British Virgin Islands:
We cleared into the BVIs on 6th March. After that they started to deny boats from St Martin (where we were before) and refer everybody to Tortola to extend the permission to stay in the BVIs. The officer told us that there were no guarantees that further extensions would be given after that. We got (like everybody else) permission for an extra 15 days. We thought this was too short and things would get worse, so we decided to move to the USVIs on March 18th.
US Virgin Islands:
Entrance went ok, but they were denying entrances to passports from Schengen countries. There was a Swedish cruiser that couldn’t even get on the ferry from Tortola to St John. The procedure was as normal, but they were asking for social distancing and no more than 5 people at the same time in the room at the customs office.
Curfew began . . .
On March 24th we started the curfew mode in St Thomas. We noticed that the amount of cars in the streets dropped significantly and all the stores and establishments were closed (except for basic home supplies such as gas stations and food stores). All the hotels closed, but the airport remained open.
A Coast Guard boat started circulating around the bay – which made us a bit anxious about being asked to leave (as we saw it happening in several US islands). But the situation remained calm. Food stores were normally filled and we were allowed to stay so far.
Things getting tricky….
Around the first week in April the situation in the USVIs started to get a bit tricky. As the USVIs are the only open island at this time the government is now requiring different procedures not only for incoming vessels, but for the ones that are currently anchored.
Firstly, the DPNR (Department of Planning and Natural Resources) will allow you to anchor for 13 days without any special procedure – but from 14 days or more you have to apply for long-term anchorage permission.
Since the covid cases have been rising they started to have more dramatic social distancing measures such as closing the beaches (6th to 20th of April – or maybe further). Local people started to complain that beaches are closed to locals and shores opened to cruisers.
The situation started at Magens Bay with a local news website quoting people complaining about the large number of vessels. After that the same website (St Thomas Source) gave space to a local senator who said that the island is not even obligated to shelter US flagged vessels. There is also this retired teacher at Brewers Bay insinuating that several vessels don’t have holding tanks and taking notes of every one at the anchorage with binoculars.
New Rules April 1-April 30
So within the last few days the anchoring permission terms have changed and the DPNR now charge all liveaboards US $3.00/foot/ for 30 days anchoring. We also have to submit a current picture of the boat with the boat documents and complete two forms: one is the long-term anchoring permission and the other is a health questionnaire. This is for both new arrivals, and boats that were here before the health crisis began.
See https://dpnr.vi.gov/environmental-enforcement/anchoring-mooring/
The above link also details all the designated anchorages for April including additional bays that have been opened up to accommodate the influx of boats.
Today on the news the manager of a charter company talked to the same news website and the headlines were “Despite the Influx of Vessels, Boaters Say they are not the Enemy”. We hope the situation doesn’t evolve to anywhere outside the news. There is a lot of families anchored here (at Brewers Bay) and managing to swim and paddle with kids, dogs etc. Everybody is respecting the rules and, of course the corals.
I have been snorkeling every day like many cruisers and sailors and we see nothing but beauty and a sanctuary of marine life that is amazing. We are all just grateful that there is “sea therapy” during these hard times.
Anyway, I think this virus is challenging our humanity in different senses, it is time to exercise our tolerance and respect for other humans that rely on you not to spread the disease. But the lesson we learn is greater than that.
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- DPNR Anchoring Restrictions
- USVI Biosecurity
- More COVID-19 Field Reports
- COVID-19 Coronavirus: Special Procedures Being Introduced in Ports of Entry Worldwide
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Please share your current experience with COVID-19 restrictions and how it has affected your cruising plans. Contact Sue at editor@noonsite.com with your field report.
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The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not reflect the view of Noonsite.com or World Cruising Club.
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Can a US citizen get a COVID-19 vaccination while in the US VI‘s
All information pertaining to Covid is in the country biosecurity section. In this case: https://www.noonsite.com/place/us-virgin-islands/formalities/#biosecurity-section
We have the following details re vaccinations:
US Federal Admininstration policy is to vaccinate individuals regardless of nationality or citizenship. There is only one hospital so it is in the government’s interest to get everybody on the islands vaccinated. The vaccination schedules can be found at https://covid19vaccines-stt.usvi.care/ (St. Thomas/St. John) and https://covid19vaccines-stx.usvi.care/ (St. Croix).
Update from author 05 May, 2020:
After my last report cruisers here have been surprised with different events. During the month of April there were two vessels stolen. One (SY Red Hot) was stolen when anchored in Lindenberg Bay and abandoned on the rocks. It was recovered in the end, but her status I didn’t follow. You can see the news on the USVI Cruisers and Boaters Facebook page.
Late last month cruisers (local and the ones that had already paid 3 usd/ft) were surprised by CBP boats warning that all the boats were supposed to take their garbage to Yacht Haven Grand Marina. Unfortunately, those who tried to follow the rules were charged $35/bag to be incinerated. Apparently there has always been this rule, but only for incoming vegetables and fruit from outside the island. So there is an on-going discussion between Government and other authorities to decide what to do since all the cruisers (and boaters) started to feel angry and frustrated with this unreasonable price and rule.
All this happened at the same time that the system to collect the anchoring permission fees were updated with the renewal feature. So, apparently we will be charged once again (USD $123.00 in my case – 41 ft) without the right to dispose of our garbage that, of course given we are here since March, was bought in local grocery stores.
How crazy is that? I’m still glad to have a place to stay, but we are now feeling anything but welcomed.
Update from author 14 April, 2020:
Yesterday the police (US Coast Guard) was here and they were super kind with everybody. They informed us they were not going to move us, but reinforced the procedures to fill in the forms and reinforced that we need to be 3 miles away from the shore to dump our waste.
The policemen were all with a positive attitude, very friendly and making sure everybody was safe. No inspection, no papers, no contact, but super friendly.