Keep on moving

Fiji have worked hard the last 12 months to enable entry into the country for foreign yachts © noonsite.com

Despite the obstacles that now make long-distance cruising a far more complex undertaking, there are still boats out there moving from country to country and living their dream.

Down in the South Pacific there is some movement between NZ and Fiji as yachts looking to escape the NZ winter opt for the only open option right now. Gulf Harbour Radio do a great job of tracking boats leaving and entering NZ and have useful updates on the latest situation.

Fiji have worked hard the last 12 months to enable entry into the country for foreign yachts and their Blue Lane Procedure is a model worthy of consideration by all countries for pleasure boat arrivals during a pandemic. Going one step further, Fiji Customs have now increased the duty-free concession period for tourist yachts to five years which includes a transitional provision for yachts currently stranded due to the impact of the Covid pandemic. This is great news for Pacific cruisers.

Yacht movements in the Caribbean since March 2020 have been very different from those in past years. Caribbean Compass Magazine put a call out to cruisers to find out where people were and what they were doing and their compiled responses provide a snapshot of the latest situation in the Caribbean Islands.

? For boats moving into the Med for the summer season, Orca Iberica report that there are currently two groups of killer whales interacting with boats divided between the Strait of Gibraltar and the Algarve, Portugal. SV La Dolce Vita told Noonsite about their recent encounter with a pod of Orca after leaving Gib bound for Cadiz. Check the last positions of these interactions at Facebook Page.

With Covid cases escalating in South Africa it is vital that any yachts wanting to enter the country do so via pre-registration with OSASA before leaving their last port of call.

OSASA are the new Ocean Sailing Association of Southern Africa - a group of voluntary, seasoned ocean cruising yachtsmen who represent the interests of recreational cruisers visiting the country and form a vital "bridge" between sailors and the authorities. All visiting yachts must abide by the regulations that have been established to enable access to South Africa during the pandemic, or entry will be refused.

Finally, movement between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans will be restricted for a short time when the Panama Canal closes July 5th to 14th for scheduled lock maintenance. Yachts wanting to transit the canal during this period should book a slot as soon as possible to avoid delays.

Wherever you are moving, we wish you safe passage and fair winds,

Sue and the Noonsite team

Covid-19 yachting protocols update

With the continual change in protocols due to the pandemic, we outline the last-known situation below for yacht arrivals. Skippers should follow the recommended links in "resources" to confirm the latest protocols. Always check with your intended port of arrival before getting under way to be 100% certain of what is required. Please email if you find protocols have changed.

Yachting Protocols June 2021:

• The PCR testing requirement for arriving travelers was eliminated on 8 June. These are no longer required for arrivals in Colombia.
• No quarantine required unless there is a case of Covid-19 aboard the vessel.
• Covid cases are still high in Colombia so biosecurity measures remain strongly in place. About 20% of the local population has been vaccinated at least with one dose. It would be prudent to be fully vaccinated before arriving in the country.
• An agent must be used for clearance and should be organized before leaving your last port so that the necessary arrival notices can be dealt with. They should also clarify their charges. Fees can vary significantly between agencies. See here for a list of agents.
• You will need to provide your maritime agent with:
  • a crew list and copy of all passports;
  • all vessel documentation including ownership papers if different form that shown on the registration;
  • complete and send the Maritime Declaration of Health;
  • a declaration by the captain of the vessel stating that neither captain nor crew has Covid-19 nor any symptoms associated with Covid-19;
  • a list of the last three ports visited and the dates of stay.
• The agent will provide these documents to the Port Authorities and give you an "entry security number" which will enable you to enter port on arrival.
• See Cartagena and Santa Marta for particular port protocols.
• See Clearance for full entry details.
• For onward cruising, test costs in Colombia vary between US$45-100 per person, plus a small fee for travel of the nurse to the vessel.

Details from Club de Pesca, John Halley, Cartagena and Marina Santa Marta.

Read more here...

This article has been provided by the courtesy of noonsite.com.