Dear Compass, I own a sailboat, which I keep on Carriacou, Grenada. Just before we left for the States in April we became aware through an article in your great publication that St. Vincent & the Grenadines was considering implementing a requirement that all boats entering the Tobago Cays must be equipped with, and using, holding tanks for black water sewage. Can you enlighten us as to the status of this regulation? Also, if it is to be implemented, do you have any knowledge as to how it is to be enforced, how boaters at large are to be made aware of this regulation (such as boats just arriving in the Caribbean from distant countries), whether plans are in place to provide pump-out facilities for boats leaving the Keys and what penalties are to be assessed for non-compliance? We are regular visitors to the Cays, usually spending two- or three-day visits six or seven times per season, and we are trying to determine whether we must now spend the large amounts of time and money to equip our 1977 boat (with two heads) with holding tanks and the additional plumbing. If you do not have such information perhaps you could direct us to an appropriate source? Thanks for your help. Harry Rezzemini Dear Harry, We contacted Tobago Cays Marine Park manager Lesroy Noel, who says, “No regulations are in place as yet in regard to holding tanks. The matter is being looked at seriously. Boats without holding tanks are still allowed to enter the TCMP with the hope that they will not discharge their waste where it will affect other visitors.” CC Dear Compass, Regarding the new Marine Protected Area announced in the August issue of Compass, would anyone please be able to inform not only me, but all other yachtspeople, the exact proposed rates for the new moorings that have been put down off Sandy Island, Carriacou? At present I seem only to hear rumbling rumours. Also how is the money to be paid? Will someone come out and collect? And talking of rumours, if you take a mooring at Sandy Island are you allowed to stay the night? Or do you pay only for the day and leave in the evening? Would be grateful if these points could be clarified for us all. Thank you, Sally O’Regan Yacht Stillus Dear Compass, I spent all summer in Carriacou last year. I have seen so many turtle nets around Sandy Island, and I hope they will stop fishing turtles in this so special eco-region. I understand that the new Marine Protected Area is a nice and fair initiative. These areas need to be protected, and to charge the users is the only way to keep the park alive. But the US$10 per night fee is far too much for cruisers. It is okay for charterers, who will spend only one or two nights in the park. But the situation is far different for cruisers, who like to spend weeks or months within the same area. Cruisers take great care of environment; we clean the beaches anytime we could because our children are playing there, and because we find this a shame to have plastics or cans in nature. Sandy Island was the most attractive place for cruisers in Carriacou. Tyrell Bay is overcrowded, noisy, and full of mosquitoes. Hillsborough is not a calm protected anchorage. Before the collection of the fee, there were ten or 12 private boats with children, families, using the mooring buoys in Sandy Island. And now, only one or two boats can be seen in the park. Cruisers now cannot afford being in Sandy Island. Summer is the season of cruisers in Carriacou. They stay here two or three months, spending money on food, repairs, scuba diving, taxis, tours, etcetera. Now, because of the fee in Sandy Island, some of them are gone, and others will not come to Carriacou, staying instead around Union and PSV — free and nice anchorages. Please understand that many cruising families have been very disappointed about this; some left for Martinique, others for Trinidad or Venezuela, only because they cannot afford at Sandy island anymore. Shops and tourist operators lose money because cruisers have left Carriacou. Would the MPA authorities please try to amend the current fee for cruisers? A small “one time” fee, to be paid at the same time during the clearing in process? A lower (much lower!) package for two weeks or a month? Or charge only during the peak season, December to June? During my in-clearing process at Customs, before the fee was implemented, I asked the Customs officer about it. He answered, “It is free!” I said I’d heard about a US$10 fee, and his answer was, “Oh, no! That would be a shame!” I thank you for your attention. Best Regards Fred Dalle Nemo Dear Sally and Fred, Don’t panic yet; the US$10 fee is under review. Under a co-management arrangement, the new Sandy Island/Oyster Bed Marine Protected Area (SIOBMPA) is now overseen by a board representing non-governmental organizations, community-based organizations, Government Ministries, para-statal and private associations. Grenada’s National MPA Coordinator advised that this board begin charging for use of the moorings at Sandy Island, using the fee of US$10 as currently stipulated by government. This, however, is an interim measure. As this issue of Compass goes to press, members of the other MPAs in Grenada are in Carriacou discussing several things, including coming up with new fees to propose to the Cabinet. They will also consider the suggestion of having weekly/monthly/yearly rates, or even consider whether long-term moorage should be encouraged in MPAs. Yachts are allowed to stay overnight. To support the management of the protected area, the Government of Grenada has hired and trained two community members to serve as SIOBMPA wardens. The wardens, who come out to collect fees, have reported increased acceptance of the fee following the initial exodus of yachts from Sandy Island when the fee was first implemented. The board also realizes that some of the moorings at Sandy Island were placed too close to each other and this will be corrected. Some boundary markers are also to be adjusted. We’ll announce when and if a new fee has been decided on for Sandy Island. Meanwhile, for more information on SIOBMPA contact Roland Baldeo, MPA Coodinator, Fisheries Division, Grenada, at rolandbaldeo@hotmail.com or (473) 440-3814. CC Dear Compass, One might hope that Zipporah Gichumbi’s pleasant article on Trinidad’s Scotland Bay in the August Compass might do something to encourage yachts to spend some time exploring Trinidad’s anchorages. Unfortunately, below the article is a note from Compass about Trinidad regulations. Once again, you have to take your papers to Customs and get stamped permission from them every time you want to move your boat in Trinidad waters. While the Customs probably sincerely believe they need to enforce this law, I find no evidence to support it. The law, which has been on the books forever, was not applied for many years as the yachting industry developed. As far as I know this did not lead to any major problems, so why start again? Most yachts visiting Trinidad are slow and more than a little scared of going anywhere near Venezuela because of the threat of pirates, so the idea that T&T Customs needs special vigilance on foreign yachts because of the proximity to South America does not make sense. If they were really worried about smuggling they might put similar restrictions on Trinidadian boats, which include many fast pirogues far more capable of a fast trip to the mainland. Furthermore, if Customs really needs to know the location of every foreign yacht at all times, it would be simple to allow yachts to call up and let them know every time they move. We are living in the 21st century, and all of us have phones or access to them; there is really no excuse for the burdensome red tape that has now been reintroduced. The sad thing is this comes at a very bad time for the yachting industry in Trinidad. I know of several very good businesses, businesses that have served us well, that are currently struggling. It would be impossible to develop a land-based tourist industry if visitors were subject to the same kind of restrictions every time they wanted to move around the country. It is exactly the same with marine tourism. I have spent some wonderful times exploring most of Trinidad’s anchorages. I almost certainly will not bother to do so again while these restrictions are in place, and I am sure there are many other cruisers who feel the same way. Foreign boat owners will still visit Trinidad to get work done; my boat is there now. But, with these regulations in place, visiting yachtspeople will not want to hang out and relax in Trinidad in the way they need to if Trinidad is going to fully benefit from the yachting industry. Trinidad is one of the few countries that have not changed its Customs regulations in light of the modern yachting industry. It is high time these laws were reviewed and modernized and made yacht-friendly. Sincerely, Chris Doyle Ti Kanot Dear Compass, In response to Chris Doyle’s letter in the August issue regarding Trinidad, there are points of fact that cruisers need to be aware of. There have been six incidents of yachts threatened by pirogues or fishing vessels in the past two years in waters between Trinidad and Grenada (excluding numerous incidents in Venezuelan waters to the west). Four of these involved pirogues with numerous men aboard. In three instances arms were identified and in two instances shots were fired on the yacht. There was one successful boarding. Of the four, three incidents occurred in international waters between 35 and 42 nautical miles north of the Boca de Monos (near the location of the Hibiscus oil platform). The last incident was in December 2009 (after a seven month hiatus). As Mr. Doyle notes, there are hundreds of yacht crossings annually and the fact of no reported incidents since Dec 2009 is good news. But to surmise that this is due to activity on the part of the Trinidad & Tobago Coast Guard (TTCG) is unfounded and speculative. The unnamed “different sources” that Mr. Doyle “believes” need to be challenged. The additional ships that the TTCG has received are berthed next to me in Hart’s Cut Bay and sortie only very rarely (awaiting trained staff). The location of the incidents is well outside of Trinidad territorial waters and not subject to normal patrols. It strikes me as irresponsible to claim, on the basis of hearsay, without even calling the TTCG to ask what their activities might be, to claim that there is “extra heat” applied. I would welcome confirmation that this is so — but absent some facts, Mr. Doyle’s “confidence” is nothing more than unfounded hope. As an addendum, we have advised cruisers to ensure that their VHF radio is DSC enabled, fitted with a MMSI number and linked to their GPS. With this set-up, a push of a button can send a distress signal with your position and yacht particulars to all commercial, military and DSC enabled vessels in your vicinity. This is very cheap insurance in the event of any security incident. Regards, John DeLong S/V Alouette Editor’s note: We passed John’s letter on to Chris Doyle for comment, which follows. Dear Compass, It is true the new fast patrol boats are awaiting the finishing of training of personnel, but there are other boats, and one of my sources is a couple who were stopped and questioned by the T&T coast guard between Trinidad and Tobago, so they are out there. My other source is hearsay, stories that have been going around Trinidad, and I cannot be sure whether they are true or not. Trinidad does now have an agreement with Grenada so that the TTCG can cross over into Grenada waters. Chris Doyle Ti Kanot Dear Compass, In reference to Daniel Mead’s letter in August’s Compass questioning the ethics of boat boys claiming fees for helping yachts in distress, Mr. Mead glosses over one key fact, that boat boys are making their living assisting yachts, and thus they charge for their services in emergencies as well as non-emergencies. Think of it like Sea Tow, a US company which offers assistance to vessels in trouble for a fee. Sea Tow won’t save you for free, and any country’s coast guards aren’t working for free either: the taxpayers pay them. We cruisers, on the other hand, are out here for fun, and we are free to volunteer our assistance anywhere, any time and to anyone we please, and that’s a great thing. But boat boys are in the business of assistance for recompense, whether that assistance is delivering a loaf of bread or re-anchoring a drifting boat. I feel that if they help in an emergency, they should be compensated accordingly. Sure, if it’s a matter of life or death, everyone should assist and not count the cost. But if it’s a choice between burning precious gas money and possibly risking yourself and your boat to help out some bozo who didn’t tie up his boat properly, or keeping your means of livelihood and yourself safe and putting food on your family’s table that night…. As travel writer Pico Iyer says, “If the First World is not invariably corrupting the Third, we are sometimes apt to leap to the opposite conclusion: that the Third World, in fact, is hustling the First. As tourists, moreover, we are so bombarded with importunities from a variety of locals… that we begin to regard ourselves as beleaguered innocents and those we meet as shameless predators. “To do so, however, is to ignore the great asymmetry that governs every meeting between tourist and local: that we are there by choice and they largely by circumstance; that we are traveling in the spirit of pleasure, adventure and romance, while they are mired in the more urgent business of trying to survive; and that we, often courted by the government, enjoy a kind of unofficial diplomatic immunity, which gives us all the perks of authority and none of the perils of responsibility, while they must stake their hopes on every potential transaction.” Sid Goodyear S/V Peripatetic Dear Compass, In response to Name Withheld’s letter in the August issue regarding their experience with Portsmouth, Dominica boat vendors, I'd like to share our own experiences with these vendors. Our first year in the Caribbean, three years ago, we bypassed Dominica due to the negative reputation of the local boat vendors which we’d read and heard about. By our second season, we’d learned that many of the problems of the past were being addressed, so we decided to stop in Portsmouth and check things out for ourselves. As we approached the bay, sure enough, one of the vendors flew out to meet us in his pirogue. I thought, “Here we go; I wonder what this is going to be all about.” We were warmly greeted and I called out, “We’re working with Martin!” (as suggested in the guide book). He acknowledged with a wave and a smile and returned to the bay. Prior to this, we’d not had any first-hand experience with assertive boat vendors and being a somewhat private individual, I was a bit outside my comfort zone when they approached us. Dave, however, readily engaged these men in conversation and we got to know them as individuals. That year we dealt with Martin, who always presented himself in a kindly and professional manner. He served as our guide on a couple of island tours and his knowledge and love for his island shone through. Speaking of love of island, I’d have to say that every Dominican we’ve gotten to know expresses a deep affection and appreciation for their homeland — for good reason, because Dominica is truly an exceptional gem.  As I mentioned, early on I felt out of my comfort zone interacting with boat vendors I did not know, primarily because I didn’t know what to expect. However, as we got into the habit of quickly getting on a first-name basis with each vendor and expressing an interest in them as individuals, our experiences were enriched.  Most recently, this past April, we stopped in Dominica for a few days. As we approached the bay, Alexis came alongside in his pirogue, calling out to us, “Welcome to the most beautiful paradise in the Caribbean!” (the same kind of greeting one would expect to receive upon arriving at a tropical resort). We thanked him and invited him to stop by once we’d completed our anchoring. He gave us plenty of time and space to get settled in and then stopped by, telling us that he offered island tours. Earlier, while we were in the process of anchoring, a few other boat vendors came near by and after saying hello, I invited them to stop by once we were settled in. Again, they gave us plenty of space and time. After we were settled, Antonio, the fruit guy, stopped by to show us his produce. As we sat and chatted, he glanced out at one of the local “vendors” on a surfboard who seemed to be having a problem with the outgoing current. Antonio excused himself, drove out to make sure the other guy was not in trouble, and then came back to continue our conversation. I made a few purchases of fresh fruit. In our own experience, we’ve found that going to a new place with some negative preconceived expectations tend to taint our initial reactions, which for us have quickly proven unfounded. We’ve also found that in almost every case respect begets respect, hospitality begets hospitality. Most Caribbean boat vendors are honest and reputable entrepreneurs seeking to make a living providing services and information to visiting cruisers. But beyond that, they are respectable individuals with whom we’ve had the pleasure of engaging in many interesting and lively conversations for the sake of getting to know each other a bit more. I hope that Name Withheld will give Portsmouth, Dominica another chance. On the other side of that coin, I hope that boat vendors of any island will continue to find the vast majority of cruisers coming to their islands do so with an appreciation for their services, information and hospitality. The cruising community is truly an international community representing countries from around the world. I like to think of the relationship between boat vendors and cruisers as one of bridge builders of a sort. Michelle Daniels S/V Daniell Storey Dear Compass, My wife and I have been cruising the Lesser Antilles for the past four years. We have visited each island at least three times, anchoring somewhere for periods ranging from overnight to four months. Sure, each island is different and sometimes you can only scratch your head, wondering what their officials are thinking (or are they?). We enjoy reading the Compass each month, with peculiar interest in the Readers’ Forum. After a while you can tell the difference between ranting and reality but it’s still fun. I have often entertained the idea of submitting a letter in response to something outrageous or to reinforce a comment that rings true despite popular opinion. But after the response from Mr. Donald Stollmeyer on behalf of the Yacht Services Association of Trinidad & Tobago to Ron Llewellyn’s observations in the July issue, I felt the overwhelming need to point out the truth in his statement. Sometimes a politician actually says something one can understand. Mr. Stollmeyer stated, “Perhaps it is because when I visit other islands my approach is cordial, I maintain a friendly disposition and I keep an open mind to the customs and the character of the island. I enjoy the good and avoid the not-so-good.” In boat-speak he is saying his island is the way it is and you, as a visitor, should maintain a cordial and friendly attitude towards their “customs” (e.g. treatment by the Customs and Immigration officers) and their “character” (pirates, pollution, local boats speeding through the anchorage, growing crime rate). It sounds like he is saying, “put your heart into it or get your boat out”. I think we should take his advice and avoid the not-so-good. By the way, the French Islands have figured it out. Make it easy and cheap to visit and cruisers will spend money ashore: win-win. Tony Grim S/V Neshuma Dear Compass, Most yachties visiting our waters are pleasant adventurers, who are interesting and usually not in the first bloom of youth. Then there are the others. These I put in the GY (Grotty Yachty) category. I suppose it takes all kinds.... However, I was incensed by Rob Minks’ blistering, unwarranted and vicious attack in the August issue of Compass on my good friend Donald Stollmeyer, who is not “unprofessional” or “childish” in defense of his work and his country. Donald has worked steadily and devotedly over many years to improve our yacht-maintenance product. Yachties have their radio net where they “exchange” goods and exercise their daily moans and, of course, there are some who feel that constantly complaining puts them a cut above their peers. Trinis are not stupid, nor do we think we are perfect, but we keep trying — and we refuse to grovel to visitors who are determined to find fault with everything. Where else, by the way, can you take on free water and reasonably priced fuel and have free use of a club’s maintenance workshop? Our Coastguard is presently understaffed as 80 of their personnel are undergoing training in England. We have great hopes in Trinidad in our newly elected government’s improved efficiency, but we also know that this won’t happen overnight. Nan Hatch Trinidad Dear Compass, In late January of this year my husband and I relaxed in the cockpit, enjoying the sunset in Clarke’s Court Bay, Grenada, and reveling in our recent near-perfect passage up from Trinidad. Only the fact that we made such good time and had to heave-to until sunrise kept it from being a perfect “10”. But who could blame us for not slowing down when barreling along at more than seven knots on a beam reach under a full moon? Anyway, as we enjoyed our sundowners we discussed plans for some major boat upgrades and how to manage the project while we were home in Ohio and the boat was in Trinidad. Eventually we came up with the idea to head back to the States in May 2011, find a good boatyard in North Carolina, and return to the Caribbean that fall. Sealing the deal was a friend’s offer to use her house during the project. And so, with that plan in place, we settled back and enjoyed yet another wonderful season sailing the Windwards. That plan lasted right up until we returned to Trinidad (for the fifth year in a row) in early May for hurricane season haul-out. The overnight trip was one of our best sails of the season and after a rather comical boarding by the T&T Coast Guard in Chaguaramas Bay, we headed to the Customs dock. At 6:30AM as we passed CrewsInn Marina, we noticed the dock master waving at us and welcoming us back “home”. Right then and there we knew it would be very difficult to skip a season in Trinidad. The difficult became the impossible as we met up with the accommodating folks at Peake’s boatyard and were warmly appreciated as returning customers. So, within a week, after interviewing several tradespeople, we had all of the boat projects lined up for the off-season. So far, work is progressing as expected and we receive updates and pictures as requested. We offer our experience as a contrast to the unfortunately common negative opinions of Trinidad within the cruising community. Yes, Trinidad does have its challenges but so do many other islands. For us, the positives far outweigh the issues. The range of services offered in the Chaguaramas area is unmatched in the Windwards, and the Trinidadians are among the few people who “get” my husband’s sense of humor. And don’t get us started on the food! Suffice to say one of our first stops in January will be for either doubles or shark and bake. Pat Ripple S/V Mirus Dear Compass, In April my husband, son and I had planned to spend two weeks in St. Vincent. We had been buddy-boating with friends in the Grenadines for a while but said our farewells in Bequia. They were all skipping St. Vincent because of its bad reputation. We had enjoyed some time in St. Vincent several years ago, but being sucked into today’s negative hype I was not so sure what to expect this time round. Due to unforeseen circumstances, we ended up being there two and a half months. Over the course of this time, we did a lot of hiking, unguided and by ourselves, within remote areas of St Vincent. We hiked to waterfalls, the volcano and Vermont Nature trails and even walked through Mesopotamia Valley. We bused our way to the start of all of these trails (a ride that can most often be compared to that in a theme park); no taxis required. At no time did we ever feel threatened or hassled. The Vincentians we met in passing were all very friendly and welcoming. We noticed a lot of effort being put into the island, which is very encouraging for travelers and tourists. National Parks has built little offices with toilets and information boards at the bigger sites and all the trails were well maintained. In Young Island Cut there is a new boardwalk under construction, which stretches all the way along the waterfront restaurants and then down to the beach. We had an incident in Young Island Cut where my husband had dropped his wallet (with a substantial amount of money in it) without noticing, and it was delivered back to the boat — with everything inside — by a local man we didn’t even know at the time. On another occasion, I was in the dinghy with my son when the outboard started giving trouble. A local fisherman jumped into his boat and kindly towed us all the way back home. Kingstown can seem a little rough — let’s not forget that St. Vincent is a poor island. I spent plenty of time riding buses and walking the streets of Kingstown with my young son and never felt threatened or vulnerable. People were happy to answer questions, quick to give directions and dish out information about particular places. The vegetable market is a colourful experience with a variety hard to beat. This goes for the fish market too. Supermarket shopping is great, with low prices for stocking up. Some supermarkets even offer discounts for boats. It does depend on your level of “home-comfort” required when traveling, so if you like things just the way they are back at home, give it a miss. For rugged beauty and a genuine Caribbean experience, I highly recommend paying St. Vincent a visit. People are too quick to jump on the bandwagon and harp on about any negative experience they’ve had or heard about. People so seldom take the time to mention the good stuff. When you look at the crime that’s really done to VISITORS of these Caribbean Islands, I think you’ll find a lot less going on in St. Vincent than some of the other much more visited islands. Kate Rushby S/V Free Spirit Open letter to the Grenada Board of Tourism My name is Marjut Valtanen and I have visited Grenada and especially Carriacou Island for four consecutive years now. I come every year during the summer and spend at least four weeks. In the past two years I have also brought other people with me (in fact well over a dozen visitors from my own country), as I wanted to share my great experience with them. I come to Carriacou mainly because of nesting sea turtles, but also because Carriacou is still a great place to enjoy Caribbean lifestyle and people, nature and animals. Every time I enjoy new encounters with different animals like pelicans, frigate birds, boobies and terns near shore, feeding on tiny coastal fish; then iguanas, lizards and tree boas, manicou, morocoy (land tortoises); and of course the marine life, corals and fish. I have taken thousands of photographs during my visits and shared these with my friends and family, as well as publicly in on-line media. I believe in showing to many people good photographs of nature, because I feel that we appreciate and care less for what we do not know, or do not know of. Unfortunately during my visit this time I saw some very disturbing things, which just proved this point. I was very sad to see jewelry made out of critically endangered hawksbill sea turtles for sale on the street of Hillsborough. These can cause a lot of legal troubles for tourists, who do not understand what they are buying. In most of their countries it is illegal to bring any product made of endangered animals or plants. And most importantly, sea turtles are globally endangered and we should protect them, help them survive their present dire straits, so that their stocks can recover and future generations could see them too. Barbados and Trinidad have long protected their turtles and tourism business flourishes. Another case that really shocked me happened on my last day, in early July, when I was snorkeling near Anse La Roche in the north of Carriacou. I had been swimming around for a while and taking photos of marine life, when three guys came in by speedboat and started to spear fish close to where I was swimming. This is a very shallow area where many species come to mate and lay their eggs. After a while, these guys came to fish too close to me, while I was taking photos of a beautiful filefish, therefore, concerned about my own safety and the fish, I decided to leave. While swimming back, I encountered one of the guys who had many non-edible reef fishes and two lobsters in his floating line. I had to stop and ask him, why he is killing lobsters during the closed season, according to Grenada’s law? He may have understood that I wanted to buy the lobster and handed one of them to me and there I saw the cluster of hundreds of eggs on her belly! He speared and killed a female lobster full of eggs ready to spawn! I could not help but feel very angry and sad. I told him I had a camera and took some photos, which I attach here. I was told that the very next day the same boat and guys were there in the same area, carrying on their “part-time fishing”, as they themselves called it when I spoke to them while in the water. I hope that Carriacou officials do more to educate local users about what is acceptable to take out of the coastal sea resources and about what is very negative for the state of the country’s fisheries and the sustainability of the coastal ecosystem. I got the clear impression that these fishers hadn’t a clue of what they were catching: all that mattered was that whatever moved could be speared. Later on they were reportedly seen speeding away with their outboard at full throttle. One can assume that money was not their prime concern, given the gasoline cost. I guess we do not yet appreciate enough how precious and fragile the balance between habitat, nature, humans and animals is. Most Caribbean islands have great beaches and certainly friendly people. But it is the natural character of this island and its rare wildlife that makes Carriacou special to me and those who came with me. When the beautiful nature is gone, also gone are the reasons for us to return and to promote Carriacou as an extraordinary travel destination to anyone. Yours sincerely, Marjut Valtanen Finland Dear Compass, I write in response to an e-mail letter forwarded to me, 27th July 2010, citing illegal fishing activities in Carriacou. I believe the complainant to be the same person who came into my office on July 1st, and left with me copies of the photos. The information was immediately forwarded to the local police for investigation. On receipt of this e-mail, I also consulted with the local Fisheries Extension Officer on the exact regulations regarding spear fishing and trade in hawksbill turtle products. The findings were that the boat pictured was not from Carriacou, but from a neighboring island. As such, it is hard to identify who the exact alleged culprits are. At the same time, however, the writer seems to be misinformed about a few details. First of all, the hawksbill turtle (as well as the greenback) is not on the endangered list in Grenada. These can be harvested for local consumption during the open season. However, with Grenada being a signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), it is illegal to engage in the trade of turtle meat, shells, or even whole live creatures. The Leatherback, on the other hand, is endangered. Therefore, there should be absolutely no harvest, trade, or consumption of that species. With regard to lobsters and other creatures, the Fisheries Regulations provide for the following: The Minister responsible for Fisheries pursuant to the Fisheries (Amendment) Regulations 1996 hereby gives notice that he has declared the periods hereinafter mentioned as CLOSED SEASON for lobsters and turtles and a CLOSED FISHERY with regards to sea urchins (sea eggs). LOBSTERS    1st May to 31st August TURTLES    1st May to 31st August SEA URCHINS (SEA EGGS)        CLOSED FISHERY Public notice of the same has been posted at several locations throughout the nation over the years. Additionally, the regulations also stipulate and notify the public (including visitors) of the following: All fisher folks and the General Public are hereby WARNED that it is ILLEGAL to remove Turtle Eggs of any Specie of Turtle from nests at any time (Closed or Open Season). — Fisheries (Amendment) Regulations SRO 2 of 2001. It is therefore the responsibility of all persons within the state, including visitors, to be aware of existing rules and to adhere to them. While it may be true that there are local and regional persons who infringe on the rules, the market for these products are created primarily by non-locals who may not be aware of the regulations. These unsuspecting visitors, especially the yachties, are often targeted and approached by violators, who are generally the exception, and who would not take the illegal catch ashore to the islands, for fear of legal repercussions. I think the writer suggested it herself, that this is not a very common practice in Carriacou. In four years, she has encountered only one infringement. This is testimony to the fact that the Fisheries Division has been educating local fisher folks on fishing regulations over the years. Many have gotten used to the rules and are mostly acting in accordance. Copies of the notices placed throughout the states are being attached. Thank you very much, Compass, for bringing this to our attention. We anticipate that you would continue to assist us in educating your readers on what are acceptable practices in Carriacou, Petite Martinique and the rest of the Grenadines. Please continue to encourage them to visit and enjoy Carriacou, the gem of the Grenadines. Sincerely, Allison Caton Carriacou & Petite Martinique Office Grenada Board of Tourism Dear Compass, I write at the moment that the Curaçao Coastguard have just got off our boat with their size 12 hobnail boots on, and I am fuming. Curaçao has to be the least cruiser-friendly island we have visited in either Europe or the Caribbean where we have been cruising for seven months. We understand that Curaçao has a potential smuggling problem with their nearest neighbour, but the system for clearing in and clearing out of yachts is confusing at best, and it has very much tainted our visit here. To explain. When you arrive in, say, Spanish Water, you trek into Willemstad by bus and visit Customs. Then cross the river and go to Immigration, then, if someone has told you that you need to do it, and neither Customs nor Immigration know what to do either, you visit the Harbour Office for an anchor permit. Here you are allowed to buy for US $10 a permit to anchor in any of the four anchorages in Spanish Water or one of four more anchorages in Curaçao — and you have to be specific. If you want to then move your boat to any other anchorage, you have to go back to the office and get another permit. If you don’t have a permit, and you are boarded by the ever-present Coastguard, then they will either fine you or move you on. So to comply it means another bus ride and wasted half-day. Anyway, we had played by the rules, and the time had come to leave for Aruba. We checked out of Customs and Immigration, and don't get me wrong — the individual experiences are perfectly pleasant. Then at the Harbour Office you tell them your route (and also, laughably, have to draw a sketch of your vessel, and I’m no artist). We wrote Willemstad - Santa Cruz - Aruba. This was not questioned, and I’m sure I was very clear in asking if I needed a permit to anchor at Santa Cruz, and the answer, just as clearly, was, “no”. Well, here we are in a lovely anchorage where we thought we would spend two nights, and have been told by the coastguard to be on our way at first light, because we do need a permit! You can imagine the annoyance at being moved on when we thought we’d done everything right. Our only choice is to return the 20 nautical miles upwind to Willemstad, or leave the island tomorrow morning. We’re off, and won’t be sorry to see the back of Curaçao bureaucracy. I hope these experiences will help other cruisers get it right. Kind regards, Colin and Liz Price S/V Pacific Bliss Dear Compass Readers, We want to hear from YOU! Please include your name, boat name or address,  and a way we can contact you if clarification is required.  We do not publish individual consumer complaints or individual regatta results complaints.  (Kudos are okay!) We do not publish anonymous letters;  however, your name may be withheld in print at your request.  Letters may be edited for length, clarity and fair play. Send your letters to: sally@caribbeancompass.com or fax (784) 457-3410 or  Compass Publishing Ltd. Readers' Forum Box 175BQ, Bequia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines