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Where would you prefer to live in The Caribbean

Discussion in 'Marinas & Waypoints' started by hamall9, Jan 20, 2013.

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  1. Fishtigua, Jan 21, 2013
    #21
    Fishtigua

    Fishtigua Senior Member

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    There was a gang of criminals in London stealing expensive cars and shipping them out to Antigua. Scotland Yard called the local police chief to intercept the cargo and round-up the crooks awaiting the delivery.

    This was done with great application not normally seen from the local force. The two "ringleaders" in scruffy clothes and an old Nissan were captured and sentenced to time inside. Very neat and convenient and no other suspects were looked for.

    Just a few weeks later the Chief of Police had a Jaguar, his deputy a S-series Merc and a number of politians in BMWs and Lexus. I did ok from this too, as I had use of a black convertible Range Rover from the same shipment.

    Law and Order are very negotiable and Justice is flexible.
  2. Norseman, Jan 21, 2013
    #22
    Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    Uh, no time on the inside for you? :cool:
  3. Pascal, Jan 21, 2013
    #23
    Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    "Has looting happened after a large natural disaster? Yes indeed. Hurricane Katrina is a good example and so is Hurricane Hugo when it destroyed St. Croix back in 1989. As a matter of fact the US had to send federal forces in order to help get things under control in St. Croix. Reports indicate that local police and guardsmen were involved in the looting as well."


    St Barths was hit by some serious storms in the past incl. Hugo and worst, Luis in 95 a slow moving cat 5. The day after people were out cleaning, clearing roads, etc. not a single instance of looting. I will refrain from making any reference to the ethnicity of the population
  4. wscott52, Jan 22, 2013
    #24
    wscott52

    wscott52 Senior Member

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    Yes. There was also video by one of the major networks of a police officer in uniform trying to stuff a washing machine in the trunk of his patrol car. One story that never made the news but I'm pretty sure is true involves a freighter full of copper wire sent by the US government to repair the completely destroyed power grid. This freighter docked at the port and then sat there for two weeks without being unloaded. One night it disappeared. Friends we had who worked in the port said the USVI governor sold that copper wire to a south American businessman. Power companies around the US sent line trucks to help us get the power back. Those guys were great but they ended up having to tramp around in the bush looking for sections of wire to splice back together. St. Croix's already iffy power grid was even worse after Hugo when it should have had all new wire.
  5. ombreetsoleil, Jan 22, 2013
    #25
    ombreetsoleil

    ombreetsoleil Senior Member

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  6. hamall9, Jan 23, 2013
    #26
    hamall9

    hamall9 New Member

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    Thank you for all your posts, they are both interesting and helpful to my Wife and I.
    Island living is not as easy to scramble out of these days if we get it wrong.

    I notice that USVIs are off the dance card, so that makes it easier and I picked up on the weighting given to "crime, personal safety and racial issues" and the comments that smaller islands have living advantages that are now gaining an advantage.

    Barbados, St. Lucia and BVI group are three Islands we have given thought towards, but I noticed that St. Barths went unmentioned in the posts.

    One little island that did rate a brief mention was Anguilla and I wonder if People here would like to flesh out their thoughts towards this one.

    Once again, many thanks.
  7. Norseman, Jan 23, 2013
    #27
    Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    St. Barths is expensive and rather exclusive.
    The JetSet go there to see and be seen.
    Suberb food and shopping, but air-service can be a bit dicey.

    Anguilla is off the beaten path a bit, been there a few times and have seen good beaches and clean water. Friends who vacationed there were happy.

    As for the USVI, St. John have traditionally been the "cleanest" island of them with the least crime and I have enjoyed much time there in Cruz Bay and Coral Bay. No air service.
    Not sure St, John is still a safe place, but compared to St. Thomas and St. Croix, it probably is.

    As for St. Croix: I still go there to scuba and keep my dive bag there permanently with friends. Safe enough to rent a Jeep, hang out and dive for a few days and drink rum in the evening, but would not want to move back there or buy property..Or let my wife walk home at night...:rolleyes:
  8. Pascal, Jan 23, 2013
    #28
    Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    My experiment living on st barths goes back to the 80s and early 90s. Back then a Megayacht was 80'... Life was a bit more expensive than other islands but quality if life was much better.

    Being a boating forum I assume the question is about living on the boat and not ashore, making real estate prices irrelevant. If you want to buy a house or rent then yes it is an expensive place

    St marten is only 10nm away and an easy run for shopping.

    Air service to st Barth is pretty good with easy connections in st Maarten

    Anguilla was a gem back then, I m sure growth has been slower than st barths

    Personally st barths would be the only island I d consider, although obviously I m a little partial having spent 15 years there

    Now if like many, your definition of the Caribbean includes the Bahamas then i d probably put the exumas at the top of the list. Shopping requires some planning but it can be worked out.
  9. Norseman, Jan 23, 2013
    #29
    Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    Thx, I was the Air Service to and from St. Barths in the 80s..:D

    I taught other pilots how to land there and also I flew the FAA and NTSB in there after a crash or two. Connections were good to St. Maarten, but they managed to crash a Twin Otter doing that run..Like I said, a bit shaky from time to time.
  10. Pascal, Jan 24, 2013
    #30
    Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    I had an Aztec there from around 84 to 94...

    Virgin air must have been the cause of these frequent NTSB visits... Between poor maintenance and hiring the worst (and cheapest) pilots they routinely visited the beach :)
  11. hamall9, Jan 24, 2013
    #31
    hamall9

    hamall9 New Member

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    gm Pascal,

    I am not really considering the details of boat versus RE, but rather I am more interested in your thoughts of the various Islands, their strengths and their short comings.
    My total time in el caribe is less than a year whereas the sum total of caribe experience on this forum would be tens of decades ... maybe even a century of combined experience.
  12. Norseman, Jan 24, 2013
    #32
    Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    Bingo..

    Not all the Virgin Air pilots flew into St. Barths, only those who made the cut.
    Those who did not flew the STT to SJU runs.
    Rumor says Branson paid Virgin Air to change the name to St. Thomas Air, too much confusion with Virgin Atlantic..:rolleyes:
  13. Pascal, Jan 24, 2013
    #33
    Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    Well as i mentioned personal safety and peace of mind is probably the most important criteria and that drastically reduces the options. The fact is many islands are just one spark from igniting into crime sprees, often racially motivated.
  14. hamall9, Jan 24, 2013
    #34
    hamall9

    hamall9 New Member

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    Agree entirely
    Having spent more than eight years living in BA, SP and Rio de J we have seen first hand just how quickly things can blow.... and we are not talking clubs and baseball bats, these gangs have autos and shotties.
    The BA police use coding tactics to relate when they have reached their tolerance level but the SP and Rio guys are not so subtle.
    This one of a couple of reasons why we are moving out of S. Am.
  15. kkreicker1, Jan 24, 2013
    #35
    kkreicker1

    kkreicker1 Senior Member

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    I have spent a ton of time down in the island networks. I can say that I do not own or rent a home, but live on a boat or at the Ritz in St. Thomas. Internet for me has never been a problem the USVI and BVI have good a good internet network for the most part. I don't know if Cooper Island has it or not. But like any city crime can be bad in parts.

    In a few weeks we are going to make the trip down to the BVI and spend a few weeks fishing the islands and enjoying it with my family. I think that any of these islands would make you feel like home.

    Keith
  16. Yacht News, Jan 26, 2013
    #36
    Yacht News

    Yacht News YF News Editor

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    Interesting to read these comments, some are true though for some of the islands mentioned.
  17. PacBlue, Jan 26, 2013
    #37
    PacBlue

    PacBlue Senior Member

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    Only "some"??? Which ones are to be/not to be believed then?
  18. Fishtigua, Mar 19, 2013
    #38
    Fishtigua

    Fishtigua Senior Member

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  19. ombreetsoleil, Mar 19, 2013
    #39
    ombreetsoleil

    ombreetsoleil Senior Member

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    Yachtnews..............where were you at 2pm 18th of march.......? I hope you have an alibi....... I know you needed a new camera..............talk to me...........?!?!
  20. ombreetsoleil, Apr 15, 2013
    #40
    ombreetsoleil

    ombreetsoleil Senior Member

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    Well, St Lucia has even made headlines in dutch newspapers with the news that there has been a robbery on the island with a tourbus .

    55 people robbed in Soufriere.

    There goes your image.........

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkBJDyPvQpk
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