bvi captains log blog

Here are two which came through the Charter Yacht Society, for those who have an interest in the pre clearance program that is being tested in the BVI. The documents which will help to understand the new eSeaclear initiative which offers optional pre-arrival notification of vessels to the BVI. The initiative is currently in the pilot stage with St.Lucia being the other Caribbean island testing the program.
Eseaclear web site

EseaClear FAQ

EseaClear information

I have been hearing more and more rumors about Scrub Island, but no official sources yet on what is going on there and whether the project is stopped or not. I certainly hope it will not stop where it is as they made an absolute mess of the island!

We just came back from the IMAX theater watching Shine A light Movie on the Rolling Stones. I am not a huge Rolling Stones Fan, but my son Chris wanted to go, so all three generations trooped off. The older members were more mesmerized then the one who says it is his favorite group! Even though it was too loud for us, we thoroughly enjoyed it. Off to gabriola Island tomorrow early, to visit, to Bazzas utter dismay, more relatives! I can hear the calendar pages tearing off the calendar quicker and quicker as it nears time to return to the boat! I have ordered just about everything that I can think that would need replacing this summer and had it shipped down, now I just have to convince my husband that i am not kidding when I say that I want a satellite dish on there!

We picked up our middle son from the airport on Saturday, it was good to see him. We have had a couple touristy days in amongst the ton of work that i have to do.
We went for a drive out to see the Mt Olympia Mountains and the assorted fowl that live down on the coast there..



I had just slightly tapped my lens while it was extended in the helicopter the other week, no more then a tap, but it did in my 18-200 lens, I have sure been missing it while it is fixed. I use it topside just about all the time.

More more birds

We went out to the Souke Pots out toward the west coast of the islands, and they were very pretty. No, I did not climb down! I would have had to come back up!!



My son is just being a goof!

Then like the little fish piggies we have been we went and found some more fish and chips for dinner down at the wharf! There was a cruise ship in and lots of people milling around.

Dinner was not so great, but my mother and I enjoyed the peanut buster parfait at Dairy Queen much more afterwards!



SwimVacation and Promenade (honourable mention only I assure you!) were written up in the Globe and Mail (Canadas National Newspaper for those of you who don't know know! They have a few weeks going out on Promenade this coming winter, with space left open, one Dec 7th to 13th and two in April. They have also teamed up with a Canadian group (for once the Canadian dollar is on the good side!) and the European market to fill these trips, and I think it is a bit like a snowball, it is getting bigger and bigger. Swim Vacation is the name and Swim Vacation is also the web name!
Here is a PDF link to the article.


The yacht still has no internet, they have gotten the royal run around. It started last Friday with them saying the system was just being rebooted and it would be up in twenty minutes. Then it was the weekend, so so much for that! Rich would phone in to talk to a technician and he would have to go through the entire story to who answered the phone before they would agree that yes, he needed a technician. I cannot even believe nor remember all the stories he has been told. It is our fault, it is their fault, they know what is wrong, they don't know what is wrong.
They then attempt to tell him it is because we are using a pyramid to broadcast throughout the boat, (the same pyramid that we bought from them not that long ago for quite a bit of money that they touted as the next great thing for broadcasting! First when it was always messing up they told us they were having problems with it and then they just simply said "we don't support it any more. Only in the islands! After being told that that was the problem they scratched around on the boat to find a computer that had a card slot and went through all hooking it up again to find out that it still does not work and to bring it in. Yeah. Right. Over festival! BUT it will give them a good chance to find out why they are now offering a FASTER CHEAPER SYSTEM THEN THE ONE WE HAVE WITH A "FREE CARD"!
I have an entire collection of internet cards from Boatphone, from over the years, They all cost, well, as much as the overpriced phones we get on island! Hence, not many posts from Lisa.
Richard did phone me all excited today as they were diving the Chikuzen (twice today I might add!) and he had on his wide angle swimming right along with the large Grouper! In fact several of them not to mention the rather large sharks! Harrummppphhh!!

I know, it has been days since I have written, but in all truth I have been working flat out trying to get together information for the beginning of August on some new programs we are doing. I am getting closer, and hope to have it all together in the next few days, so you will just have to be patient until then!
I am not even sure where to start here.
For those who remember Lasse, our Danish Gentleman who worked on the boat about 3 years ago, well, guess what! He is getting married in early August! yes, to Yoi Yoi, the Japanese girl he has been seeing on and off for many many years. I think that they are actually going to live in Denmark for awhile! Congratulations to him on that!

There was a symposium on last week to discuss oil prices, air prices, ferry service, and other things that are affecting our economy in the BVI, like elsewhere. Although I was obviously not on island, the Chamber of Commerce sent around the minutes from the meeting and the three key points i picked up on were:
1) Long Bay resort has seen a jump in their guests who are coming by ferry from St Thomas as opposed to straight into the Tortola airport rise from 2.5 % to 28%. That is an incredible number. I knew I was on the right track when I was thinking of moving the yacht down there to live! Long Bay among others, is also seeing very low occupancy rates for the off season and subsequently have laid off more then the normal number this year. The places on land seem to be suffering compared to the boating industry in the BVI. I could give them a list of reasons why, but that would not be very diplomatic...something about those in glass houses, so I will stop there.
2) There is talk about putting on later ferries to get people over to Tortola from St Thomas in the evening, as the last ones now are about 5. It is being worked on and it is a good thing. Although, someone mentioned that we could put on all the ferries we want in the world, but if they were cutting flights into St Thomas as well, it would not matter.
3) Industry and the government needs to approach alternate airlines to see about getting another carrier to pick up AA's slack. Also brief talk of our own airline...(better not, the last time we did that the one and only plane is now a great dive wreck off the Dogs!)
It was concluded that when everyone works together things can happen. ie, getting a repeal of the new proposed harbor fees and a task force formed to look at it.
Another scary statistic. When AA shifts there flights in the fall all the flights arriving and departing out of Tortola will be between 2 and 6 pm! Does not sound very encouraging on AA's part.
Someone forwarded me this picture and it is a definite oops!

In other news (I feel like a broadcaster here!) there have been reported sightings of the LIONFISH in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. They are native to the Pacific Ocean, but I believe they manage to get into the Atlantic waters after Hurricane Katrina and they have been slowly moving their way down the island chain. These babies are very beautiful, very venomous, and have not many predators. The first one that is found in these waters will be a picture on the front page of the newspaper for sure. NOAA is asking if you find one, either SCUBA or fishing, that you DO NOT return it to the water, you capture it (! that probably comes under the heading of we are trained professionals (ha) and we don't want our guests trying to do it on their own!) and they want it.

Here are two flyers on it, one for divers Lionfish SCUBA Flyer and additionally, one for the fishermen out there Lionfish Fishing Flyer
I will look forward to taking pictures of them and practicing my lionfish capturing skills, which usually means yelling for my husband!!

I thought Bazza was going to bend down and kiss the driveway where his project sat when he got back to Victoria! I asked him where he was going to fit it on the yacht and he said he was going to sleep with it! I harrumphed!!

I have no idea what this little black piece is but I suspect it is a hydraulic arm of some kind.

My aunt and uncle sent this on and I thought it was appropriate with all the bears we have seen on our trip.

I have some nice pictures of our trip around Prince Rupert and the northern part of Vancouver Island, which I will put up next entry. This is just the grab bag! My friend Janice had there boat out in North Carolina this weekend and she sent some stunning pictures! Just exactly the type of pictures I like! Reflections and sunsets!!

Great pictures Janice..

There is also some rumor going around the island, that a certain island that was full speed ahead under construction..no names, appears to have laid off there filipino and vietnames workers and sent them home. Now this is the general contractor. I have heard for a few months here that sub contractors have not been paid here. That is all I know and it is strictly from the coconut telegraph, but would be typical, get something half done, ruin the absolute look of the island and then come to a stand still.