New daily anchoring fees for Exuma Land and Sea Park

[Voyager37]

Attention ALL vessels:

New Anchorage Fees in effect as of today; March 1st, 2018.

Vessels 90’ and above will be required to pay $1 per foot for anchoring within the Park boundaries.

Vessels under 90’ will be required to pay $0.50 per foot for anchoring within the Park boundaries.

Please remember the park boundaries run from Wax Cay Cut in the North to Conch Cut in the South, and extend outward 4nm to the East and the West.

Thank you,
Park Administrator
Joseph Ierna Jr

This represents a 176 square mile area that now requires a daily fee for anchoring anywhere in that area....

[Vasco]

Another money grab by the Park which was largely built by cruisers' volunteer labour. I have not gone there for the last ten years because of their attitude towards the very people (cruisers) who fund their operation. Mainly visited by newbies and charter boats now.

[Vasco]

They put in moorings in a few good anchoring spots which they then failed to maintain.

[DeepCut]

I have no problem with reasonable fees for well maintained moorings. But the fees to anchor are basically a statement to say "you are not welcome here. Spend $$ elsewhere."

[Cheechako]

I didnt find the Park to be anything more than other anchorages. But a small fee wouldnt bother me.

[Voyager37]

Originally Posted by DeepCut

I have no problem with reasonable fees for well maintained moorings. But the fees to anchor are basically a statement to say "you are not welcome here. Spend $$ elsewhere."

Thats basically what the Warden posting the information on Facebook said, "For those of you that are not in support, you guys are right; there are tons of other beautiful places to anchor in the Bahamas." But having 176 square miles of ocean now restricted by anchoring fees is a fairly significant impediment to navigation.

As long as the megayachts keep coming with their $ (whos fees didnt really change), it seems they couldnt care less to see us go. And the fees are a drop in the bucket for someone on a $50 million dollar boat, likely worth it to them to have have less people spoiling their views.

[bigreelsc]

Did any one figure out who/how they expect to collect these fees?

[Voyager37]

Originally Posted by bigreelsc

Did any one figure out who/how they expect to collect these fees?

They offer payment online or by phone (no cell or internet available in most of the park though). They also seem to have some money collection boxes in spot or two (likely near the mooring fields, which might be miles away from where you'd like to anchor). Otherwise you have to go to warderwick wells office to pay, or flag down a warden or something. They seem to expect you to carry a receipt to prove you paid too.

[Caliber40]

Always found mooring balls in good condition.....spent several 60K nights there in major blows including the infamous 106K derecho of 2016!
Not happy with paying to anchor though. $23.50 a nite for us with virtually no services in return. Guess they need the money to support the park?

[Voyager37]

Originally Posted by Caliber40

Guess they need the money to support the park?

The park has been around for over 50 years without anchoring fees. I wonder what makes them think this is suddenly a good idea?

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by Caliber40

Always found mooring balls in good condition.....spent several 60K nights there in major blows including the infamous 106K derecho of 2016!
Not happy with paying to anchor though. $23.50 a nite for us with virtually no services in return. Guess they need the money to support the park?

Have you ever checked their moorings at Shroud? Most have just blown away.

[Scaramanga F25]

Also, the statics regarding cruisers vs hotel tourists show that the cruisers
spend very little in comparison, even though they stay a lot longer.

[Roniszoro]

What do you think a mooring costs in Miami or Newport, RI or Sag Harbor, NY or Annapolis? Their fees sound quite reasonable to me.

[SFS]

There is a difference between paying for a mooring (their gear, their installation costs and maintenance, if any) and paying them to use your own gear.

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by Scaramanga F25

Also, the statics regarding cruisers vs hotel tourists show that the cruisers
spend very little in comparison, even though they stay a lot longer.

The big difference is that cruisers spend money where there is little tourism. Most of the tourist money is spent in Nassau The family islands get much less of the tourist dollars. Cruisers add a lot to some of the smaller settlements.