WIllie-T of Christmas Cove?

Sounds like a challenge for approval if you ask me...sewage disposal, fresh water delivery etc...

FTA:

"I'm hard-pressed to find a positive aspect to this," Fagenson said.

I agree. I have spent a lot of time at Christmas Cove, and it's untouched beauty is becoming hard to find close to STT.

I can see Christmas Cove from the balcony of my condo in Cowpet and I hope it stays the way it is right now minus the floating restaurant/bar.

"Parsons said he plans to include a nightclub, but stressed that it would not be loud or have loud music. The area needs such a restaurant because tourists are clamoring for it, he said. Many visitors don't want to go to the trouble of clearing BVI customs so they can visit the William Thornton, he said."

Tourists are hardly starving & if we keep screwing up our natural beauty there won't be any tourists coming anyway. Besides, the VI isn't solely for tourists. How did we ever survive without a nightclub there? *-)

I was particularly fond of this remark: "While he is aware of the opposition to his proposal, Parsons said those against it are selfish. "Most are older people who want to have Christmas Cove for themselves," he said. "

Versus this benefactor of all humanity who wants to run a restaurant/night club for the poor folks who have nowhere else to party or eat. I'm sure he'll be giving away free food & drinks to all those poor souls. He SURELY couldn't be so selfish as to want to make big $$$ .

Maybe it will be a great wreck dive/snorkel site in a few years.

Am I an outcast? I would love to have a willy T's style restaurant/watering hole in christmas cove.

I think the last thing we need is a USVI Willie-T. One is more than enough.

I think you guys need to look at it as they are disturbing the preserve that is there. Saying it's unsightly is not a good argument. Use the laws on the books, not your view being destroyed. Heck I look at worse every day and it;;s still beautiful!
BTW, we do need something like that in the USVI, but not at Christmas Cove, as well as tiki bars on beaches. Then people won't have to go to the unfriendly BVIs to give them money while they impound boats and such.
RL

Ronnie, Im not trying to provoke a harsh response here... I just want to know your reasoning behind "needed but not at christmas cove"? where would you suggest?

No harsh response. I think we need more things for people to do around here. Things have gotten stale. People may not want to go so far to the BVI to do something they can around here. maybe there are some beaches or areas that aren't preserves that would accommodate. Doesn't have to be a fancy cove.

RL

And if you all read the perspective of a sailor - posted on One Source - you'll understand what Ronnie is talking about with regard to "things to do".
http://www.onepaper.com/stthomasvi/?v=d&i=&s=Commentary:Open+Forum&p=1203139324

I agree. thats why i think this would be a great addition to the east end... keeping in mind it would be "mobile"... if trash or noise were to become and issue they could be forced off the leased public mooring. I guess we just disagree on location. I just think the natural protection and relatively calm harbor is key. Im thinking Hans Lolick would be make and ideal "white bayish" type setting. Ive been there a few times and there is cistern and some ruins 30 to 40 yards back in the bush. the reef on the south east side is easily navigable for relatively small vessels. a couple of shacks and a few mooring balls and were in business... now we just need the purchase of the private island funds of 25 to 18 million to proceed. I have fed a couple of beers to the wild donkeys there so i do have an in with the current inhabitants.

lip: Christmas Cove is in an area of marine sanctuaries. Some people don't want a floating restaurant a'tall and others would consider one in a more commercial area. I would suggest an open discussion about the idea of floating restaurants in general, then a possible spot. Ronnie is correct, there is a lot of emotion out there now. The argument needs to be advanced in a reasonable way. A lot of folks are fed up with the BVI government's behavior and would like something close by. But where?

I object to it ONLY on the grounds that it's a marine sanctuary. I don't think the VI is stale at all.

I have to say this is a tough one but I have to side with the leave Christmas Cove alone crowd. I to have been guilty of having fun at Willy T's. We were actually there Saturday with some friends. That said I have been fortunate enough to snorkel at Christmas Cover several times and I have also spent a peaceful night or two on the hook there with dolphins and turtles swimming around the boat while we cooked on the grill. The coral there is very healthy, there are abundant fish, and I have seen both rays and a shark while snorkeling there. It is truly a jewel and one of the last unspoiled areas close to St Thomas. I think it should stay that way. I do believe there is a market for the boat/bar but as said above a little more research as to a more acceptable location is in order. My understanding of the application before the CZMB is that they also want to install a dinghy dock and overnight moorings. I must say the argument that it won't turn in to a party place like the Willy T's is laughable. You put 15 to 20 sailboaters on charter in a cove with a floating bar and a party will break out, this I can promise you from first hand experience and participation. I do truly hope I am not one of the people setting on the boat in couple of years talking about how the cove used to be.

Jay

I think that they should bring back the Kon Tiki barge. It was mobile, had cheap drinks, and went to different places - I remember it spending a lot of time at Linberg bay.

Well here is a fine how do you do: http://www.stjohntradewindsnews.com//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2367&Itemid=1

To noOne: I think that the Kon Tiki is now artificial reef material.

Here is a Daily News article about this "Willie T" of STT:

http://www.virginislandsdailynews.com/index.pl/article_home?id=17621320

"VINP resource management personnel snorkeled over the reef while the Leylon Sneed was still grounded, and discovered damage to the threatened acropora coral, likely due to the grounding. Initial damage assessment of the reef began on February 21, and the incident continues to be investigated by the U.S. Coast Guard and the VINP."

Nice. . .

When I read the Daily News article I wondered how big the holding tanks are to hold 10-14 days of waste?? And the smell of Garbage aboard for that long as well would be overpowering. Really the logistics of operating that kind of bar/restaurant offshore w/o seriously impacting the ecology are daunting at least. Will the 20 moorings be restricted to customers? Who will control a mooring field within the Marine Reserve?? An area of moorings that large with swinging room for boats will dominate the cove. There will be no way for this project to co-exist with any of the current uses of this quiet refuge.

CZM is accepting letters both for and against the proposal. You can send it in or you can come to the hearing March 4 at and hand it in. You may sign up to speak also. The paper says that the meeting is at 6 pm at the VI Port Authority conference room, near the airport. Does anyone know if that is in or next to the Carib Beach?

Exit Zero: Their proposal says they will go back to Crown Bay "every few days." Also, I think the proposal says 10 moorings, along with an 80' dinghy dock.

East Ender -------- I was only commenting on the Daily News article quoted above - I realize their info is not always accurate but have not had the chance to read the actual proposal - where might I find That? Thanks.