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Bahamas to Open June 15, 2020 post COVID19

Discussion in 'Marinas & Waypoints' started by Ken Bracewell, Jun 2, 2020.

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  1. Ken Bracewell

    Ken Bracewell Senior Member

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    The Bahamas Prime Minister's Office held a press conference this morning.
    While commercial tourism is not set to open on July 1, private boats and aircraft will be permitted on June 15.
    Every person entering will have to show a negative PCR (nasal swab) test from within the previous 10 days.
    There will be a pre-registration to be completed online, but the website hasn't been released yet.
    Watch www.bahamasmarinas.com for further info.
  2. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    Update.

    Between now and July 7, you must have a China19 test not older than 10 days

    starting July 7, the test must be no older than 7 day

    before traveling you must apply for a travel permit, online, for each person. The response is automated and pretty quick. Make sure you fill in every field otherwise you will have to start all over.

    also, just announced today, when leaving the Bahamas you must get an outbound clearance at a port of entry and turn in your cruising permit. Failure to do so will result in a $5000 fine. This raises an interesting question about how can you get the second free entry if you no longer have the cruising permit...

    that last rule is going to be a major PITA. We usually run non stop from the Exumas back to Miami, not we ll have to stop somewhere.

    to make things worst... Cat Cay which used to be the easiest way to clear No longer offers dockage to non members. If you Just want to clear in the $100 fee went up to $500... Arrived at Chubb late tonight, will clear in the morning.
  3. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    What a mess, most covid tests are taking 5-7 days to get back. Chub charges $500 to clear in???? Is there a reason for that place to even exist anymore? Turn in the cruising permit, are they going to even enforce that when you leave? I've always found Chub to be a pain in the ass to clear.
  4. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    $500 is Cat Cay, not Chubb. We actually went straight to Chubb this afternoon and got in around 9:30. Will clear in the Morning. I have to say the “new” Chubb is beautiful. Nice docks, amazing landscaping, beautiful club house. Will see how clearing goes in the morning. I had not been here in years. Cat was just convenient. No detour and in and out in less than 30 minutes. But it s a private island and club.... their house their rules.

    Chubb is a 25/30 miles detour when going straight to the Exumas.
  5. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    Remember, It's all just a hoax
  6. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    I agree CAT was easy. Someone bought Chub and they keep dumping millions into, but aside from good fishing once in a while, there is no other appeal there. Last time I cleared there, it was Easter and they made me wait until the following day. Then had to take a trek to the airport to clear. Everything is changing and this year, the amount of planning and hoops to jump through for any trip has been unreal. I never thought I would have had to stick 6 fuel drums on a MY with a 175nm range to do a delivery within the U.S.
  7. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    A MY with a 175nm range sounds like a gas boat. I'd think long and hard before sticking 6 fuel drums of gas on board, especially in summer.
  8. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    We cleared this morning at Chub. No issue. Officials barely looked at the travellers permits and test results.

    then a few hours later I received an email from the ministry of tourism saying one of the applicants (one of the crew) had been categorized medium risk by mistake and should apply again. Never mind I had the actual green light low risk confirmation email.

    Tis da Bahama, mon

    anchored off Norman’s Galleon Point.
  9. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    New 52' Manhattan. This is with a 20% reserve.
  10. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    That s crazy. That’s you can’t even make it to the Exumas unless you slow to hull speed....
  11. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    Really ??? Last boat I ran with that range was a 37' Carver. That would barely make Atlantic City from Fire Island. I ran a few locally, but now I'm glad I never got one to bring down the coast.
  12. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    It's a 52' MY, I don't know of any 55' and under MY's that have a range over 200 NM. The 55' Princess I ran was better but not over 200 NM......50' Prestige is only 160 NM......this is all with a 20% reserve.
  13. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    How many gallons does it hold?
  14. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    580 gallons, 55 gallons an hour at 21-22 knots.
  15. rtrafford

    rtrafford Senior Member

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    Clearing customs isn’t a hoax.
  16. rtrafford

    rtrafford Senior Member

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    Nice crossing. Dead calm out here. Andros is quiet but boat traffic is steady.
  17. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    (Sarcasm. I was relating to some people's political view of COVID 19. So let me add an emoji.;)) However Pascal's description of clearing does make that a bit of a hoax: "Officials barely looked at the travellers permits and test results". With what's happening in Florida right now I'd expect the officials to take their job a lot more seriously, and include temperature checks if not nasal swabs. If Covid 19 gets a foothold on the islands it could be a national disaster for them.
  18. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    I can only tell you what happens here on the ground in the Bahamas. They barely looked at the test and the printed travel permit. But what do I know? You want to call it a hoax... be my guest.
  19. Ken Bracewell

    Ken Bracewell Senior Member

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    One of my crew got this same notice over the weekend. We've already been to the Bahamas and left, and have been in Maine 10 days.
    Did your crew member apply twice? When mine didn't immediately get her health card, as everyone else did, I told her to re-apply thinking perhaps I typed her email wrong.
  20. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    No. I applied for them and only once. Apparently there was a glitch when they transferred the only form from health to tourism website.

    Was talking to some of the guys here at Staniel, some of them got real sick back in January, like us when we were here. They said that most of the Chinese tourists in December were wearing masks and nobody knew why back then. Now we know why....
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