Substantial reef damage from boat anchor... again

[Drew Sailbum]

Cayman 27 reports that officials from the Cayman Islands Department of Environment have spoken to the captain of a private mega yacht in relation to yet another reef damage incident that occurred Thursday January 14, 2016.

Paul Allen's yacht "Tatoosh" is the vessel involved.

Dives are expected in upcoming days to inspect the reported damage.

 

[NYCNaiad]

Mega yachts and cruise ships are really starting to piss me off. I don't understand how oblivious these captains can be and it also annoys me how many people continue to support the use of these giant ships. Frankly, I also don't see how these can compare to sail boats or liveaboards where you get individualized attention.

 

[drbill]

WOW... I'm surprised it was Tatoosh given Paul; Allen's interest in SCUBA diving.

 

[AggieDiver]

I bet they throw the book at him. He doesn't have the political clout to defend himself like a company bringing thousands of tourists a year to the country does. He will be made an example of so the government can pretend to be all serious about reef protection...right before they start digging up reefs to build the new cruise ship dock.

 

[String]

Mega yachts and cruise ships are really starting to piss me off. I don't understand how oblivious these captains can be and it also annoys me how many people continue to support the use of these giant ships. Frankly, I also don't see how these can compare to sail boats or liveaboards where you get individualized attention.

What else can the captains do when they're given specific anchorage co-ordinates from port security ? They told to go there and drop anchor so they did.

The last 2 incidents it would appear a bit unfair to blame the captains when they're following official instructions.

 

[mbs]

I wouldn't worry about Paul Allens political clout, he has pretty deep pockets I would more likely expect that he will open those pockets and make this as good as he possibly can.

 

[AggieDiver]

I am not worried about his political clout or his money. I hope (and suspect he will) do the right thing and pay to help fix the damage. But I also suspect that the government, who has looked very bad in the last couple of incidents for basically looking the other way on reef damage caused by their own contractors anchoring cruise ships in the wrong places, will throw the book at Mr. Allen's yacht. They know that if they fine him, and he gets mad and decides not to come back, they may have lost a little money he might spend on the island in the future...but if they fine a cruise ship company for the same thing and they stop coming in the future, they will have lost out on the money to be spent by hundreds of thousands of cruise ship passengers in the future.

 

[NYCNaiad]

What else can the captains do when they're given specific anchorage co-ordinates from port security ? They told to go there and drop anchor so they did.

The last 2 incidents it would appear a bit unfair to blame the captains when they're following official instructions.

I suppose I was generalizing re: the captains only because the couple of incidents that I was familiar with were due to captain negligence. I'm not that familiar with the last two so probably shouldn't have noted anything re: the captains.

 

[String]

Quite simply both boats were directed to specific anchorage locations (GPS co-ordinates) by port security and told to anchor there. Which they did.
If anything a reassessment of the safe anchor zones location and size needs to be done more than trying to find a captain who was just doing exactly what he'd been told.

 

[Drew Sailbum]

Not quite.

Port Security assigns ships to anchorages, which are zones. Port Security does not, and did not, provide specific GPS coordinates of where to drop an anchor.

The captain of the ship is responsible for complying with local laws with regard to anchoring. To assist them many cruise ship companies hire a local company to provide a harbour pilot to advise as to where within that zone to drop an anchor. That Harbour Pilot is an employee of a private business.


The analogy would be about paying taxes. The government tells you to pay your taxes and to comply with the laws. You, the individual taxpayer, are responsible for compliance with the law. You might hire someone to advise you (attorney, accountant, HR Block, etc...). If your adviser screws up, the government is going to hold YOU liable for any non-payment. They might go after your adviser for criminal conduct too. You might have a civil cause of action against your adviser.

Here, the government told the ships to use an anchorage zone. The responsible ship captain's company hires an adviser. The adviser is the one who says where to drop the anchor. The adviser screwed up. The government can still hold the ship's captain accountable. And perhaps the Harbour Pilot.


But I do agree that a reassessment of the anchorage zones is due.