# BVI is reopening for tourism December 1st - here's the protocol from 10.26.2020



## Zanshin (Aug 27, 2006)

The BVI announced the official re-opening protocols yesterday, October 26th. With big fanfare about how they are going to be welcoming visitors back the government has specified the following protocol (Phase One reopening)

1. A negative PCR test (up to 5 days before arrival)
2. Register with a website and get clearance to travel
3. Staggered arrival of planes at Beef Island airport, no more than 90 pax
4. 2nd COVID test at airport
5. Install tracking app on phone or get GPS tracker
6. Must have travel insurance that covers COVID 
7. Quarantine for 4 days at your own expense at an approved place
8. 3rd COVID test at the end of 4 days
9. If negative, movement is limited to designated areas
10. All restaurants and shops are required to take your temp and document with your name and date/time
11. 4th COVID test on the 8th day
12. If all 4 previous test are negative, you are now free to move around the islands

So far I've been told that each test is going to be about $250. The government accommodation for quarantine is estimated to be $2500. Without food. Charter guests cannot quarantine on the boat.

One can draw one's own conclusion about how busy it is going to be, considering the majority of visitors are from the USA and only have a week of vacation time available to them.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Those are pretty thorough protocols. Needless to say, no short term bareboater is going to do it. In the middle of reading the protocols, I thought maybe the bareboat companies would create a 4 day quarantine at the slip program, but then saw that may not count. 

I like the contact tracing requirements, both cell phone tracking and phone numbers at restaurants. The idea of getting caught breaking the social distancing rules is the only thing that will make them happen. However, pretty easy to let the phone battery die or not have it with you or give a fake number at the restaurant. I know people who have violated inter-state restrictions, so they won't give their real number at restaurants here. 

Taking one's temperature, at the door, is silly. It's for show only. 

The charter companies must be taking a beating. I will not be going this winter, with or without these protocols. There is no way to insure the viability of the charter company, with my deposit, nor whether these rules change again, nor whether one's home country will let them back in this winter.

All a mess.


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## VIEXILE (Jan 10, 2001)

The U.S. Virgin Islands remains under a state of emergency extended until December 8, so unless you're jumping from SJU to Beef Island, you'll get checked deplaning in St. Thomas. Think about just not going there.

I can see JVD from my house, and miss the Chinnery and Callwood families, but scarEEEEWWW the BVI. Pure, unadulterated evil. Trial delayed for U.S. captain held in British Virgin Islands | National Fisherman

This guy NEVER fished in BVI waters, went to Roadtown and was arrested because he didn't know about the Covid border closure. ANOTHER guy, years ago, was fishing off the Tobagos headed for JVD. Dragging a lure on his stinkpot liveaboard trawler with his wife. Jailed for months, boat seized, no fish and always a question whether he was "over the line." They lie about the charges, trump things up, and steal as much as they can bleed out of someone. The guy KNEW he was in U.S. waters and refused for months to plead guilty. ANOTHER friend on a charter fishing boat named BLACK PEARL was seized between "The Corner" and the North Drop, again with a GPS MOB set clearly showing he wasn't in BVI waters. Went to HM Prison, stripped and put in one of the most inhumane jail cells you can imagine for a week. They had to pay $56,000.00 to get the boat back (storage fees). ANOTHER friend went over to West End to clear in a couple years ago and there were 2 ferries on the dock. They were in a fancy inflatable and started circling in WE Harbor. They went over toward Thatch Cay and got out of sight around the corner toward Bomba's at one point. Never landed anywhere. When they got to the dock, their dinghy was seized, they were arrested, the scumbags came close to strip searching the female on board (until my friend stepped in and said "how dare you!"). They were told $5000 fine and the dinghy would be returned and they were released. Went back for the dinghy a week later and it was gone. It was finally found at an immigration guy's house with the "motor missing." This was a charter captain who will never set foot in the BVI again.

TWO Frenchie kids were arrested and jailed fishing off the East End of St. John, once again seemingly in U.S. waters. They took their boat and sent them home. ANOTHER friend was coming back from the Willie T, required ONLY to clear in at Cruz Bay, and the incompetent BVI fish cops, at night, ran right over the transom of their boat, injured everyone onboard, and caused a friend's daughter hundred of stitches in her face. You want more? I got 20 years of this stuff. I love many of the people of the BVI. The Chinnerys, the Rhymers, the gang up to Anegada. But their LEOs and their "system" stinks to high heaven. When the tables are turned, and they fish over the U.S. line in U.S. waters off Flanagan Island, OUR government looks the other way. Or plays catch and release with those that come over without clearly Customs. And OUR government does nothing when American citizens are screwed and financially bankrupted by BVI corruption. And it is very, very corrupt. Fishing BVI waters without a license and get busted? Good. It's their waters. But they go out of their way to trump up and "invent" charges. If you go there, DON'T FISH WITHOUT A LICENSE and be very, very careful. Better yet, vacation elsewhere. "Nature's (Dirty) Little Secret".


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## VIEXILE (Jan 10, 2001)

I just re-read Zanshin's post. Yeah. No. Expect to pay dearly if you go to the BVI. They want to send you home broke.


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## MastUndSchotbruch (Nov 26, 2010)

VIEXILE said:


> The U.S. Virgin Islands remains under a state of emergency extended until December 8, so unless you're jumping from SJU to Beef Island, you'll get checked deplaning in St. Thomas. Think about just not going there.
> 
> I can see JVD from my house, and miss the Chinnery and Callwood families, but scarEEEEWWW the BVI. Pure, unadulterated evil. Trial delayed for U.S. captain held in British Virgin Islands | National Fisherman
> 
> ...


WOW!


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## Zanshin (Aug 27, 2006)

While these two articles contain no new information, I find the comments to be particularly poignant:

GPS tracking & multiple COVID-19 tests for VI tourists | Virgin Islands News Online
Visitors won't be able to roam freely immediately after quarantine


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Zanshin said:


> While these two articles contain no new information, I find the comments to be particularly poignant:


I didn't read them all, but got through many. It seems the dominant local opinion is pretty harsh over their govt leaders. It is a stupid plan, if they had any intention of people coming. This was the funniest reader comment.



> This policy should at least help the nose surgeons in the Territory.


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## Zanshin (Aug 27, 2006)

Minnewaska - yes, I saw that comment and thought that it would be true ... if there were any nose surgeons in the territory...


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## VIEXILE (Jan 10, 2001)

Not a territory. The BVI is renowned for "offshore banking" and nose jobs (as well as a lot of other "cosmetic" surgery). Robin Tattersall stitched up the wife years ago when she stumbled getting off the Willie T and opened up her leg on a bolt. OUCH! Good thing it was late evening or he would have been racing with us in the BVI Regatta.


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## Zanshin (Aug 27, 2006)

VIEXILE - as far as I know, the boutique cosmetic industry died with failure of the Peebles hospital expansion, and even the Bougainville clinic is now accepting normal "walk-ins" rather than scheduling cosmetic surgeries. And of course the COVID situation sealed that industry's fate for the time being.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

There were also comments that people would go elsewhere and learn there is more to the Caribbean than just the BVIs. I think that will be true, to an extent. Few other places can offer the abundance of nearby anchorages, reachable in a week long vacation, but this may cause some to spread their wings and not return as often. The BVI was clearly taking advantage of late and I'm afraid it will come crashing down. On the other hand, it was getting quite built up. I've only been going for the past 10-20 years, but my wife has gone, since the 70s. Major changes.

On the other hand, I expect all Caribbean destinations to be an issue this winter. The US, EU and Canada are all spiking. The EU being far worse, per capita, than the US, with Canada far better. Spring peaks were confined to a few States, Regions or Cities. Now they are nationwide, so national stats can be misleading a bit. The Caribbean will most likely return to restricting arrivals. I'll be very surprised, if they don't.


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## Zanshin (Aug 27, 2006)

I heard a webcast from the BVI health minister from yesterday where he stated that there would be a second set of arrival protocols for charter boat guests that remains to be announced; and that the initial 4-day quarantine could be done at specially isolated docks. While that sounds like a concession, what charter guest is going to prefer paying upwards of $1000 per day for a catamaran stuck at the docks versus $200 per day for a hotel? But at least it sounds like there is still some "wiggle room" considering the initial reaction. On another thread I read that BVI Water Taxi had 250 cancellations yesterday!


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## Zanshin (Aug 27, 2006)

Minnewaska, unfortunately your assertion that the USA is doing far better per capita than the EU is incorrect. According to worldometers.info, the USA has 27,257 cases per million inhabitants and is ranked 12th. Only one European country has more (Belgium at 28,923/Mill). This means that the USA is far worse, per capita, than the bulk of the EU. But Canada at only 5,889/Mill is doing very well indeed.
I'm in Germany where the incidence rate is 5,554/Mill - which is only a fifth of what the USA is experiencing.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Zanshin said:


> While that sounds like a concession, what charter guest is going to prefer paying upwards of $1000 per day for a catamaran stuck at the docks versus $200 per day for a hotel?


Assuming bookings are pretty sparse, one wonders if the bareboat companies will develop special pre-passage onboard quarantine pricing to get anyone to come at all.

90% of the time, we pay to stay aboard at the dock, the night prior to our planned departure, because we arrive too late for checkout, it gives us time to provision, to get to know the boat, and relax. That rate is usually less than the off-dock rate, but still more than a hotel. I prefer not to move twice. However, I have moved to a hotel, after returning the boat, to take a next day flight. A long shower is welcome by then.


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## VIEXILE (Jan 10, 2001)

Wow. My "Boycott the BVI's" from 2003 came up below. 17 friggin' years ago and they still pull the same crap. At least they changed the law awhile back making Rastas with dreadlocks legal to enter the country again, no long hair, no motorcycles, blah blah blah.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

VIEXILE said:


> Wow. My "Boycott the BVI's" from 2003 came up below. 17 friggin' years ago and they still pull the same crap.


I don't see that thread, but it didn't work. They grew gangbusters over that time. 😁


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## VIEXILE (Jan 10, 2001)

They've kicked the "reopening" to January 21 for the BVI. And have announced "fines of up to $100,000.00 for violating Covid protocol." A money grab as much as anything else, but there should be ramifications for the people that think they have a worldwide right to infect others.


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## VIEXILE (Jan 10, 2001)

Oh, and I glass White Bay and Cane Garden daily. No boats. Magens Bay on St. Thomas is packed (relatively speaking) with catamarans and megayachts. Rising Sun parked out front of the house off Inner Brass for 5 days a week or so ago. EROS was here for a couple days. Reminds me last year "Sailing Yacht A" went by. Bizarre to say the least.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Are Soggy Dollar and Foxy’s closed? Probably makes the hurricane economic disruption seem tame.


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## VIEXILE (Jan 10, 2001)

This is live. 



I hadn't looked lately, but that's the first boat I've seen and I can confirm there is one mast in White Bay after checking with the longeyes a minute ago. Nothing else, can can't see around the corner to Great Harbor. No activity at Cane Garden.


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## VIEXILE (Jan 10, 2001)

VIEXILE said:


> This is live.
> 
> 
> 
> I hadn't looked lately, but that's the first boat I've seen and I can confirm there is one mast in White Bay after checking with the longeyes a minute ago. Nothing else, can can't see around the corner to Great Harbor. No activity at Cane Garden.


Two weeks ago there were no footprints in the sand.


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