Notice to Mariners that the World is Overpriced

[Guest]

He is right

 

http://www.allatsea.net/article/Februar ... Overpriced

[Guest]

Then read it again with the words seabed and foreshore legislation in front of you.

[wheels 543]

Not the same thing at all Squid

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Seabed/Forshore will most likely be an annual licence.

 

It's sad because it has, not is happening, but has happened just about right around the world. But it happens in our own backyard too. Where ever there is some form of service for a boat it happens. Marinas are cash cows for instance. But people pay, so they charge. Sadly there are just enough who can afford. Quite a few have this impression that because you own a boat, you must be rich. I heard it just yesterday in regards to something. The guy said, I don't know why the person didn't just by X. It was only $700.

Well simply put, if you don't have $700 bucks, you don't have 700 bucks.

Even the Pacific Islands do it now. A lovely secluded beach now seems to have a "chief" and you are supposed to pay him for anchoring in the nice secluded bay for the night.

We will never change this. It is the way the "system" is. There are poor people trying to feed their families, they charge what and when they can. We think what a rip off and to be able to afford it, we ourselves charge what and where we can. Eventually, only the top of the list Rich can afford it. But that is the sad downside of capatilism.

[Guest]

Even the Pacific Islands do it now. A lovely secluded beach now seems to have a "chief" and you are supposed to pay him for anchoring in the nice secluded bay for the night.

I'm sorry Wheels but that is plain horsesh#t. How do you come up with this information??? I'll C&P a response I made on another forum regarding this (pertinent to Fiji) and then follow up.

"

There is no anchoring fee anywhere in Fiji except for Denarau Harbour. I think you may be confusing the custom of Sevusevu where a gift of Kava (about $10 worth) is presented to the village chief if you are anchoring and fishing in front of their village. In reality most of the decent anchorages in the popular cruising areas are taken up with established resorts or have been leased for future development and no Sevusevu is needed there. The Sevusevu itself is not compulsory but you will be welcomed to share in Kava drinking and meals etc. and it is a great ice breaker for meeting the locals. Generally you will receive something like fruit or fish in return if you are staying for a few days.

We anchored 52 times this season and only made Sevusevu about 8 times."

 

As far as the rest of the SP is concerned, we have NEVER had any demands placed on us for anchoring. Often the locals will ask if we have fishing hooks etc. and if we have, we trade, which they appreciate. We also sometimes go to a village bearing gifts for schools etc or even just offering advice/training etc.

The biggest whines I have heard from cruisers are those that seem to feel their god given right to do what they want, wherever they go with no thought whatsoever to the people's property they are invading (that's right, property ownership in most of the islands includes the reefs & lagoons, how would you feel if some big tosser turned up in a huge camper and parked on your front lawn without even bothering to say hello?)

The tenor of the linked article suggests someone who should have given it up years ago.

[Jean 5]

Fatty is right, having come through the Red Sea a few weeks behind Wild Card we experienced similar money grabbing incidents. We will never go back to Egypt by boat and if we can help it by land. Clearing into Port Ghalib with another Kiwi yacht, same paper work. The officials only had to walk the few metres from their offices once, both yachts with 2 people on board the only difference the other yacht is 20ft bigger and they were charged $20 US more than us, what for ??? Just because they looked flasher and just because they can!! We got ripped off on our Suez Canal fees by $US100, lesson learnt know your arabic numbers before you pay the bill. They have worked out all the scams, present the bill just before the pilot steps on board, no money no pilot, no transit that day .."ah maybe not for two more days" In the meantime weather windows change and you end up staying somewhere you would love to see the back of.

In third world countries we do look wealthy and even a small yacht like Wild Card appears to be better off than the locals. World cruisers are better off than the people ashore scratching out a living from very little, we have choices, to visit, to stay or go but we must pay no matter what, most of the time the fees are still cheaper than an airfare to get there!

Sometimes the amount of money paid or "presents" given depends on how the cruiser approaches the situation, a smile, relaxed handshake to welcome officials aboard and an invitation down below works wonders and sometimes not.

Even though we complain about the blatent rip offs we experienced in the last year sailing Phuket to Turkey via the Red Sea we enjoyed the experiences, land travel and people, we dont necessarily want to go that way again but would recommend that route to any world cruiser, just bring a bucket load of patience and US$.The rewards are in the beautiful scenery, diving, land travel and great people on and off the water. Dont forget to include a few stops in Yemen one of the highlights of our year.

Fiji and the Pacific is a different story, more relaxed but there are checking in fees still to be paid. Most of the Northern Hemisphere world cruisers we meet rate the Pacific as the highlight of their voyage.

 

If you want to go sailing go dont use others bad experiences as an excuse to keep the dock lines tied. Learn from their experiences and judge for yourselves.

[darkside 61]

A bit of corruption in the Red Sea should be no surprise to any one. Its part of the fabric of the trip. Jean is right that the right attitude and going with the flow usually works. Also the realisation that there is nothing you can do about it except wait it out and most aren't prepared to do that. There is no point in ranting although one Australian skipper just turned around and took his Red Sea pilot back to the dock. He waited a day and got a different pilot.

We had it easier with the children on board as you become a family man like them.

I used to work in Saudi Arabia and a few words of Arabic help as well.

Not being American helps as they are all seen as rich, even on modest boats like Wild Card.

He was in Malaysia in 2002 so I assume he is going around again.

A surprising number of the locals we met were well aware that NZ wasn't involved in the Iraq conflict and we got brownie points for that.

The charging for anchoring is a different issue.

In some places like Bonaire where the whole place is a National Park and anchoring free zone I support it.

You have to use the moorings but they are cheap and on a stunning sand shelf with inky blue water just behind the boat.

The only place we paid for anchoring was in the Maddalena's where they are trying to keep the numbers down with a 25 euro a night charge. A stunning place and you could avoid the charge by moving the boat around a bit between 4pm and 6pm when they collect the fee if you objected.

A few places in Croatia tried it on but they really wanted rich Germans who eat in their restraunts ashore rather than liveaboards filling up the bay. The stay was free as long as you eat ashore.

I have never been charged in the Pacific and I see sevusevu quite differently to a fee.

While somtimes it seems a hassle other times its great and adds to the experience.

[wheels 543]

I'm sorry Wheels but that is plain horsesh#t. How do you come up with this information??? I'll C&P a response I made on another forum regarding this (pertinent to Fiji) and then follow up.

Well I am glad to be told I am wrong with this then. It has been what I have been told on several occasions by people going up there. If it is not the case, then that is awesome because I thought it a sad situation.

[Guest]

Well I am glad to be told I am wrong with this then. It has been what I have been told on several occasions by people going up there. If it is not the case, then that is awesome because I thought it a sad situation.

 

Those people have probably gone into places with an arrogant attitude and no respect for the culture of the people they are imposing themselves on. I repeatedly find Kiwis up here treating the islands as their personal playground with absolutely no thought for their hosts or other boats in anchorages. I often wish some of the yachties who use the anchorages for their annual holidays would just book into a resort and use their hobicats.

[Bad Kitty 256]

As Jean says we do look wealthy to 3rd world inhabitants where very survival is a battle. That's because we are very wealthy in comparison, and I'm afraid paying a little for the privlige of visiting is just part of the deal. It would be great if, like back in the 70's we were one of 5 boats that an Island saw that year, but those days are long gone, and the novelty must be wearing off a bit for those lucky enough to live in some tropical paradise.

Corruption nevers sits well with Kiwi's, I think mainly because we have grown up with out exposure to it but in many places it is part of everyday life & survival.

Having said all that, nowhere in the South Pacific have I found much real corruption, unpleasant officialdom or the like.

I hate it when tourists (US?) whinge that "it's not like home" & I try & remember that when I encounter some aspect of a local culture that I find a little different.

As PW said, lot's of villagers, and not just in Fiji, are very appreciative of small trade items like fishing gear, rice, kids crayons & stuff in exchange for fresh fruit & produce etc. It's a fun part of the experience for us.

 

Sorry that's a pretty disjointed ramble but I guess what I am trying to say is that I feel lucky to be able to visit those places, and if you hate change, and want it just like it is at home, bloody stay there!