TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands The great boatyball lottery

Granddaughter really wanted to go to Cooper despite my plans to avoid it. Set up 30 feet from a excellent internet source. Logged phone on to atomic and UTC time. Limbered up my fingers. Checked and rechecked proper log on. Tap the Mooring of choice at exactly 0700:00 atomic time. No joy to early. 40 seconds to go to UTC time. Boatyball must be using that. Here it comes! Tapped the ball at exactly 0700:00 UTC, no joy ball taken, on to second choice, ball taken, on to third choice, success! Say click now to reserve. Tap reserve and offline pops up. Try again with no luck. Check another internet sight. Lightening fast internet. Maybe I got the ball afterall. Try and check my reservations. Only a spinnng wheel no data. Try a few minutes later. No soup for you! Alas the modern world!
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Damn George! So close.....enjoy you day! And your time with the grands!

Good luck explaining boatyball to your granddaughter.

To quote Yogi...

No one goes there nowadays, it’s too crowded.


Ain't innovation great?

BB is just a smaller version of reservamerica.com (state parks) or reservations.gov (national parks). And if you live out west (we don't), you get to arise at 4:45 a.m. for the pleasure of not getting your desired campsite at 8:00 am! Alas the modern world, indeed!

You don't need to explain BB to your granddaughter, you need to let her use the app. She won't need to limber up her fingers. My buck says she scores!

LOL...I had my college kids secure my first boatyball after being shutout personally...and then didnt even need it

One of my suggestions to BB was moor by field instead of by ball to avoid the hassle....

We scratched Cooper from our future list given their poor service model and the boatyball hassle

We headed over to Cooper anyway. Grand daughter has a way with her begging face! Lots of balls at 11 AM and got a good one for her to swim to beach. Everyone is happy. Now just pray boatyballl does not convert anymore balls at Cooper!!

I am not positive, at least to a scientific certainty, but I believe from my personal observations of a sample size of four that all grandchildren come with that face as part of the standard equipment.

Getting ready to head out for a dive. Two FCFS balls still open and about half the boatyballs. Fantastic weather but supposed to get rainy later in the week.
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How was the dive, where did you go?

Dove wreck alley. Several turtles and the tugboat is still in pretty good shape. As I mentioned a while ago some torched the props off the motor barge ruining a great photo op. Brand spanking new ball on the sight so they are replacing them. Vis was average.
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Is it normal for all BBs to be taken right at 7 am for Cooper?

Yep, people like the insurance of having a first night there if their boat briefs run late. There is a trick though...here is your TTOL tip of the day. At 7am, tap on one of the middle balls right away. Most people tend to tap on the front ones first and the ones on the outside. Never fails....and have always got a ball using this technique....although now the cat's out of the bag...👍👍

Or go elsewhere and don’t stress over getting a ball.

@Standrea.....now that's using your noodle. Great tip.

People trying to have a stress free vacation have to put up with this petty annoying Idea that only benefits a few.

At Peter right now. Will be at Cooper tomorrow around 11. I can't imagine not been g able to go d a ball, but who knows. At the Willy T in a bit if anyone is around. Stay safe.

Doing Great Harbor tomorrow afternoon. Did all the mooring balls get taken, and if so what time? Just wondering if I should plan on anchoring.

Don't plan on anchoring at Cooper.

It will damage the sea grass and that would be harmful to the sea turtles.

Yes, you’re right. Was asking about Great Harbor Peter Island. And, when anchoring there I typically go around to White Bay.

In May GH,PI balls taken by about 2ish but then some turned over around 400. 5-10 boats anchored along N/NE end of harbor.

Check distance between balls as some are too close

Some people could be given an entire field of roses and only see the thorns in it....Other people could be given a single weed and only see the wildflower in
it.

Just got to Cooper. 8 FCFS balls open.

Getting ready to enter the boatyball lottery once again. This time great harbor. Only a 3 G internet connection available here. Do I have a chance?

Lost again. Looks like you don’t have a chance with a phone internet connection. Oh well, we will eat on the boat tonight. Corsairs did not need my money!
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Aren't there still plenty of other balls in GH?

And some people plant a garden of poison ivy and only realize their mistake after it has taken over the field.

I am sure there are lots of empty balls at the moment. Probably will be when we planned to arrive this afternoon. Boatyball always seems however to take the best balls and the chances of getting a first come first served ball are reduced. 5 balls in great harbor is not to bad. When they have all the balls in one location and offer priority bookings to one or more of the largest charter companies it might not seem so great.
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Looks like we a day behind you GeorgeC1. In a slip.at leverick tonight. Any one around?

I think sometimes the lack of success in the boatyball lottery is not based upon internet usage, but on phone usage. I think I would (and some people do) call my college kid back home and have him book the mooring ball for me at game time. Of course, the kid can't seem to get up consistently and make to his morning classes, so . . . maybe not.

We dove Mercurios rock and then spent the day at White Bay. Stopped by great harbor and there was one ball left so snagged that. Boat just anchored right behind me. If we get backwinded we will be meeting later tonight. Foxy’s looks in good shape and we have a reservation for dinner. Jost seems to have made the best recovery of all the islands and is back to normal in most ways. Guy collecting for the Mooring ball had to put his joint down to make change. There was a group of kids near Foxy’s who looked 10 to 12 years old. Maybe one was 13 passing several joints around so I guess things are back to normal! They start them young here!
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