| Author | Post |
|---|
Island Woman MJ
Island Expert
| Joined: | Mon Dec 25th, 2006 |
| Location: | Culebra |
| Posts: | 2264 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 13th, 2008 12:10 pm |
|
This might be someone's dream, but I seriously doubt it is the dream of our Sea. What a bad surprise to see this in the bay yesterday. No fault to the passengers - who were picked up from the public dock and whisked away by publicos. But our environment suffers just the same, from below on the sea bed (this boat was also anchored off Culebrita) to the foul exhaust it was spewing into the air.
Of course, this is just my personal opinion, but mini cruise ships do not belong in Culebra waters. I still have the echo of taxi drivers in the USVI's yelling out "Back to the ship??!!" in my ear brain while hordes of people wander around wondering what island they are on... There is good tourism and bad tourism. You be the judge.
Attachment: IMG_8577.jpg (Downloaded 131 times)
____________________
Salva lo que queda! Save What's Left!
|
Island Woman MJ
Island Expert
| Joined: | Mon Dec 25th, 2006 |
| Location: | Culebra |
| Posts: | 2264 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 13th, 2008 12:11 pm |
|
Remember the Sesame Street song? "One of these things is not like the others."
Attachment: IMG_8578_1.jpg (Downloaded 131 times)
____________________
Salva lo que queda! Save What's Left!
|
Island Woman MJ
Island Expert
| Joined: | Mon Dec 25th, 2006 |
| Location: | Culebra |
| Posts: | 2264 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 13th, 2008 12:23 pm |
|
And while I'm on a rant...what was the big crime happening in this photo, calling out the Vigilante crew (that is the word running down the long sleeve of the man on the boat)? As far as I could gather, the dinghy in question is not a tender to any boat at present...so, after a lot of gesticulating, a friend came to help translate, and another chiming in as the *Mom*, the end result was no ticket, but it needs to be hauled out and re-registered. Alrighty then!
Somehow, I think there may be more serious situations on the water that may need as vigilant attention...but hey, maybe that's just me.
Attachment: IMG_8605.jpg (Downloaded 130 times)
____________________
Salva lo que queda! Save What's Left!
|
Diving Debbie
Forum Expert
|
Posted: Sun Jan 13th, 2008 01:35 pm |
|
Oh, I am soooo glad I missed that! I'd have probably been arrested for my reaction. 
____________________
Click here for Adventures of Deb and Lew
|
admin
Administrator
| Joined: | Sat Dec 23rd, 2006 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 2415 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 13th, 2008 06:10 pm |
|
i was just grateful that we had the service to keep me occupied, and I don't own or have access to a boat, or I would have personally boarded the ship and let the captain have it....
totally disgusting.
and the dinghy vs. tender stupidity is beyond words.
____________________
Life is short. Break the rules, Forgive quickly, Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably,
and never regret anything that made you smile!
|
beachbound
Charter Member
| Joined: | Mon Feb 12th, 2007 |
| Location: | Hudson, Ohio USA |
| Posts: | 306 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Wed Jan 16th, 2008 09:39 pm |
|
No kidding---they would be in real trouble if we were all there at the same time! Or actually, I guess it would be us that would be in the trouble! 
Is that the same cruise line that started going to Culebrita just in the past year? You posted it on here and I remember sending in an email to the company president, obviously it didn't have much effect.
|
admin
Administrator
| Joined: | Sat Dec 23rd, 2006 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 2415 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Wed Jan 16th, 2008 09:48 pm |
|
yup same boat.....Coralations was right on top of it, and somehow managed to print a great letter to the passengers explaining why the Sea Dream was not Culebra's dream, and walked Flamenco Beach handing them out personally to the passengers, and the letter asked them to talk to the Captain -- don't know if it will make any difference. Like I said, I'm just grateful that I didn't have a boat at my disposal, or I would have gone out there myself (oh wait, I now have a friend with a boat and an engine and even oars......hmmmmmm)
____________________
Life is short. Break the rules, Forgive quickly, Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably,
and never regret anything that made you smile!
|
beachbound
Charter Member
| Joined: | Mon Feb 12th, 2007 |
| Location: | Hudson, Ohio USA |
| Posts: | 306 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Wed Jan 16th, 2008 10:16 pm |
|
Wow! Coralations is really good! Hopefully it made an impact on the passengers. I know that if I had any desire to cruise (which I don't), that is a very appealing cruise line. Smaller boats (comparatively), off the beaten path destinations, obviously luxurious with an attentive staff. Being approached with Coralations would have had an effect on me, so maybe it will with them also??!!?? 
Now that you have a friend with oars, they will have to be careful the next time the venture into Culebra's waters!
|
paws nest
Charter Member
| Joined: | Thu Feb 1st, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 75 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Fri Jan 18th, 2008 01:44 pm |
|
Well, I look at it a from another perspective. I love taking river cruises in Europe. People love it for its covenience, no luggage to carry around with you, the view is spectacular, etc. But, the different villages make it possible for them to come in.
Of course, I agree that small cruise ships coming into Culebra should not just "anchor in the bay nor in Culebrita". We should do like in Europe, prepare the island for proper anchoring not damaging the island resources. Maybe even include those that have been anchored in CPX for a long time. What about them? But, that is a different topic. We should welcome tourists and train local tour guides that are "properly qualifed", if you know what I mean!
I jut don't agree in passing fliers in Flamenco against the "passengers" visiting us. What an impact did that make on them? What are they going to think about the culebrenses? That is not the way to handle these things. You should investigate further and not just jump to conclusions.
Let's make our visitors welcome and handle our problems with solutions that are beneficial to everybody. I rest my case!!!!
|
Doug
Charter Member
|
Posted: Fri Jan 18th, 2008 02:57 pm |
|
Paws Nest,
This is not a simple issue. Having an influx of visitors can provide additional customers for Culebra's businesses, which can be a good thing, up to a point. The problem arises when the island's ability to service their needs becomes strained, to the detriment of Culebrenses and the peaceful atmosphere that makes Culebra special. Over in the British Virgin Islands, the natives and regular visitors have come to deplore the cruise ships and the massive crowds of "sheeple" that overwhelm the facilities. Worse, often the cruise lines bring their own bar supplies ashore to keep the $ in-house. Also, as the cruise traffic increases, demands are made to change facilities to suit the taste of the passengers, which are often run more to the fast food sensibilities of Cancun than the island-time rhythm of Culebra.
Also, please don't forget there is an impact on environmentally sensitive parts of the island and waters to be considered. Large ship anchors are a leading cause of coral and turtle grass destruction. Lights from ships at anchor can disrupt the navigational mechanisms of nesting hawksbills and leatherbacks. Culebra's coral reef is already in danger of quasi extinction from climatic trauma. Anchors and marine petrochemical polution could easily push their stuggle over the edge. Culebra's people and government have made a conscious decision to protect its precious eco-treasures and build a sustainable future around them. To be aware of the problems caused by cruise ships is to be prepared to keep the long term good of Culebrenses in the forefront.
Think about it.
Doug
Last edited on Fri Jan 18th, 2008 04:08 pm by Doug
____________________
"Let him who has a free hand cast the first stone."
Dennis Miller, on the Pee Wee Herman public outcry.
|
admin
Administrator
| Joined: | Sat Dec 23rd, 2006 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 2415 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Fri Jan 18th, 2008 07:10 pm |
|
I'm all for promoting visitors. But in this case, I did not hear of one person in town that made any money off the passengers -- except for the taxis and possibly one or tow pinchos at Flamenco -- they even brought their own bicycles on the island. They paid no port fees (and any other port would require them). They left the bay brown and cloudy from their engines. They ran their launch up on the reef at Culebrita so that a passing boat could hear the grind of coral hundreds of years old.
No one was told they were coming, so there was no chance for artisians to set up at the point of entry -- the entire situation was a nightmare. A cruise ship of that size has no business being in Culebra's harbor. It also ruins it for our visitors that come to Culebra to enjoy her unspoiled beauty -- they were horrifed.
____________________
Life is short. Break the rules, Forgive quickly, Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably,
and never regret anything that made you smile!
|
Island Woman MJ
Island Expert
| Joined: | Mon Dec 25th, 2006 |
| Location: | Culebra |
| Posts: | 2264 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Sat Jan 19th, 2008 01:53 am |
|
There is, as noted, a lot of complexity in this issue. And some questions that need answers, that actually CAN be answered if we find out whom to address them to.
Responsible tourism is happening in many places. That is because the *powers that be* are as concerned as the local population. Making that connection is the most important crux of the matter here.
A + B = C. Now. How do we go about that, rather than tossing out the baby with the bath water? Let's look for the answers together?
____________________
Salva lo que queda! Save What's Left!
|
paws nest
Charter Member
| Joined: | Thu Feb 1st, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 75 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Sat Jan 19th, 2008 01:15 pm |
|
Buenos dias!
I am awared that this issue is very complicated and that many questions need to be asked. I am already on this, so as soon as I get the "answers" I 'll keep bringing this up. They cannot just show up like that, I agree. We need to work also in Dakity and the Puerto Rican navy!!! A s we say: lo mejor de dos mundos. Don't give up!
|
Island Woman MJ
Island Expert
| Joined: | Mon Dec 25th, 2006 |
| Location: | Culebra |
| Posts: | 2264 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Sat Jan 19th, 2008 01:33 pm |
|
The more concrete, practical answers, the better for all of us who say we care to be able to act on the information together.
Maybe lo mejor de dos mundos ought to be our next Spanish/English bumper sticker.
____________________
Salva lo que queda! Save What's Left!
|
Jim
Forum Expert
| Joined: | Fri Dec 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 418 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Sat Jan 19th, 2008 05:00 pm |
|
I remember the arguments from the first era with
Mayor Ivan. "People will have a chance to look at
us and maybe they'll come back". Sounds great,
until you actually listen to our regular tourists,
i.e., they don't want to visit cruise ship ports and
the site of small cruise ships is the tell of the
advent of a Cruise ship port. Things change; merchants,
restaurants, and culture. We loose, they win, nature
really looses from the inundation, and in the end,
just like the hot air B.S. Condo Hotel craze, it
implodes. Why? Because we are relatively remote,
very seasonal, and the only people who would
suffer the rollercoaster cash flows are people who
have a government job or those who love it
for what it is, natural, breathtakingly beautiful,
unspoiled, unpretentious, and not overdeveloped.Attachment: KILLER CRUISES.png (Downloaded 53 times)
____________________
"The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness." -- John Kenneth Galbraith
|
Diving Debbie
Forum Expert
|
Posted: Wed Jan 23rd, 2008 01:08 am |
|
To further stir the pot, here's a snippet that was published in the January 10, 2008 issue of Caribbean Business:
"Sea Dream II is Back in San Juan
Speaking of cruise ships, the Sea Dream II, of the Norwegian corporation Sea Dream Yacht Club, is visiting San Juan for the second consecutive year as well as the islands of Vieques, Culebra and Culebrita during the current winter season. Sea Dream Yacht Club specializes in luxurious small cruises, which cater to high-end tourists from all over the world, navigating the Mediterranean during the summer season and the Caribbean region during the winter.
The Sea Dream is a small ship holding a total of 110 guests, small enough to not have any negative impact on the places it anchors. Designed to not harm the natural habitat, Sea Dream cruises only anchor in special sites designated by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Sea Dream started its winter season last December and will continue sailing in the Caribbean until April 27."
____________________
Click here for Adventures of Deb and Lew
|
Island Woman MJ
Island Expert
| Joined: | Mon Dec 25th, 2006 |
| Location: | Culebra |
| Posts: | 2264 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Wed Jan 23rd, 2008 01:35 am |
|
There are some actions being taken...we'll see what happens next.
____________________
Salva lo que queda! Save What's Left!
|
Guanabana
Member
| Joined: | Sun Apr 8th, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 1 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Wed Jan 23rd, 2008 01:36 am |
|
According to the Sea Dream website, they are planning to be back in Culebrita on February 9.
Hard to believe that a ship of that size won't "do any damage" to reefs around Culebrita.
|
Island Woman MJ
Island Expert
| Joined: | Mon Dec 25th, 2006 |
| Location: | Culebra |
| Posts: | 2264 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Wed Jan 23rd, 2008 04:12 am |
|
Hard to believe, yes, I'd say...impossible to believe. This is what the Sea Dream website writes about Culebrita.
I'm editing this until I ask some more questions and get some more answers!!
Last edited on Wed Jan 23rd, 2008 02:06 pm by Island Woman MJ
____________________
Salva lo que queda! Save What's Left!
|
Current time is 10:10 pm | |
|
