Parker Baltic 900 with 2 x 275hp Verado's

[codprawn]

It's probably the Frogs that tipped them off that there was a dodgy looking RIB on it's way over. RIBs are very hard to spot on Radar and it sounded as if the reception comitte was planned in advance!!!

[Tomas]

Yea...I guess so on all points...different country....mid-crossing pickup and all but with the cost of such an interception and the participants already shown to be solid citizens it still seems strange to me that's all that the data collected in one place is not available "on the radar" a short distance away.

Our "Genius" Homeland Security decided that in order for even a pleasure vessel to enter a US port..including St. Thomas and St. Croix and St. John in the US Virgin Islands from any Foreign port, they needed to fax or email the Coasties 24 hours in advance with a crew list etc. etc. etc. Most of the charter boats are located in Tortola in the Brit Virgins and the distance from St. John to Tortola is less than two miles at the shortest and there are literally thousands of pleasure craft darting around to all the smaller islands and beaches in both the US and British Virgins and where the hell do you locate a fax machine or email on most boats and you begin to get the point.

After a year of this non-enforcable nonsense they just relaxed the rules that you only need to show up with proper docs and clear in and out but it created havoc on the entire boating community until they did.

Same Genius decided that the ferry between St. Thomas and St. John needed better security so they erected chain link fence at both ports when next to the pier you can land anything on the beach unimpeded while ferry passangers are shaken down traveling from one destination in the US Territory to another in the US Territory. Osama has won......one could report.

[codprawn]

Couldn't agree more Tomas - the terrorists must be rubbing their hands with glee - they don't need to do anything more to screw our lives up - the powers that be are doing it for them!!!

[The Jackeens]

Guess the customs peeps are just doing their job.

For the record they were extremely courteous and complimented Nauti's crew on excellent preparation for sea.

Kathleen & Paul

[codprawn]

Originally Posted by The Jackeens

Guess the customs peeps are just doing their job.

For the record they were extremely courteous and complimented Nauti's crew on excellent preparation for sea.

Kathleen & Paul

It's not them I object to - it's their Lords and Masters.....

[Julian]

Paul , Kathleen

Hope your well, Just tried to send you a PM but your inbox is full. Just wondering if your around this weekend.

Julian

[Tomas]

Originally Posted by codprawn

It's not them I object to - it's their Lords and Masters.....

Amen!

The foot soldiers are following orders. It is the "think tank" that comes up with some of these """""""""""s o l u t i o n s"""""""""" that has me rolling my eyes.

The problem with acts committed against any nation is that the response to the act is universally more problematic and has greater consequence for the average joe than the original act ever did.

Don't get me wrong......I am not "soft" on terrorism. That behavior is Charles Darwin in reverse!

[jackeen]

Originally Posted by Julian

Paul , Kathleen

Hope your well, Just tried to send you a PM but your inbox is full. Just wondering if your around this weekend.

Julian

Have cleared out a few out of the 'jackeen' log-on Julian. (We are around in between a Christmas Do, visiting the recovering Ribster Antoinette, going to a show and christening Nautibuoy's new RIB. Please pm or 'phone Paul on 07790 551442.)

Originally Posted by codprawn

It's not them I object to - it's their Lords and Masters.....

True, Codprawn. But they can't win really. I found it reassuring to know they were out there doing their job, really.

But for those of us working in the support services (& constantly short of funding for preventative work) the mind boggles when you consider the cost of such an operation.

Kathleen

[Andre]

Guys I am again going to act as a policeman of this thread.

First we have a notice board and now Charles Darwin is being brought into the subject

What we want now are some good action shots cos not having another rib crossing the channel with us we could not have any taken.

If we had seen we were being tailed then who knows

Richard, Simon called me this afternoon and is happy to take some shots from the Red Funnel ferry. Let me know when and I will try and join you, providing of course, you let me get behind the helm as well

[codprawn]

Couldn't you have chucked someone in the water 1/2 way across? Even better you could have asked the helicoppers to film you!!!

[jackeen]

Hehehehehe

Crew Report to follow with some more photos (to keep Andre happy )

K & P

[Nauti Buoy]

Originally Posted by codprawn

Couldn't you have chucked someone in the water 1/2 way across? Even better you could have asked the helicoppers to film you!!!

If only we'd have known, could have got some amazing shots from a helicopter!!!

[Milan]

Originally Posted by Nauti Buoy

If only we'd have known, could have got some amazing shots from a helicopter!!!

The nameshhh Buoy! Nauti Buoy

Hey Nauti Buoy I thought Parker would have at least fitted the Rib with a cloacking device

[Andre]

BBC news at Six just featured a piece how easy it was to cross the channel from Calais to Dover. Some yachty took on board a camera crew and off they headed for Dover They were talking of not being challenged the whole way and no welcome party in the marina waiting for them

I guess the BBC guys had not heard of our crossing cos that would have taken the smiles off their faces as our security lads are keeping an eye on the channel unless we were subject of a prank tip off

[Andre]

Originally Posted by Nauti Buoy

If only we'd have known, could have got some amazing shots from a helicopter!!!

Richard for sure some were taken only how can we get them

[Andre]

Originally Posted by jackeen

Hehehehehe

Crew Report to follow with some more photos (to keep Andre happy )

K & P

[The Jackeens]

Saturday 11th November

Part One : Remember, remember…

Richard, Paul & I set off by road on a smoky November dawn heading for Andre and Wiesia’s home in Christmas-card countryside. Simon and Andre on board, we made for Dover and the ferry. Next we rendez-vous’ed with Mike C and joined in the respectful Remembrance Day silence in the ferryport. Once aboard the ferry there was some anxious studying of the whitecaps but all were hopeful of a brief weather window on Sunday before it was due to build again to bigger winds on Monday. (All confirmed by text from Zippy and others )

Meanwhile Simon was looking forward to a bit of action and some real testing of the new boat and regaled us with stories of the Rugson? RIB Raid and other adventures!!

Once in Calais we had some fun as we tried to locate the lorry and its precious cargo. The driver had made the sensible decision to stay put and wait for us. And there it was!!! A blast of sunshine on a grey day !!!!The very new (tubes not yet inflated) and very imposing looking Nautibuoy.

Next to the marina!!!! But there was a GPS issue and the Six Wise Men could have done with a star !!! The result was:three of us packed in front of the large curtain-sider (with beautiful Polish Script all over the sides) while four burly characters leapt in and out of the back as we tried to figure out the directions. Every roadsign seemed to say ‘Sangatte’!!!

( note to mental self :This may be where customs first became interested!!!!)

At last we located the marina and as the wind funnelled down the harbour and whipped up into a frenzy, the boys inflated the tubes, checked her over and craned her in. My job was sorting out accommodation We were staying in the charmingly French (!!!!not!!!) ‘Holiday Inn’ and Mike had thoughtfully booked a table for dinner. It must have been a great relief to Richard and Andre once she was safe and sound at her berth for the night.

Photos from Paul's archives :

1) The impressive Parker Rig!
2) Doing the hokey-pokey (in, out...)
3) Like opening a special present, shrink-wrapping flying!!!as Richard gets his hands on his impressive console for the first time
4) Craning in under an angry sky

[Andre]

Kathleen, well said and good photos

[The Jackeens]

Originally Posted by Andre

Kathleen well said

Thank you sir!

Part 11 to follow. Just digging out some more photos.

[Alan]

note to mental self :This may be where customs first became interested!!!!)

Freudian slip there methinks? (Mental note to self or note to mental self! )

Sounds like a fun trip despite the drama's on arrival. Clearly a yellow rib is reverse psychology to HMCE as no drug runner would use a black rib that'd be too obvious right?!