Temporary Insanity

The Usual Suspects have reported that St. Vincent around Blue Lagoon and Young Island Cut is free of Boat Boys.  This does not hold true for points further North.   Once you leave the protected Bays surrounding the charter bases of the south, all bets are off on St Vincent.  Being that St. Vincent has not profited as much from the tourist industry, the Boat Boys resort to any means necessary to get your attention.

Most charter guests choose to skip the coast of St. Vincent altogether.  Whatever the reason, you should know that there are some beautiful places on the coast of St. Vincent, but these places are a far cry from the more filled-up anchorages of The Grenadines.  Any place you go north of Kingstown, be it Petit Byahaut, Barrouallie, Wallilabou Bay, Cumberland Bay, or Chateaubelair, you are sure to run into some Boat Boys in relatively deserted anchorages.  You should not let this discourage you from going to these anchorages, for they are nice and secluded and a wonderful change from the more crowded anchorages of The Grenadines.  But beware of the Boat Boys of the north, they are a crafty bunch who can be rather intimidating for someone familiar with the more refined tactics found in The Grenadines.

The Boat Boys of St. Vincent all have one thing in common - they lack the volume of business their counterparts in The Grenadines enjoy.  Because of this, they resort to strange, uncomfortable, and sometimes downright scary tactics.  The Boat Boys of St. Vincent will give you an uncomfortable feeling, but most of them are nice and are just trying to make a living.  That is not to say you shouldn’t keep a watchful eye on them.

There are two anchorages in the Chateaubelair area, one is right in front of the town, the other is along the northwestern coast at the bottom of a steep hillside about a mile from town.  Anchoring near the town usually brings a bunch of kids who often play cricket on the beach, diving into the water to swim out to your boat.  This is usually enough to drive the boat out to anchor near the hillside.  This will not give you total seclusion, for this is where the fishermen anchor there skiffs, and once they come in from a day of fishing, they will certainly come calling.

Wallilabou Bay -- Beautiful But Deadly

Wallilabou is a wonderful little Bay with a small hotel/restaurant, the Wallilabou Anchorage Hotel and Restaurant, as well as a Customs Station.  The hotel took quite a beating in Hurricane Lenny and still looks as though it may be closed.  There are mooring balls available from the hotel, or you can anchor, but the Bay is small so grabbing a mooring ball may be your best bet.  You can usually grab one for free if you call ahead or eat at the restaurant.  This small Bay has a disproportionate number of Boat Boys for its size.

As you enter the Bay, you are likely to run into a few Cowboys.  Since this is a small Bay, you most be careful not to get to close to them, for they will use oars, ropes, or their own body to try to attach themselves onto your boat.  Once past them, you shouldn’t have much trouble picking up a mooring.  Calling ahead to the hotel should secure you a mooring, but don’t pay any of the Boat Boys once you get in for it. Arrange payment with the hotel beforehand.  If you are only stopping for a few hours, chances are it will be free.

It is not uncommon to be surrounded by two or three different Boat Boys at once in Wallilabou.  They don’t seem to wait their turn like they do in other anchorages.  Here, as in other places in St. Vincent, they all compete for your attention. This can make them tougher to deal with as they will be on both sides of your boat.  Most sell them same jewelry you probably have seen throughout the islands, so there isn’t much to see.  The Boat Boys here seem pleasant enough but the numbers of them are enough to make you keep sailing up the coast to escape.  Many are just looking for handouts, anything you had left over from your charter.  But their persistence becomes annoying, and if you do give them something, they don’t go on their way, but continue to ask for more.  Wallilabou is a beautiful spot, but not a good spot if you don’t like Boat Boys.

Kingstown -- Sitting on the Dock by the Bay

The biggest town in St. Vincent is not a place most would stop unless they needed Customs or fuel.  This is because, unlike places like St. George’s, Grenada, a nice island town, Kingstown is a working town and hence is not much to look at.  The guidebooks will tell you that if you do make a stop, be sure to tie up to the proper dock for fuel, the problem is the fuel dock is located right next to the improper dock that all the fisherman use to get fuel and unload their catch. Because this is the case, the fisherman usually take up both docks.  So usually you are forced to stop at whichever dock that has room.  Once there, you will have an even more interesting problem, finding out who’s in charge to get you your fuel.

The Characters

• The Fishermen - As with many anchorages in the Windward Islands, there is usually a Boat Boy who wants to show you where to anchor.  Chateaubelair is no different.  If a fisherman is around when you pull in, he will most likely try to give you help with your choice of anchoring locations.  Of course after you are settled in, he will most likely expect payment so pay attention to whom helped you, for once anchored you could turn around and find three or more fishermen there all looking for payment for services he may or may not have rendered.  The fishermen seem nice and after a few inquiries usually move along.
  
  
• The Drifters - This is a St. Vincent original, the Drifter.  These are Boat Boys who drift in on any type of floating device they can get their hands on.  There have been Drifters who floated up on half a surfboard (no clue what happened to the other half) or boats that float only because of the amount of Styrofoam. they have in them.  Drifters are a strange bunch, mainly because they generally have nothing to sell you and mainly stare at you in a very uncomfortable fashion.  Drifters usually come with other Boat Boys mainly looking for a handout, but some may have fruit or jewelry to sell.  Do not be surprised to see a Drifter hang out near the stern of your boat for a ½ hour or more before they get bored and drift off without you ever noticing.
  
  
• The Swimmers - Swimmers are another St. Vincent original, mainly consisting of children without any means of water transportation.  These kids are usually the last to come by at night.  A common ploy is to swim out and get into your dingy to rest for awhile, trying to sell you some Mangos he brought with him in a plastic bag.  The swimmers are a persistent bunch and particularly like trying their tactics when you are on the stern rinsing dishes or other such activities.  Once comfortably on your dingy, they will be reluctant to disembark until you have lightened their load for the swim back to shore.  Swimmers are harmless but annoying, and after you get bored with them, a dollar for a few Mangos usually removes them from your dingy and leaves you free to enjoy the rest of your night in peace.
  
  
• The Cowboys - Someone told us that while in St Vincent, if a Boat Boy attaches himself to your boat (by any means necessary I suppose), you are then responsible for his welfare as well as the welfare of his vessel.  This has brought about a very unfortunate version of the Boat Boy, the Cowboy.  Cowboys are a cross between a Boat Boy who greets you at the harbor entrance to help you with your anchoring, and of course a Cowboy.  Cowboys are to be avoided at all costs.  You see Cowboys attempt to attach themselves to your boat as you pass by, either with their hands/oars or by lassoing onto you with their painter.  This is not a timid bunch and they have no issues with getting directly in front of your boat.  Sometimes there are two Cowboys in one skiff and as you pass by one will try to grab the boat.  Now fortunately we never ran across a Cowboy with good aim or grip for that matter, or it might have been harder to avoid them.  But the first time you encounter a Cowboy, you might not realize what is going on so they may have a good shot at grabbing on.  But once you realize what they are doing, it is quite easy to avoid them as they only have oars and you have an engine.  But be aware and avoid any Boat Boy at the entrance to a harbor.
  
  
• The Beachfront and Maxroy - Not all the Boat Boy experiences are bad in St. Vincent, as you will find out if you call the Beachfront Bar and Restaurant for a ride to the establishment in Chateaubelair.  There, you will meet Maxroy and possibly a few of his friends.  Make sure to negotiate your price beforehand, but after which you enjoy a no-hassle ride to and from The Beachfront.  Maxroy cruises around in a beat up old dingy and you may have to help bail it out during the trip, but otherwise no sweat.  A few more rides into town and hopefully Maxroy will be able to get himself a new outboard that will make for an uninterrupted journey without stalling.
  
  
• Dock Boys - The Dock Boys hang out near the dock, whether they are there for a reason or not.  Someone will certainly ask you what you need.  If the answer is Customs and Diesel then you will be certain to find a Dock Boy wanting to serve as your “Guide.”  Now the job of the Guide, if you can really call him a Guide, is basically to lead you to the Customs house.  Of course you could have found it on your own if you had been allowed to proceed without your “Guide,” but Guides are persistent and will be sure to tell you that you need his help for the local “Customs.”  Once the Captain has been lead off by the Guide, the rest of the crew is left to find out who is in charge so you can buy fuel.  This is not an easy task since there are usually anywhere from 10 to 20 Dock Boys hanging around.  Some are only to willing to help, while others will just look at you with a delight only a local can while looking at a confused Yachtsman.
  
  After having a Dock Boy tell you he will get you fuel ,only to disappear, you might decide to journey in yourself to try to find somebody in charge.  This may or may not be successful but telling as many people as possible you need fuel might or might not help.  After about 20 minutes or more, somebody will surely tell you that you are at the wrong dock, then perhaps that the hose doesn’t reach.  By this time the Captain has usually come back and is wondering why you have only just started to fuel up, best to ignore him.
  
  After taking on your pitiful amount of diesel, you have to figure out who to pay.  This for some reason is a lot easier then you might think, being that Dock Boys don’t like credit cards and the guy wanting payment for the fuel is a lot more prompt about payment then he is about getting you the fuel hose.
  
  After payment, you have not finished paying.  There is the matter of the “Dock Boys” and your “Guide” to contend with.  When you do give the “Dock Boys” their ransom, make sure that they are all present so they can all split it instead of one guy trying to pocket the payment.  Just a small amount combined with a six-pack does wonders and you should be on your way without any troubles.  Just don’t hit anything leaving as you will have a large audience.

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Compared to The Grenadines, St. Lucia has a small number of Boat Boys, but that means nothing as some consider the Boat Boys of St. Lucia to be the most aggressive.  This may be true, but the number of Boat Boys around is at times more frustrating then a few rude Boat Boys.  This means you don’t have to deal with the non-stop onslaught of Boat Boys as you might in places look the Tobago Cays.

This doesn’t mean there are not Boat Boys who won’t leave you alone.  As a matter of fact, the ones who are out there do seem to pressure you nonstop.  With this sort of attitude, it only takes ones Boat Boy to ruin it for the whole lot.  But as with Boat Boys on other islands, you can usually pick out the ones who are going to be a problem.

Soufrière and the Pitons

This is one of the most popular destinations in all the Windward Islands, which means there is no way it can be free of Boat Boys.  Because the moorings in the area are run by SMMA (Soufrierre Marine Management Association), you don’t have as much of a hassle as the SMMA seems to control the area relatively well.  You also don’t have the trouble of dealing with the Boat Boys “helping you with a mooring,” but they will try, especially one boat.

No Fuss No Fight

Usually as you get within a mile of the Pitons, there is a boat to greet you.  This is your first Boat Boy, he is usually in a boat called No Fuss No Fight - don’t believe it.  He looks about 14 yrs old and I don’t think he knows the meaning of “No Help Needed, Thanks.”  If you are the only boat in the area entering at that time, he will pull along side you and offer his help to find you that perfect mooring.  He can be very hard to lose and it does not matter if you enlisted his help or not, he will follow you in and try to help you anyway.  This is never well-received, but he does it anyway and the only way to deal with it is to tell him quite clearly you don’t want his help and ignore him.  If you do require help to find a mooring, call SMMA they will be happy to help.  Telling him this will usually get rid of him, but sometimes he bugs you all the way to the mooring.

SMMA

If you pick up a mooring in any of the managed areas (Jalousie, Malgretoute, Rachette Point or Anse Chastanet) around the Pitons, SMMA will be around to collect a fee for the usage of the mooring.  Don’t be fooled by a Boat Boy slipping up and trying to collect for the mooring, SMMA workers wear shirts with the name on them and their boat has SMMA on it as well.  T he people who work for SMMA are very friendly and helpful, and will usually answer any questions you have about the area.

Jalousie, Malgretoute under the Pitons

These two anchorages are the ones closest to the Pitons, Jalousie being right between the two and Malgretoute being at the foot of Petit Piton.  The majority of the boats try to get a mooring in the Jalousie anchorage because with its view of the Pitons, it is certainly the most spectacular.  In Malgretoute the moorings may be empty in low season while Jalousie fills up nightly.

Malgretoute -- As secluded as it gets in these parts

The Malgretoute anchorage is right near Benny and Marcelene’s Harmony Restaurant, which is really the only thing anywhere near the anchorage.  Benny will certainly see you pull up and will send someone out to greet you to see if you would like to dine at their establishment.  If you are looking for some action, this might be just the place as they will shuttle you there and back for free.  They are very courteous to you and are willing to answer any questions you may have.  If you hear music at night, don’t worry it’s probably a late-night party at Benny’s.  Benny will also have ice and bread delivered right to your boat upon request.

Besides the friendly people at Benny’s, you are most likely to run into a few Boat Boys at Malgretoute.  Most seem to sell the same coral jewelry that is all too common down in the islands, so it doesn’t take long to decide whether you are interested or not.  If you are not, be courteous, but don’t take waste too much of their time if you don’t intend to buy anything.  That is what tends to piss off the Boat Boys most.  Best to do as The Usual Suspects suggest, which is to offer a beer and strike up a conversation.  After a while, they will just say goodbye, happy to have had a beer.

Jalousie -- Luxury Between the Pitons

You will see Boat Boys here, but because the Hilton is located in this area, the Boat Boys tend to be relatively calm.  This may be because the Hilton is likely not to let them stay if they disrupt the calm “Between the Pitons.”  You will be approached here and may find that some of the Boat Boys have some great crafts and woodcarvings to sell.  This is the only place that we found a Boat Boy selling anything besides T-shirts, jewelry, produce or fish, and it was actually a welcome sight.  In particular, you may want to look out for a father and son who have some nice woodcarvings that he hand-carves himself.  Their boat is nicely laid out with the merchandise so you can easily view it.  The prices are right as well.

Soufrière -- The Land of the Lost

A dingy ride to the town dock will revile that Soufrière is a town that hasn’t benefited much from being so close to the famous Pitons.  As you pull up to the dock, you will certainly be approached by someone offering to watch your dingy.  As you look around and notice only a cricket game far down the beach, you realize you better do it if you want your dingy to remain there while you are in town, for most likely the person standing in front of you might decide to claim it.  These Beach Boys seem to show up whenever or wherever you pull up your dingy (except at the Hilton of course).  It is advised to let them do it, unless you come in with someone who’s sole reason for coming was to watch the dingy.

Rodney Bay -- Mini Miami Beach

After weeks at the smaller places like Mayreau and the Pitons the hotel-lined beach of Rodney Bay may be a shock.  There are no high rises here but there is a steady stream of hotels and beachfront bars that that keep going far down the beach. Rodney Bay is a pleasant place where you can anchor in the Bay, grab a slip, or anchor inside in the harbor.  It has everything a sailor needs and some things he doesn’t, like Boat and Beach Boys.

Palm Tree Boat -- Oasis on the High Seas

There are sure to be others, but the one Boat Boy that seems to always be around is the Palm Tree Boat.  It is called this because its bimini is made of large palm tree limbs that cover an assortment of fruits and breads that they sell.  Some find the Palm Tree Boat to be a good service, but a lot seem to be turned off by the aggressive and obnoxious behavior.  They are the sort of Boat Boys that are courteous to you when they arrive at your boat, but if you choose not to make a purchase, they tend to scream things and generally make a scene.  This tends to be a common thing in the Rodney Bay Boat and Beach Boy community.

Beach Boys -- BEWARE

On the beach, there are numerous bars, the most popular being Spinnakers. Spinnakers overlooks the entire Bay, and if you sit down here,  you are almost certain to attract a Beach Boy.  Beach Boys in Rodney Bay are different from  other places - they have things to sell instead of just wanting to watch your dingy.

Beach Boys of Rodney Bay

The Beach Boys sell the typical stuff, coral jewelry or coconuts made into a sailboat.  But here they come to you on the beach or to your table at the bar to sell you their merchandise.  If you have long hair, then most likely someone will come up and offered to braid it.  While most of these Beach Boys are perfectly nice, that isn’t true for all of them.  Be particularly wary of a younger looking man with dreadlocks selling coral jewelry.  He will start out nice and friendly, but if you choose not to purchase anything, he tends to go on a major screaming fit.  If you would like to avoid this, it is safer at the bar because the help will warn you or try to kept the Beach Boys at bay.  If you are on the beach, you are on your own.

In Summary

As with anything, most Boat Boys are just trying to make a living and are nice entertaining people.  But the few that are bad, give a black eye to the whole bunch and hurt everyone in the process.  Sometimes a Boat Boy can be the highlight of a trip, but all too much they are the lowlight for a lot of people and that is a shame.  Over time, hopefully the ones who can delight and actually help provide service to the yachties will help control the ones who do not.  As chartering becomes more popular, you my find the Boat Boy becomes a thing of the past as a lot of charterers just don’t want to be hassled by the floating band of merchants.  As welcome as this may be to some, it means once again these islands lose something that is unique to them, and all the yachts who have been helped by the Boat Boys would lose a valuable service and some entertaining afternoons.

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By Harman Stinson