French Polynesia Questionnaire. For all sailors that are in or have been in FP

[chouliha]

CRUISERS ECONOMIC IMPACT SURVEY IN FRENCH POLYNESIA
(From AVP FP Yachting Association)
Dear members and supporters,
Following the recently reported events of hostility and aggression toward us, we have set up a survey that will allow us to precisely calculate the economic impact of boating in Polynesia. It is time for the authorities, elected officials and yachting professionals to recognize the economic impact of us being here, and to defend us against these aggressions.
Due to no international flights or cruise ships the huge tourism industry is vertually shut down, except for Cruisers! We are and will be their ONLY source of tourist income for the foreseeable future. We therefore hope every vessel who is, or has recently, cruised French Polynesia will participate in this survey. The results will be quickly publicized through the media and will serve as a basis to get the authorities to react.
Please understand that the information you provide will be completely anonymous. Thank you for taking the time to complete and submit the questionnaire.
Kind regards,
L'Association des Voiliers en Polynésie.
SURVEY FORM BELOW :
https://forms.gle/85xDqL24v2YS3Ao39

[JPA Cate]

Bonjour, Chuck,

Did you know that over 90 boats have anchored at Nuku Hiva?????

How to not wind friends and influence people, eh?!

Ann

PS. As long as I'm going to post something unpopular, I'll add, they will sweep through like a plague of locusts; the supplies they want may have been counted upon by the locals. And that is part of why, regular cruisers have come to have such a bad name.

Sorry guys, gotta call it like I see it. One long time member of Tony's Net and the Comedy Net said it was why he doesn't want to go back to FP (both ham radio nets).

A.

[arsenelupiga]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

Bonjour, Chuck,

Did you know that over 90 boats have anchored at Nuku Hiva?????

How to not wind friends and influence people, eh?!

Ann

PS. As long as I'm going to post something unpopular, I'll add, they will sweep through like a plague of locusts. And that is part of why, regular cruisers have such a bad name.

Sorry guys, gotta call it like I see it. One long time member of Tony's Net and the Comedy Net said it was why he doesn't want to go back to FP.

A.

HUH 90 boats !!! doesnt this guy have some kind of common sense? Have to admit, i am with locals on this one.

[fivecapes]

As an outsider looking in, maybe I'm wrong, but I cannot help but get a sense of entitlement from the way communique came across....

[Tupaia]

Don't get me started.

Rallies alienate the local populous.

Not being part of a rally we arrived in Wakatobi, the Port Captain and another official offered us 200 litres of "free" fuel. We were assumed to be stragglers from a rally. During our time in the town we were treated with palpable hostility. Finally we questioned a young fellow over lunch. He was a head master. The whole island were without fuel, they couldn't run their trucks, their generators or even go out fishing. It seems that the officials had given all the islands fuel to the rally. Rich b****ds on million dollar boats. Funding for the fuel would come from the Tourist Board but this would end up in the pockets of the officials not to replenish the fuel supplies. The same officials that also ran the resort that entertained the rally. The local businesses did not benefit at all. To put this into context the amount of fuel given away would have paid the salary for two qualified teachers at his school for a year.

We have returned to places that have been totally overwhelmed by 100's of boats arriving at the same time. The locals that service the regular cruisers are suddenly supplemented by opportunists, everyone is ripped off and the whole place gets a bad reputation.

[El Pinguino]

I don't think this year can be considered normal... people are arriving and can't move on from their port of entry....

I have completed the survey based on my experience in 2014... and what my spend would be today...

[captmikem]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

Bonjour, Chuck,

Did you know that over 90 boats have anchored at Nuku Hiva?????

A.

90 boats!!!

And I thought this was crowded...

M

[chouliha]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

Bonjour, Chuck,

Did you know that over 90 boats have anchored at Nuku Hiva?????

How to not wind friends and influence people, eh?!

Ann

PS. As long as I'm going to post something unpopular, I'll add, they will sweep through like a plague of locusts; the supplies they want may have been counted upon by the locals. And that is part of why, regular cruisers have come to have such a bad name.

Sorry guys, gotta call it like I see it. One long time member of Tony's Net and the Comedy Net said it was why he doesn't want to go back to FP (both ham radio nets).

A.

Hi Jim & Ann

The thing to keep in mind is that all boats coming into FP from the east either have to go direct to Tahiti or may stop for for a short period in Nuku Hiva. Up to recently they were NOT allowed to travel to other islands. Hence the huge number of boats stuck in Nuku Hiva under lock down. Only a few days ago have they released the lockdown and now allowing boats to move around in one group Remember this is not a normal year anywhere for cruising boats

We have pleaded with boats not to depart for FP due to all the reasons you mentioned and more reasons Ann but they still arrive. They are lucky the FP officials don't refuse them

[Saleen411]

Gaston Tong Sang- Mayor of Bora Bora and former President of French Polynesia....

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaston_Tong_Sang

I was sailing in FP in March. I was told by the nice gentleman who collected our mooring fees in Bora Bora that the above guy wants to ban ALL cruisers from Bora Bora....at a minimum.

I have no idea what cruisers have done or not done over the years, but there you have it.

The direct quote was " Cruisers are more trouble than they're worth"

[capn_billl]

Originally Posted by Tupaia

Don't get me started.

Rallies alienate the local populous.

Not being part of a rally we arrived in Wakatobi, the Port Captain and another official offered us 200 litres of "free" fuel. We were assumed to be stragglers from a rally. During our time in the town we were treated with palpable hostility. Finally we questioned a young fellow over lunch. He was a head master. The whole island were without fuel, they couldn't run their trucks, their generators or even go out fishing. It seems that the officials had given all the islands fuel to the rally. Rich b****ds on million dollar boats. Funding for the fuel would come from the Tourist Board but this would end up in the pockets of the officials not to replenish the fuel supplies. The same officials that also ran the resort that entertained the rally. The local businesses did not benefit at all. To put this into context the amount of fuel given away would have paid the salary for two qualified teachers at his school for a year.

We have returned to places that have been totally overwhelmed by 100's of boats arriving at the same time. The locals that service the regular cruisers are suddenly supplemented by opportunists, everyone is ripped off and the whole place gets a bad reputation.

SO local corruption attracted to easy money of large crowds of "rich ****" is the fault of the tourist, not the corrupt officials that allow it to happen.

Thats like blaming the cigarette companies for your smoking addiction.

I'm not a fan of rallies, I prefer my own track, but the FP are not a dictatorship, the locals can require rally organizers to ship in fuel ahead of time, and hire at least a percentage of local labor.

I've worked in multiple countries that that is the law. even if we had to hire 5 people to carry out one trash can.

And we had to ship in our own fuel, water, and food so as to not deplete local supplies. This is a fixable problem.

[Olly75]

FP is a casualty of its own sucess. they changed the law and allowed boats to stay in the islands longer without having to import and this has led to a large number of boats hanging round rather than heading on. This isnt just about the rallies, but inidividual boats that want to hang out and cruise the islands for more than one season.

We went through last year, and in the outer islands off the beaten track were welcomed everywhere we went with open arms, but in the anchorages/areas that are popular and easy there was a palpable difference in attitude towards cruisers. When you look at the anchorage at Fa'aa Im not surprised. We arrived and there were probably 150 boats hanging on the hook, it was chaos, think of the impact on the local environment. Looking at the other anchorages with boats dropping hooks (not all by any stretch, but enough to do serious damage) and chains dragging on bommies Im really not surprised the locals have had enough. With everyone bottled up this year the issues will be exacerbated and bring it all to a head.

The arguments going on between some cruisers and locals, both face to face and online are quite frankly ridiculous and the sense of entitlement that comes across with the approach of its a free world we should be allowed to do what we want as we are 'providing' to the local economy, beggars belief- again not all cruisers by any stretch but enough to give the rest a bad name.

People need to remember that its a priviledge to visit these countries and not a right.

[captdavematt]

Ahoy Chuck! Many fond memories of our wanderings through FP in 2016 and of near daily chats with you on the Magellan Net! You were always the "go to" guy for info - nice to see that hasn't changed.....
I was saddened to read your post last November outlining all of the negative changes that were taking place in FP, particularly in Tahiti, notably those to do with anchoring restrictions and the changing attitude of the locals at some locations. I'm glad we came through when we did, and even more grateful that my first passages through Tahiti took place in 1978 and 1986 when things were far less bureaucratic, certainly less crowded and much more welcoming.
Sadly, it seems like the number of cruising boats arriving at numerous "paradise" locations in the South Pacific and elsewhere is approaching critical mass, and now that Covid 19 has been thrown into the equation,
Minerva Reef might be the only place to hang out in the foreseeable future!
All the best to you and yours Chuck, and good luck in your efforts to get the bureaucrats to alter course.
Cheers

Dave (formerly of "Confidence", now on HC38 "Moonshadow VI" cruising the Pacific NW>

[Montanan]

Population of French Polynesia 277,679.


Number of persons on board a boat under quarantine at anchor?
Value of retail commerce for provisions required for the yachties?

Insignificant.

Cultural or family ties of the cruisers at anchor to the community?

Nil.

Number of international tourists that travelled to French Polynesia in 2017 - 199,000.

[Marathon1150]

Originally Posted by Olly75

FP is a casualty of its own sucess. they changed the law and allowed boats to stay in the islands longer without having to import and this has led to a large number of boats hanging round rather than heading on. This isnt just about the rallies, but inidividual boats that want to hang out and cruise the islands for more than one season.


People need to remember that its a priviledge to visit these countries and not a right.

I couldn't agree more. I was amazed by the number of boats anchored in Fa'aa last year and this year must be much, much worse (our boat is tied up in Marina Taina and we are not able to get back to it). At the same time, I am deeply empathetic with those boats that were on their way when everything started to lock down and they were presented with the choice of carrying on, going back or diverting to somewhere other than FP but there were very few realistic options.

Early on it was not clear how badly the pandemic was going to become, nor for how long the situation will be so difficult. Making a decision in the middle of the ocean with access to only minimal information that was not yet very clear would have been very, very difficult. And ninety boats in Taiohae Bay is only slightly more than a previously recorded number of 80, that was provided to me by a local last year when we passed through. But as others have said, I never assume that I am welcome just because I am spending money. Value systems are highly variable and tourism dollars often only benefit a small number of people in a local population. New Zealand is going through a fierce debate on this topic as I write - what sacrifices should be made to save the NZ$17 billion international tourist industry? FP is faced with a similar question and IMHO have been kind and generous to allow boats in after the world shut its borders.

Lastly, I am not a fan of rallies because they bring too many boats to a single location in a short time frame. Impact on local resources and the environment is generally negative as was noted in this thread. But I am not sure that labeling rally participants as "rich B******s is accurate. Anybody that can own a boat capable of crossing an ocean is stupefyingly rich compared to local averages in a place even as wealthy as FP.

Small island nations are precariously vulnerable and we can hope but not expect that foreign boats will continue to be as welcome as possible given the circumstances.

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by Montanan

Population of French Polynesia 277,679.


Number of persons on board a boat under quarantine at anchor?
Value of retail commerce for provisions required for the yachties?

Insignificant.

Cultural or family ties of the cruisers at anchor to the community?

Nil.

Number of international tourists that travelled to French Polynesia in 2017 - 199,000.

Hmmmm ..
Let us assume that the 199,000 flew in and stayed for a week.... booked in the US or EU to stay in a hotel owned in the US or EU and flew in on an aircraft owned in the US or EU.
Tours away from the hotel booked at the front desk....
Benefit to FP? Two cleaners per floor changing the sheets etc.... a cook per hundred ... a waiter per 5 tables... a couple at the front desk....
Vittling and fizz? Probably bought from a wholesaler or imported direct...

So lets say 1000 boats with a crew of two staying for a year..... spending all their money locally in local shops - fuel food and fizz - money directly into the local economy and stays in FP ... unless you shop at Carrefore...

So .. in the first case 199,000 people/weeks... small percentage of $$ stays in country
In the second case 52 x 2 x 1000 = 104,000 people/weeks... large percentage of $$ stays in country.

Thus it was explained to me by 'Ken the Aduana Man' at their main office by the big pier in Papeete in 2014 as the logic behind allowing yachts to stay 3 years....

I care not a zot what some bloke in Bora Bora thinks...

Ask NZ what the value of cruising yachts is to their economy...