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

[rudykruger]

Complete shutdown in Bahamas this weekend starting at 8pm Friday night. Assume this means no groceries or fuel until Monday.

https://youtu.be/ggk9vVTThsE

[chris mac]

Correct. We listened to the PM's speech. Everything short of medical and security needs are shut down until Monday morning. Monday at 10 the PM will readress with new guidelines.

[steamgoat]

Group 9 , I don’t think people are ‘cruising’ in the Bahamas, think about it ,many are just moving through to try and get home. I am in the Abacos,I came to do hurricane relief work,everything is now shut down. Water and fuel are available to people already here but nobody else. There is no propane. I am shortly heading back to US, what would YOU do? I am in my 70’s ,I will stay self quarantined in US, but,it will probably reach here and there are NO medical facilities. So I would rather chance it in US where,if all else fails, I can dump my boat and drive home to a empty,germ free house. It’s not a good situation!

[a64pilot]

It means no anything, during the speech tonight the question came up about funerals this weekend are they cancelled, the answer was they should be, so not an answer really, but if your canceling funerals your pretty serious.
I’m not sure how many people came to the Bahama’s after the virus was known about, they shut down the Bahamas pretty quick, more than two weeks ago I think, so any cruiser here that comes down with it, didn’t bring it with them, they got it here.
The virus will spread, its probably in many more islands that are currently known yet, as I understand it you can get it and be symptom free for days.

So far as Albany Ga, we don’t live there anymore haven’t for a few years but our Son does.
Yes it’s bad there, I have theories why based mostly on the population. I hope he will be OK, God knows he’s been through enough lately, but he’s young and with no Asthma etc.
Our oldest lives close by in Camilla Ga. but again she is hopefully in the age group that does well, she is in her 30’s.
I don’t think it’s from cell phones though, a friend who’s an Orthopedic Surgeon has stated that in one way that Albany may be lucky to be hit so hard so soon, and I think he has a point, his is that being so soon that Albany has been able to ship out patients to Augusta and other places when the hospital has been over loaded and has plenty of supplies and health care workers. The National Guard is there with its medical units etc.
But if it gets bad as in large scale bad then there is no shipping patients off, and supplies will be limited etc.
So in a way, if your going to get it, it may be best to lead the pack.
But so far as spreading, of course it’s going to spread, someone brought up the fact that the Spanish Flu was everyplace on Earth in one year, and that was in 1918, before airline travel and actually most travel actually, there were no highways etc, way more rural than now, family farms were actually pretty isolated, yet it spread everywhere in one year. So no where will be spared I don’t think.

We go back and forth about leaving or staying, we are not moving but do see boats that do, and I can’t understand why. However if they don’t leave the boat, I’m not so sure what kind of health hazard they are, and if it’s been two weeks since they had contact with anyone how could they be?
As in everywhere it’s the Bahamian’s that are their own worst enemy, the Prime Minister in his speech spoke of a large block party being broken up recently. He keeps saying there are way to many people on the roads etc. And he keeps repeating he doesn’t want the people in the Family Islands traveling, apparently they do, to see family and friends etc.
He also said the the ferries in the family islands won’t run this weekend, which I thought odd, I thought they had been shut down long ago?
Maybe he meant the mail boats?
I was listening to him on our SSB AM radio 1450 freq and it’s not the best sound quality to be listening to a speech so maybe I misheard the ferry thing.

When we leave, we will make my way up the Exuma’s pass by New Providence, by Chub Cay, Northwest Channel out the hens and chickens to Ft Pierce inlet and hopefully fuel in Vero. Cause unless it’s an honest Armageddon, we can’t or won’t stay here during Hurricane season.
Unless someone knows a better route?

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by Montanan

A64:

It could be much harsher, you could be back home, a hot spot in Georgia, staying at home. Please stay on your boat and do not transit so as to protect the Bahamians whose country you are apparently experiencing the privilege of visiting.

We aren’t moving or going ashore although others are, it seems the locals aren’t so worried about boats that they know have been here for weeks, which is logical but logic can sometimes be in short supply, today a request for data came out from the head of the local island, I don’t know his title, but they are wanting to know our boat names, names of people on board, last port as in where did you come from and how long you have been at anchor here.
I suspicion that they may relax the don’t come ashore for some that are on the list that they know have been in the bay for two weeks or longer. Or may not, who knows?
Today a local Lady, actually a US citizen who has a house here met us at the dinghy dock and went and got us groceries and fuel and we picked it up at the dinghy dock.
We are set for a couple of weeks, but we were out of bread, anything fresh, no eggs etc, so it was good to get some basic provisions.
But a couple of other cruisers went to the store themselves, however the men stayed at the dinghy dock while the Women went to the store, which coincidentally was something the Prime Minister said, he didn’t say only send the Women of course, but did say it would be smart to designate one family member that went shopping and don’t all go and don’t take the kids etc.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

We aren’t moving or going ashore although others are, it seems the locals aren’t so worried about boats that they know have been here for weeks, which is logical but logic can sometimes be in short supply, today a request for data came out from the head of the local island, I ......

If the boaters have really been quarantined for 14 days and have had zero contact with new boaters coming this might be 'logical' . The thing is this isn't the way cruisers act. They stop by in the dinghy, they walk the empty beach and say hi to the person passing by, they loan a tool, a part an egg to another boat.

[BlueH2Obound]

Yup, that didn't take long, already inserting and arguing the commas . . .

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by BlueH2Obound

Yup, that didn't take long, already inserting and arguing the commas . . .

Not arguing the commas at all. I am disagreeing with the widely touted theme that cruiser boats don't pose a risk to islands and that people who make rules to keep them out are being illogical. Either way its not your country, so follow the rules or get out. Where I am the current lockdown rules are pretty well enforced by the police and army.

[BlueH2Obound]

Originally Posted by Paul L

Not arguing the commas at all. I am disagreeing with the widely touted theme that cruiser boats don't pose a risk to islands and that people who make rules to keep them out are being illogical. Either way its not your country, so follow the rules or get out. Where I am the current lockdown rules are pretty well enforced by the police and army.

Paul, just FYI, I wasn't referring to your post.

I hope everyone is able to keep their sanity, and not suffer too much from cabin fever. Hope you can get the supplies you need as well. Looking more and more like I would return to the States if I were able, but have to see what Monday brings. Stay Safe all!

[Group9]

I just don't understand what the Bahamians could be worried about.

https://www.theguardian.com/environm...climate-change

[Woodland Hills]

Any more information about the boat that was prevented from leaving Bimini for the US by the BDF?

It looks like every day we are seeing the numbers tick up, fortunately it is only reported as being on three islands. The time to really worry is if it gets onto Andros and the Exumas and Abacos.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by Woodland Hills

Any more information about the boat that was prevented from leaving Bimini for the US by the BDF?

It looks like every day we are seeing the numbers tick up, fortunately it is only reported as being on three islands. The time to really worry is if it gets onto Andros and the Exumas and Abacos.

It will spread, I believe the vector will be the mail boat, that comes from Nassau of course. I believe the Bimini case was isolated or so it seems.
But, they are doing whatever can be done to flatten the curve, you have to give them that.

I believe it was a couple of boats, however I was told next day 14 left Bimini US bound with the blessing of the RBDF.
There is a lot of interpretation and trying to read into what is meant or desired.
The PM has a tendency to go off script in his speeches, he will say things and then after his speech the published order doesn’t line up with what he said, then of course local officials are taking their interpretation into what they think he meant, so the truth changes daily.
I have no idea if this is intentional or not.
I called the RBDF to tell them my intent to conduct an innocent passage, after going through a few different people I was finally given a number to call the PM’s office about it, a number that no one answers.
Now assumption is that today is another speech / meeting so maybe after that they will answer.
Depending on which official you talk to and when you talk to them will vary the answer whether or not you can repatriate, it doesn’t help that they don’t understand innocent passage and have never heard of it.

[steamgoat]

Latest from Abacos,Total curfew is lifted today, tomorrow and Wednesday,shopping at set times by alphabet letter of name. Wed 9 pm total lockdown until 5am on Tues 14th.

[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.

[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.