Roatan Closing To Boating

[chucksaul]

Not sure what to make of all of this but I am also the owner of a sailboat with aspirations of headed that way next year. Apparantly the Mayor of Roatan has closed the Roatan Marine Park on the West End. I am not sure whether this affects dive boats or not. I do know enough about Latin American politics however to know that this is going to cost someone, usually us rich Americans, more money.

FWIW I would not not travel down to that area until I had extensive trip insurance and make sure it covers governmental actions. When we went to Bonaire and DAN would not cover military incursions. I ALWAYS Buy DAN trip insurance.

This is just meant to make sure you cross all your t's and i's and dont get caught in a bad situation.

Charlie

 

[Doc]

You care to quote a source on this alarming "news"?

√ Earthquake
√ Coup
√ Bug Bites
√ Drug Wars
√ Electric Company Strike
√ Election Season
√ Divemasters Dueling
√ Falling from Zip Lines
√ The airport exit tax
√ Lionfish
√ Rime is Running Crampant on the Streets

Now this! Holy Crap, Batman! (and it's not even April 1st)

The Mayor of Roatan is limited in his authority to decide when he blows his nose. (and only as far East as French Harbour- no joke) That, and he can ignore people who cut mangroves illegally.

The Roatan Marine Park Authority can't even keep locals in canoes harvesting Conch out of the Marine Park, much less yachts slicing through the Coral while dragging anchor past the mooring buoys.

Puuuuhleeeze.

...When we went to Bonaire and DAN would not cover military incursions....

What insurance would? What were they expecting? Civil unrest due to the hike in Heinikin prices? Goat safety?

Maybe somebody who is on scene in the West End of Roatan can tell us more about this grave problem.

I'm going to take a nap.

http://www.bayislandsvoice.com/ is about as current as things get

 

[chucksaul]

You care to quote a source on this alarming "news"?

√ Earthquake
√ Coup
√ Bug Bites
√ Drug Wars
√ Electric Company Strike
√ Election Season
√ Divemasters Dueling
√ Falling from Zip Lines
√ The airport exit tax
√ Lionfish
√ Rime is Running Crampant on the Streets

Now this! Holy Crap, Batman! (and it's not even April 1st)

The Mayor of Roatan is limited in his authority to decide when he blows his nose. (and only as far East as French Harbour- no joke) That, and he can ignore people who cut mangroves illegally.

The Roatan Marine Park Authority can't even keep locals in canoes harvesting Conch out of the Marine Park, much less yachts slicing through the Coral while dragging anchor past the mooring buoys.

Puuuuhleeeze.



What insurance would? What were they expecting? Civil unrest due to the hike in Heinikin prices? Goat safety?

Maybe somebody who is on scene in the West End of Roatan can tell us more about this grave problem.

I'm going to take a nap.

Bay Islands Voice is about as current as things get

As I stated this is from the cruisers on site... where are you... chicago was it?????

Re: Cruising Sailors -
I'm shaking my head as I read your message. This is certainly NOT the message we
received during our meeting with the Mayor on Friday, March 23rd. We were told
that the decision was final and that there would be NO compromises made. Period.
No further discussion. No solutions would be considered. He told us that we all
"had to leave immediately". "Didn't the police come out in a boat yesterday to
tell you to leave?" This was the first opportunity for representatives from the
cruising community to be heard - after it's all a done deal. Does this sound
like a government that is "cruiser friendly"?

We are the Host Vessel in the mooring field of the Roatan Marine Park here in
West End. We personally visit each vessel as it enters the Marine Park and
inform them of the rules and direct them where to pay their fees ($10 day/$40
week/$100 mo) in US Dollars and we make sure that they pay. As you can see this
is a large source of revenue for the park and the municipality. We also turn in
poachers as evidenced by the latest marine park newsletter.

In the meeting the 3 representatives from the cruising community (Walter Morris
captain s/v Niki Wiki, Tom and Liliana captains, s/v Gloria Maris) were told in
no uncertain terms that everyone had to leave and that French Harbor was the
next area to be affected. In fact Julio Galindo stated that he wanted to see the
policy that all boats must be in an "established marina" applied to the entire
island of Roatan eventually.

Each boat also spends at least $2000US per month in the local economy which does
not include the guests which arrive by airplane to visit the boaters nor major
purchases of new equipment or repairs.

Last month there were approximately 40 additional sailboats waiting in French
Harbor, Belize, Mexico and Guatemala for a mooring ball to become available so
they could come to the West End. That excess demand could not be satisfied
because there are only 21 mooring balls. These people did NOT want to go into a
marina or stay in French Harbor so instead they either did not come to Roatan or
left French Harbor for other islands or country destinations.

West End is unique in the Caribbean. Boats in the anchorage are protected from
the strong winds from the east. The village of West End provides everything we
want; grocery stores, trash cans, excellent laundry service, restaurants, bars,
and dive shops in addition to the beautiful sunsets. This is our 3rd year here
and is our last.

So, while those of you who choose to believe the mayor are waiting and waiting
and waiting for a "solution", we are kicked out of our vacation "homes" and we
are all leaving Roatan and mostly heading out to Mexico and Belize. We know when
we are not valued or wanted - the message has been quite clear and we heard it
from the mayor's own mouth.

Mistreat us once, shame on you. We won't stick around to see what other abuses
are dealt to the cruising community. Thankfully, we are free to go
elsewhere...and we will.

 

[Mike]

Roatan is getting more f'd up by the day. Where is the rhyme or reason they use to come up with this stuff. Let's double the departure tax, now let's ban the use of mooring balls to yachts. They've got some real geniuses in charge there.

 

[Wookie]

No insurance anywhere of any type covers Acts of War or changes in governmental regulations, including your hull and P&I. You can't even get a rider.

 

[Doc]

.... I am not sure whether this affects dive boats or not....

Seems like "not".

As I stated this is from the cruisers on site... where are you... chicago was it?????

This week, yes. Last week: Roatan, I tend to travel a lot. You?

Read between the lines, at least what you can - of that typical style of writing from that source.

That writing was also highly politicized although a casual reader might not have noticed that. "West End is unique in the Caribbean. Boats in the anchorage are protected from the strong winds from the east." The mind reels at that one.

You are right, it's all about money- but it's about the money that's already coming in. Methinks Juliio (he who owns AKR) and possible associates who own "established marinas" - all wanting a piece of the mooring action~ versus letting these hippy sailboaters tie-up just willy nilly and not have to be tied to a marina so that their money can be vacuumed out more easily.

The reference to "French Harbour" is more than dubious. Two reasons: Julio Galindo's authority ends well West of French Harbour- and the only real mooring of yachts anywhere near French Harbour is being done at three well established Yachting Facilities. (FHYC, Barefoot Key & Fantasy Island)

And... In the other corner... wearing the red trunks, weighing in at 115#.... is the West End merchants.

But, since the pertinent issue here is SCUBA....

It's obviously not about dive boats. I think there is a forum on "the nets" for cruising sailboaters.

 

[flareside]

But, since the pertinent issue here is SCUBA....

It's obviously not about dive boats. I think there is a forum on "the nets" for cruising sailboaters.

So you're sayin that the boaters don't in any way support the local dive economy? Never have tanks filled? Never buy supplies or have equipment repaired. Never come ashore and go out on the dive boats? Never take instruction to upgrade or refresh their dive skills?

 

[Doc]

I'm looking at the alarmist nature of this thread's title: Roatan Closing to Boating

I am looking at the phrasing in the OP, "Apparantly the Mayor of Roatan has closed the Roatan Marine Park on the West End. I am not sure whether this affects dive boats or not. I do know enough about Latin American politics however to know that this is going to cost someone, usually us rich Americans, more money.
FWIW I would not not travel down to that area until I had extensive trip insurance and make sure it covers governmental actions."

That is what I took issue with. More of "the sky is falling" rhetoric. (use trip insurance references as a benchmark)

So you're sayin that the boaters don't in any way support the local dive economy? Never have tanks filled? Never buy supplies or have equipment repaired. Never come ashore and go out on the dive boats? Never take instruction to upgrade or refresh their dive skills?

Re-read what I wrote- that's exactly what I'm saying. The money the cruisers are spending is not going into the pockets of the land holders who run "established" Yacht facilities. It's an argument about the "haves" (those Yacht Facilities) and the "have-nots", (those who service and sell to the yachties tied up to mooring balls). The issue of the tax fee collected for the mooring balls is a side issue with the same dynamics.

I may not live there 24/7/365, but I know how things happen and get done in the Bay Islands.

In that the Mayor of Roatan (the zone of the Western End of the island, it's not the entire rock) doesn't post on Scuba Board... in that the writer of the quoted source above is a frequent poster here, we are likely to soon hear more "supportive" material in furtherance of "their side".

This simply does not have any of the impact alluded to by the OP, certainly not on the readers of this message board.

[only 2 more days until April Fools Day]

 

[laurenceh]

loosing yachters is no big deal other than they make the view look prettier. anyone who lives or has lived on a caribbean island for any length of time, never misses yachters when they leave. they spend very little money, drag anchor all over the reef and only befriend expat home owners so they can bring their tenders to their dock, use their laundry facilities and pump fresh water from their cistern. prior to my island life i had a very romantic notion of what yachters were like, reality experience has taught me they are a bunch of charming scroungers.

 

[cap10]

Can you get Hitch hiker?