I am see more and more jet ski’s in the BVI including off private yachts. I thought this was banned with only two exceptions. Leverick Bay on guided excursions and some grandfathered ski’s in CGB. I recall that at one point yachts were required to post a bond if ski’s were onboard and forfeited the bond if they were used. Has there been a policy change?
We were moored at Cane Garden Bay a few years ago in Ron Woit's "40 Below" when some jerk smacked into his boat while driving a jet ski. Did some damage which the preparator eventually paid for. When he got too close he chopped the throttle and there went his steering. I agree that they can be horrible contrivances.
The one's out of Leverick do not have to be on guided tours. The Blue Rush guys are the only ones that rent them but they will send people out on their own. Not saying they aren't coming off yachts, but it is possible they are just being rented from Blue Rush. Unless of course you are seeing them being hoisted onto yachts! In which case I would hope someone cracks down on that, but I know that is highly unlikely. Increased Jet Ski "traffic" is asking for a disaster in a small area like N. Sound.
We have the same problem in Coral Bay, St. John. Large 90-foot+ charter yachts come in with water toys and they are a menace. They are illegal due to the Coral Reef National Monument and the Coral Bay water use regulation. The speed limit in Coral Bay from Long Point to Johnson Reef and inside is 6mph/5 knots and navigation must be in a straight line. That is all of Coral Bay. No enforcement, so its just something for people to complain about. We have some landowners that try to do some enforcement, harass boats, hand out flyers (including claims of "no anchor"), file complaints with DPNR in Round Bay. It will be interesting with VIPCA moorings coming to Round Bay.
These were off a yacht. I would post a pic but don’t have a hosting site so can’t post. Most forums now allow direct uploads for pics. This however was the yacht. They had 4 lined up on the back in the water. Quite the yacht. I think it had 4 tenders, Jet helo and a Nautique Paragon surf boat.
That's terrible. Money talks and those people think they are exempt from any rules no matter if they are there to protect everyone or not. And the precedent is that nobody will enforce it anyway.
Agreed Skip. The mega yachts are above the law (in their and obviously the official’s eyes) and therefore do whatever they want. Money talks. I dislike them almost as much as PWC.
This past winter, several days running, we saw four jet skis going from Tortola to Virgin Gorda at dusk. It appeared they were going to North Sound, and it must have been dark by the time they got there. The water was far from calm. We couldn't believe it - seemed pretty risky.
