic civil laws and regulations would at least appear equitable on their face.

[slug]

Originally Posted by kerrydeare

... except that we did this same thing 35 years ago and made a thoroughly vile impression on the locals, and for good reason. Boat people who travel and expect a welcoming committee avidly awaiting their arrival are living in a fantasy world.

The best run ports control anchorages with port , anchorage fees
I like it
Reliable for touch and go stops

Good facilities with professional port employees and no permanent live a-boards claiming rights and clogging the harbor

I believe these reliable , well run ports generate more income for local business

[CarlF]

I don't see how you turn this into a 1% issue.

By law, everyone arriving on Block Island except essential personel has to self-quarantine on the island for 14 days - 1% included. Presumably, the harbormaster figured you didn't want to do that.

This order was extended to May 8. It's unknown whether it will be lifted or extended again.

https://www.blockislandferry.com/sit...%203-24-20.pdf

[dwedeking2]

We had a rich guy do that here. He pulled into a marina and someone outed him, so they had turn him away (no transients allowed). So he went across the harbor and bought a slip. Now he's a property owner and they can't kick him out.

[Benz]

The reason local harbormasters tyranize over public waters is that the Coast Guard, who has the jurisdiction over navigable waters, and the responsibility to make them accessible to every citizen, has abandoned their duty and let the local harbormasters run amok.
Until the CG picks up the reins of duty once again and cracks down on abusive harbormasters, they will continue to impose any restrictions they, or the local waterfront commissions that hold their leashes, want.
I have nothing against the coasties--they are necessary to our country--but in this area they have failed miserably, to the detriment of mariners and maritime heritage.

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by CarlF

I don't see how you turn this into a 1% issue.

By law, everyone arriving on Block Island except essential personel has to self-quarantine on the island for 14 days - 1% included. Presumably, the harbormaster figured you didn't want to do that.

This order was extended to May 8. It's unknown whether it will be lifted or extended again.

https://www.blockislandferry.com/sit...%203-24-20.pdf

Makes sense. Add to that the nature of Block Island and they likely that a 14 day quarantine makes no sense for someone just visiting, so they're saying that unless you have an interest in the island (own property, etc.) there's just no reason to be there right now.

[Shrew]

Originally Posted by Benz

The reason local harbormasters tyranize over public waters is that the Coast Guard, who has the jurisdiction over navigable waters, and the responsibility to make them accessible to every citizen, has abandoned their duty and let the local harbormasters run amok.
Until the CG picks up the reins of duty once again and cracks down on abusive harbormasters, they will continue to impose any restrictions they, or the local waterfront commissions that hold their leashes, want.
I have nothing against the coasties--they are necessary to our country--but in this area they have failed miserably, to the detriment of mariners and maritime heritage.

I have to agree. There is an inherent conflict of interest when the townspeople elect the Harbormaster. Forcing the harbormaster to be beholden to the whims of the landowners.

I'd prefer to see the harbormaster fall under federal jurisdiction, such as the Dept of Homeland Security (US). This would set universal policy across all ports and not subject to the whims or the town or the state (e.g. Florida or Georgia).