It’s Better in the Bahamas

With many of you planning to bring your boats to the Bahamas this summer, this is a great time to review arrival protocols. First, you must hoist your yellow quarantine flag when approaching the Port of Entry (check Chapman’s Piloting: Seamanship and Small Boat Handling to determine where to properly fly this and other courtesy flags for your type of vessel). You must report to a Port of Entry as soon as possible upon entering Bahamian waters. Once your anchor is down or you have docked, only the captain is permitted to go ashore to report to Customs–no one else is allowed off the boat until the vessel has been cleared. The captain must bring the following documents – ship’s documentation or registration, passports for all passengers and crew, a pet permit if you have animals aboard (call 242-325-7502 to obtain the application to import domestic animals), and firearms information (including make, model, serial number, and number of rounds of ammunition). Do not bring the firearms. You will be allowed firearms as part of your ship’s equipment even though handguns are strictly forbidden in the Bahamas. All firearms and ammunition must be declared upon entry and must remain aboard your boat at all times in a secure compartment. If boarded by the Bahamian Defense Force or Police, you will be required to produce your cruising permit and the guns and ammo you have declared. The amount declared and the amount onboard must agree, and this will be carefully checked. ...

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