If you had a hurricane mooring in Hurricane Hole last year, V.I. National Park and Coral Reef National Monument wants to know by May 18 whether you want the same mooring for the upcoming hurricane season.
Boat owners who already responded don’t need to do anything further.
If the park does not hear from vessel owners by May 18, it will assume the owners do not intend to use the mooring during the 2012 hurricane season. All open berths will be placed in a drawing to be held at 9 a.m. June 2 at the pavilion in front of the park’s Cruz Bay Visitor Center.
Rafe Boulon, the park’s chief of resource management, said that it’s too early to know for sure how many spots will be available, but typically 10 or 12 become open each season.
There are a total of 103 spots on the hurricane mooring chain, but Boulon said that there are another dozen spots in Hurricane Hole where storm anchoring is permitted.
Any vessel owner who was issued a temporary permit last year should let the park know if they want that hurricane mooring should the original permit holder decide to forgo the spot for another year.
Boulon said the park issued temporary permits for spaces where the permit holder wasn’t using it. The temporary permit holder will need to participate in the drawing for any open berths if the original permit holder wants to use the slot.
The park reminds owners that if a vessel was sold or transferred since last year, it is the vessel which retains the storm mooring berth and not the past owner. This is because many vessels have mooring attachment lines made up to suit the storm mooring berth that was assigned.
To renew your mooring permit, email Esther Francis at esther_francis@nps.gov or call 693-8950 ext. 232.
Call Boulon at 693-8950 ext. 224 for more information.
