Aug. 19, 2008 — The Planning and Natural Resources Department plans big changes effective Oct. 1 at three St. Thomas bays, Christmas Cove, False Entrance and Secret Harbor, banning boats that people live on.
"There will be no more liveaboards," said Roberto Tapia, assistant director of the Planning and Natural Resources Environmental Enforcement Division, on Monday.
The areas are all located in the Cas Cay, Mangrove Lagoon, St. James and Compass Point Marine Reserve and Wildlife Sanctuary. Christmas Cove, located at Great St. James island near St. Thomas, now has about four liveaboards that Tapia said come and go.
Planning expects to install moorings for charter boats and other vessels whose captains want to spend the day or the night at Christmas Cove. The number hasn't been determined yet, because Planning has to decide how they'll fit, Tapia said. How long boaters will be able to stay also remains in question.
"But they can't stay for a week," Tapia said.
He didn't know whether there will be a charge to use the moorings, but said there might be a maintenance fee.
False Entrance, located in the Nadir at Jersey Bay, has about 13 to 20 liveaboards, Tapia said. Planning will make everyone leave, he said. The department will not install or allow installation of any moorings at False Entrance.
"We want to get that area clean," he said.
Houseboats and other boats that haven't sailed in years are a particular problem at False Entrance because Tapia said they can't move in an hour. This is one of the provisions of the 1992 Mooring and Anchoring Law passed by the Legislature.
Boaters take their dinghies ashore at a small island at False Entrance.
"Their sanding and cleaning hurts the fish," Tapia said.
As for Secret Harbour, which is part of Nazareth Bay, only vessels that provide services to Secret Harbour Beach Resort, such as day sail boats, will be allowed to remain on moorings. There are three vessels that work for the resort, Tapia said. The two commercial vessels anchored there that are connected to Secret Harbour must leave, he said.
The area currently has three liveaboards, Tapia said. No moorings will be installed for day or overnight stays.
Tapia plans to meet with people interested in Christmas Cove issues. No date or time has been set.
Liveaboard boaters at False Entrance knew five years ago that they had to move, Tapia said. The Mooring and Anchoring Law spells out who will be allowed to moor and anchor in various bays, he said.
"I'm just enforcing the law," he said.
Christmas Cove recently made the news when the owners of the 115-foot Leylon Sneed applied for a Coastal Zone Management permit to moor the boat. They wanted to use it as a floating restaurant and bar. They withdrew their application after residents on St. Thomas' East End raised a furor.
Various permutations of the story that changes were afoot in Christmas Cove, False Entrance and Secret Harbour made the rounds of boaters. V.I. Charteryacht League Director Erik Ackerson said he heard several versions of the story, but was relieved to know that overnight mooring at Christmas Cove would be allowed, since it is the first overnight stop for many charter captains leaving St. Thomas for St. John and the British Virgin Islands.
"Awesome," he said.
False Entrance isn't an issue for charter boats, Ackerson said, since they don't go there with their guests. At Secret Harbour, a few use the bay as a base while waiting to pick up charter guests elsewhere, but it is not an overnight spot for charter boats, he said.
Coy Theobalt spent the last three winters living aboard his 57-foot boat Gypsy Wind in Christmas Cove while running day charters out of the Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas Hotel, located at Great Bay. He's concerned about where he will live this winter, since Great Bay is always busy. Additionally, "crappy" weather last winter made Great Bay difficult for liveaboards, he said.
"There's no place for people to go," Theobalt said.
Nearby Vessup Bay is already overcrowded, he said. Soon the only place for liveaboards to go will be marinas, a big change from the pristine and quiet life at Christmas Cove, Theobalt said.
Steve Sullivan, a Rhode Island resident who spends several months each winter sailing around the Virgin Islands on his 46-foot boat, Prime Directive, said he often spends several nights at a time at Christmas Cove.
"I'm opposed to the placement of moorings," he said. "They'll start charging and it will spoil the spirit of the place."
Back Talk Share your reaction to this news with other Source readers. Please include headline, your name and city and state/country or island where you reside.
