Bahamas - EMERGENCY POWERS (COVID 19)(NO. 1) ORDER, 2020 ???

[Ben51]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

The Prime Minister in his speech said that emergency measures were being considered and drafted for pleasure vessels, namely yachts in Bahamian waters.
What that means, I have no idea.
Also weekend lockdowns will continue for at least this month, same as last weekend.

What it means is what I have been trying to tell you for 2 weeks.
You are covered by the Emergency orders-like everyone else in the Bahamas. Since you and you fellow cruisers seem to be oblivious to that fact, insinuating that your cruising permit gave you special status, The Gov. has now gone out of its way to inform you you are covered and restricted-like everybody else.


And the lockdown this week is NOT the same as last week. This week it goes from Wed. night till Tue. morning. And YES it means you are not allowed off your boat!

[Montanan]

Originally Posted by Woodland Hills

This is interesting, especially the part about banning “sail between islands” with no mention of it referring solely to commercial or private commercial boats.

https://thenassauguardian.com/2020/0...thern-bahamas/

Sounds like you are stuck in your anchorage for the duration if this is accurate......

This was posted on another forum is is a cut and paste of a government order:

Thanks, I saw that. The afternoon chatter on the vhf has some looking at weather windows back to the states. The highlighted section was in the link, not from me.

The Ministry of Transport, in close coordination with the Bahamas Maritime Authority, has put in place protocols for cruise ships sheltering in The Bahamas.

These protocols outline the terms and conditions under which the ships are allowed to stay in The Bahamas.

For example, no shipboard personnel may disembark the ship at any time or for any purpose without the prior written permission by and only on specific terms set by the Competent Authority, which is the Prime Minister.

The protocols also outline security, medical and operational guidelines.

The Government may at any time supplement, amend or rescind all or any part of the protocols and issue any instructions or prohibitions with regard to a specific ship or circumstance as it sees fit.

Protocols for yachts and other pleasure craft are being developed.

The main purpose of which is to encourage as many of “these people” already within Bahamian territorial waters to return to their countries of origin for the duration of the pandemic.

Many of the cruise ships are Bahamian flagged vessels to which the USCG and likely other nation states have refused entry and have advised the vessel to return to their flag state, because the vessel is subject to the maritime laws of that flagged nation state. Of course this becomes a huge humanitarian issue when massive cruise ships with thousands of passengers and crew are stuck at sea and some of the passengers become ill and the contagion can spread to others on board. The Bahamas having very modest health care capacities and likely modest provision stocking capacities to supply the needs of such large ships. But when a country issues a registry to a ship it assumes the responsibility for the safety and operation of the ship and all those on board. A ship's and the associated country's Flag of Convenience can become a major inconvenience for both the ship owner and the country that approved its registry and issuance of nationality to the vessel.

Similar situation could be applied to yachts. They may be refused entry and told to return to their flag nation's ports.

The vessel's flag nation may not be a convenient place to return to for some boaters, but that flag on the stern indicates where the home ports are located. It is not just there for decoration.

[Montanan]

The number of crew stuck onboard the cruise ships is large and the master of the ship is responsible for their safety and eventual repatriation to their home countries.

As cruise ships drawdown the number of passengers remaining on board, concern is growing for the tens of thousands of crew members, mostly foreign nationals, who remain stuck on board these ships in or near U.S. territorial waters.

The U.S. Coast Guard on Sunday revealed staggering new figures about the number of passengers disembarked from cruise ships in the United States since the coronavirus pandemic started to wreak havoc on the industry.

Over the last three weeks, the Coast Guard says it has processed more than 120 vessels, collectively disembarking 250,000 passengers onto U.S. soil, including the 1,200 or so passengers offloaded from MS Zaandam and MS Rotterdam in Port Everglades, Florida last week.



The removal of passengers from these vessel comes after the international cruise ship industry announced an initial 30-day suspension on sailings, with many of the major cruise lines now extending the suspension through at least the end of April.

Although the drawdown of passengers stuck on board cruise ships is viewed as a major milestone in one of the areas hardest hit by the virus (i.e., cruise ships), what remains alarming now is the number of crew members who still remain stuck on board these ships.

According to the Coast Guard, as of Sunday there were 114 cruise ships still carrying 93,000 crew members either in or near U.S. ports and waters. This includes 73 cruise ships with a combined 53,000 crew members either moored or anchored in U.S. ports and another 41 ships with 41,000 crew members still underway in the vicinity of the United States.

Ultimately, however, it is the obligation of the cruise lines for the care, safety and welfare of their seafarers, the Coast Guard says.

“The entire DHS team is working together to ensure no seafarer will be left untreated during this emergency to the best of our collective ability, however, proactive measures are critical to ensuring our limited search and rescue resources and already stressed shore-side medical services do not get over-burdened,” said Rear Adm. Eric Jones, commander of the Coast Guard’s 7th District. “This emergency situation requires cruise ships to take additional measures to be reasonably self-sufficient in these emergency circumstances through improved on board medical care and protocols and pre-approved medical transport procedures.”

On Monday, the Coast Guard announced it had carried out medical evacuations of three cruise ships crew members with COVID-19-like symptoms within the Miami and St. Petersburg, Florida areas of responsibility Saturday and Sunday.

In a Marine Safety Information Bulletin issued last week, Rear Adm. Jones said foreign-flagged cruise ships should prepare to treat COVID-19 patients at sea for “an indefinite period of time” as shore-side medical facilities and resources become overwhelmed by COVID-19 patients.

Although the MSIB stated that MEDEVACs would still be considered if deemed necessary by a Coast Guard surgeon, the vessel owner or operator are required to secure commercial transportation ashore and confirm hospital availability before any such evacuation is authorized.

The MSIB instead recommended that ships should seek help from their respective flag states, such as Panama, Liberia and the Bahamas, as is often in the case with cruise ships.

On Monday, the Cruise Lines International Association said as of April 6, seven of its members’ cruise ships remained at sea with passengers, representing 2.5% of CLIA members’ global fleet.

[Woodland Hills]

Originally Posted by Ben51

What it means is what I have been trying to tell you for 2 weeks.
You are covered by the Emergency orders-like everyone else in the Bahamas. Since you and you fellow cruisers seem to be oblivious to that fact, insinuating that your cruising permit gave you special status, The Gov. has now gone out of its way to inform you you are covered and restricted-like everybody else.


And the lockdown this week is NOT the same as last week. This week it goes from Wed. night till Tue. morning. And YES it means you are not allowed off your boat!

I hope everyone with a dog has it trained to poop and pee onboard because there is no pet exemption in any of the orders I’ve read.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by Ben51

What it means is what I have been trying to tell you for 2 weeks.
You are covered by the Emergency orders-like everyone else in the Bahamas. Since you and you fellow cruisers seem to be oblivious to that fact, insinuating that your cruising permit gave you special status, The Gov. has now gone out of its way to inform you you are covered and restricted-like everybody else.


And the lockdown this week is NOT the same as last week. This week it goes from Wed. night till Tue. morning. And YES it means you are not allowed off your boat!

Call the US embassy and you’ll find that we are not legally restricted from repatriation except during lock downs, the Bahamian government has the right to control movement then.
However try arguing that with some kid in the defense force, just like trying to argue to some local LEO in the US that they aren’t allowed to board, you won’t get very far.
So I’m waiting until I get something in writing before I move.
I believe the US government will get involved and then the issue will be solved.
As of this morning the Hon something Gibson, the MP on Long Island says we are free to go, even during the lockdown, US Embassy says he is a member of Parliment and if he says so, it’s so.
Call the Defense Force headquarters and they say they haven’t heard that.

This has been the most slip shod handling of anything by any government I have ever seen. And I have lived in more than a couple of countries, full of interpretations, and many different ones.
The MP has a speech, and goes off script for the speech and says things that are not in his order, then the local island officials apply their interpretations and it’s different between each island.
Either that is incredibly incompetent or it’s done intentionally.
Yesterday I called the defense force with the intent of trying to get permission and failing that, give them my info, MMSI etc and have them log in their communications log that I was intending to complete an innocent passage and repatriate to the US.
I went through about three people and finally was told that only the PM could give permission for a vessel to depart and gave me a telephone number.
No one answers that number, it just rings and rings not even an answering machine.

BTW, since this started, I haven’t moved. I haven’t because because your not going to win an argument with some kid in the Defense Force who thinks he’s protecting his Grandmother, he’s a good kid doing what he thinks is the right thing. You’ll likely get detained, maybe exposed to the virus as they may take you to Nassau, and God knows what will happen to the dog. Sure the Embassy will get you released, it may take until tomorrow.
I’m waiting and have been waiting for something in writing, it shouldn’t be hard.

It took them days to release the days to shop by name, and the next day after it was released Long Island says, we aren’t doing that, you can shop whenever you want.
It changes daily whether or not we are allowed on shore or not, but there is never any written document stating anything, all hearsay, Facebook page from the Long Island PM etc.

[Woodland Hills]

33 cases today, 4 new ones on NP with 399 people under quarantine orders. The PM says that you can exercise in your yard or IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. This implies you can get off your boat and go ashore to walk the dog. But then again, who knows what is really permitted.

https://thenassauguardian.com/2020/0...-days-of-pain/

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by Woodland Hills

I hope everyone with a dog has it trained to poop and pee onboard because there is no pet exemption in any of the orders I’ve read.

You would be surprised, I have messages from a Dr friend I met here that left to return several days ago, they are island hopping because they are traveling with friends who’s dog has to go shore to go to the bathroom, but they say it’s OK cause they are social distancing.
I’d show a screen shot of the messages but it identifies their boat name.

This is our dogs bathroom, I can’t imagine how anyone can do any kind of passage with a dog that “has” to go ashore

Actually a discussion is whether or not your allowed to anchor anywhere to crew rest or not, many say yes, some say no. Nothing is in writing, so who knows?
Then they will NOT as of yet sell a boat fuel at any fuel dock for some reason, but have allowed Jerry cans?
So how does a power boat without the range or maybe one who’s tanks are low get back?

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by Woodland Hills

33 cases today, 4 new ones on NP with 399 people under quarantine orders. The PM says that you can exercise in your yard or IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. This implies you can get off your boat and go ashore to walk the dog. But then again, who knows what is really permitted.

https://thenassauguardian.com/2020/0...-days-of-pain/

He also said that your not allowed to leave your home, unless it’s to buy an essential item.
But that not true either, ALL stores are closed and him saying you can leave to buy something is I believe not what the written order says, and that’s a big problem, so which is correct, what he said in his speech, what’s written in the order, or what he’s being quoted as having said today?

[Dave852]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Call the US embassy and you’ll find that we are not legally restricted from repatriation except during lock downs, the Bahamian government has the right to control movement then.
However try arguing that with some kid in the defense force, just like trying to argue to some local LEO in the US that they aren’t allowed to board, you won’t get very far.
So I’m waiting until I get something in writing before I move.
I believe the US government will get involved and then the issue will be solved.
As of this morning the Hon something Gibson, the MP on Long Island says we are free to go, even during the lockdown, US Embassy says he is a member of Parliment and if he says so, it’s so.
Call the Defense Force headquarters and they say they haven’t heard that.

This has been the most slip shod handling of anything by any government I have ever seen. And I have lived in more than a couple of countries, full of interpretations, and many different ones.
The MP has a speech, and goes off script for the speech and says things that are not in his order, then the local island officials apply their interpretations and it’s different between each island.
Either that is incredibly incompetent or it’s done intentionally.
Yesterday I called the defense force with the intent of trying to get permission and failing that, give them my info, MMSI etc and have them log in their communications log that I was intending to complete an innocent passage and repatriate to the US.
I went through about three people and finally was told that only the PM could give permission for a vessel to depart and gave me a telephone number.
No one answers that number, it just rings and rings not even an answering machine.

BTW, since this started, I haven’t moved. I haven’t because because your not going to win an argument with some kid in the Defense Force who thinks he’s protecting his Grandmother, he’s a good kid doing what he thinks is the right thing. You’ll likely get detained, maybe exposed to the virus as they may take you to Nassau, and God knows what will happen to the dog. Sure the Embassy will get you released, it may take until tomorrow.
I’m waiting and have been waiting for something in writing, it shouldn’t be hard.

It took them days to release the days to shop by name, and the next day after it was released Long Island says, we aren’t doing that, you can shop whenever you want.
It changes daily whether or not we are allowed on shore or not, but there is never any written document stating anything, all hearsay, Facebook page from the Long Island PM etc.

Come to Raggads, follow rules (it’s easy, no place ashore to go) fish, eat well, then leave via south end of Andros. No potential blockade at NW channel.

[Montanan]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

You would be surprised, I have messages from a Dr friend I met here that left to return several days ago, they are island hopping because they are traveling with friends who’s dog has to go shore to go to the bathroom, but they say it’s OK cause they are social distancing.
I’d show a screen shot of the messages but it identifies their boat name.

This is our dogs bathroom, I can’t imagine how anyone can do any kind of passage with a dog that “has” to go ashore

Just looked at the vaccinations that pet cats and dogs are required to have had before entry to the Bahamas.

Note the coronavirus vaccine requirement for dogs. Clearly a different coronavirus strain than the novel 2019 version, but it does show the zoonotic character of this class of viruses.

Next year they probably will require that for all humans, no?

I am left wondering how the Bengal tigers at the Bronx Zoo in New York City came down with SARS-CoV-2 virus. They all became ill but have recovered. Several pet cats and dogs have tested positive for the virus. It would seem that persons would remain a "social distance" from such beasts. In Florida, the rule for social distancing is to keep at least one large alligator apart.

Rabies Certificate
Your pet has probably already had its rabies shot, but it has to be administered within certain dates of your stay in the Bahamas. Check here for current requirements, but as of March 2020, the requirements are:

One year vaccine: more than one month before date of arrival and no more than 10 months before date of arrival.
Three year vaccine: more than one month before date of arrival and no more than 34 months before date of arrival.
Make sure you have the original certificate.

Other Vaccinations
The health certificate, signed by your vet, must state that the pet has “adequate levels of immunity” for the diseases listed below as well as external and internal parasites. You can check the current requirements here.

Dogs:

Distemper
Hepatitis
Parvovirus
Leptospirosis
Adenovirus
Coronavirus

Cats:

Feline Leukemia
Feline Rhinotracheitis
Feline Calicivirus
Feline Panleukopenia
Feline Pneumonitis

All the best.

[Woodland Hills]

We are so glad we left when we did...... We have a secure slip on the Ortega River with only one other liveaboard couple on our dock. We find that we are just as isolated here as at anchor in the Bahamas with no uncertainty about rules and regulations, no potential visa renewal issues and no problems finding supplies in the market either. There is also a lot more TV to pass the time with since our KVH HD5 stopped tracking the Dish satellites south of Nassau. I am also able to dress up in my PPE, go to the marine supply store or Home Depot to catch up with boats maintenance should I choose to do so. I haven’t done so yet, but it is an option that was not available in George Town or Staniel.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by Dave852

Come to Raggads, follow rules (it’s easy, no place ashore to go) fish, eat well, then leave via south end of Andros. No potential blockade at NW channel.

Several boats have left here I believe to do just that.
However supposedly (rumor and those are rampant, so I have no idea of the validity) the PM has directed the defense force to blockade the Raggeds and Jumentos to keep foreign boats from entering.
Surely no one is stupid enough to try to sneak into a closed Country?
I could patrol the whole area with one C-172, I’m sure they can do the same if they chose to.
However I’m headed back if and whenever some official agency will put whatever the rules are in writing, the Bahama’s PM said he would and I believe they eventually will.
It’s my opinion that we will be required to leave, they certainly do have the right to revoke our Visa’s, and I would expect that.

I have become sick of the rules not really being the rules as in they are all here say, nothing in writing and not only do they change daily, but depending on who you call you can get any answer you want.
Of course an issue with that is if you get stopped by the defense force, what is their Chief’s interpretation today? I doubt stating that you called so and so on the phone and they said it was OK is going to fly, but maybe that’s how they govern?

What are you using for internet? Other than cell phone and my Garmin InReach, which you can’t get news, I would have no way of knowing what’s going on.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

... This has been the most slip shod handling of anything by any government I have ever seen. And I have lived in more than a couple of countries, full of interpretations, and many different ones.
The MP has a speech, and goes off script for the speech and says things that are not in his order, then the local island officials apply their interpretations and it’s different between each island.
Either that is incredibly incompetent or it’s done intentionally ...

It, sort of, reminds one of another country, and it's chosen leader.

[steamgoat]

This morning a list was taken of all vessels in Green Turtle, no other vessels will be allowed to stop for fuel water or supplies.

[Dave852]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Several boats have left here I believe to do just that.

However supposedly (rumor and those are rampant, so I have no idea of the validity) the PM has directed the defense force to blockade the Raggeds and Jumentos to keep foreign boats from entering.

Surely no one is stupid enough to try to sneak into a closed Country?

I could patrol the whole area with one C-172, I’m sure they can do the same if they chose to.

However I’m headed back if and whenever some official agency will put whatever the rules are in writing, the Bahama’s PM said he would and I believe they eventually will.

It’s my opinion that we will be required to leave, they certainly do have the right to revoke our Visa’s, and I would expect that.



I have become sick of the rules not really being the rules as in they are all here say, nothing in writing and not only do they change daily, but depending on who you call you can get any answer you want.

Of course an issue with that is if you get stopped by the defense force, what is their Chief’s interpretation today? I doubt stating that you called so and so on the phone and they said it was OK is going to fly, but maybe that’s how they govern?



What are you using for internet? Other than cell phone and my Garmin InReach, which you can’t get news, I would have no way of knowing what’s going on.

We are using att at $10 per day lol. We came directly from Florida to the Raggads in a rush about a month ago so never got a chance to buy a SIM card. Luckily my wife is still working so her company pays for it. You have service until about 10 miles north of Water Cay and then nothing until Buenavista. The in between areas are great for not hearing bad news but since we are getting ready to leave for Florida soon we are staying around the cell tower at this point all the way at the bottom