By John Denny
Nevis Reporter
(Nevis) – A record number of yachts are coming to the island since the installation of 100 new moorings from Oualie Beach to Gallows Bay. The screw anchor moorings were installed by the Nevis Air and Sea Ports Authority last September to preserve sea grass beds and coral from boat anchors. Nevis lacks a marina and the moorings were expected to entice yacht tourism.
NASPA General Manager Spencer Hanley believes the moorings are a good investment.
“When we compare the period of January to May of 2007, we had 214 yacht calls to Nevis. When we compare the period January through March, just three months of 2008 we have 334 yacht calls. So right away you have seen the difference right there,” he said.
NASPA has been proactive in marketing the island as a yachting destination. In the first week of May, Mr. Hanley attended the 41st annual Stanford Sailing Week in Antigua, where he courted the sailing crowd hoping to encourage them to come to Nevis.
In regard to patrolling yachts in their moorings, the Authority is seeking to acquire a 12-foot rubber dingy to help them to conduct patrols.
Yachting has also brought in additional revenue for the Authority.
“In the height of the season sometimes we are upwards of $10,000 a month including all the fees pertaining to yachting. So it has not been bad, we definitely have seen an increase in the revenue as a result of the moorings,” Mr. Hanley said.
“We have three classes of fees if your boat is in the 0-35 foot range then there is a fee for that, if your boat is from the 36-60 range there is a higher fee and if it is in the 61 -90 range there is a higher fee. The moorings are designed to facilitate vessels up to 90 feet but there are many, many yachts that exceed 90 feet those mega, mega yachts and so we have designated a safe area where they can drop anchor, where we don’t have any coral or habitat damage concerns,” he said.
Under the moorings installation project, the Authority also installed 50 swim buoys on Pinneys Beach that were intended to create a safe swimming zone in which the public could enjoy the waters without fear of being in the way of pleasure craft.
