We still haven't looked at where we might visit on touristic grounds, rather we are eliminating destiantions based of health and entry requirements!
The Caribbean is made up of a multitude of islands and states / territories, each with their own entry and visa requriements. It has taken hours of my life to trawl through Foreign Office guidance to check we are eligable to visit, what special customs are in force, what healthcare is available etc. I have now learned that poor Matthew will have to leave his favourite clothes behind as the wearing of camouflage is forbidden by law in several islands. I also need to be a bit savvy when packing my camera gear to ensure I don't fall foul of this law either.
The biggest headache is the US Visa requirements. Under the Visa Waiver Program we may enter for up to 90 days but this inlcudes time spent in the Bahamas and Caribbean. Hm. We intend to visit the US last at the end of the time in the west. However, on close reading, it seems that this only applies to time spent in the Caribbean after initial entry to the US. As we are reaching Florida last heading north, we should be alright. The other requirement is to hold a ticket for exit of the US and surrounding territories. That's fine for me as I'm booked to fly home from Washington on April 29th, but I'm still not sure how they decide on a private yacht leaving under its own power. We may yet need to apply for a visa for James and the kids. Any advice gratefully received on this one!
Flag etiquette is also proving troublesome. I have ordered courtesy flags for the independant states we may visit - Bahamas, Barbados, St.Lucia, St Vincent, St Kitts, Dominica, Antigua and the USA. The French territories are easy - we fly the Tricolore. The Dutch territories seem to require the Dutch Antilles ensign (which we don't have) but the British Overseas Territories remain unclear. As a British registered vessel, do we need a courtesy flag at all?
Rather than spend a small fortune on unnecessary bunting, we've chosen to compromise. I've ordered a small blue- and a small red-ensign and I shall carry some white cloth and waterproof pens - each of the British Overseas Territories fly a defaced red- or blue ensign so I hope to do the defacing with pens as necessary! Do you know which is for where?
Take one red or blue ensign, then add the following as required:
The Caribbean is made up of a multitude of islands and states / territories, each with their own entry and visa requriements. It has taken hours of my life to trawl through Foreign Office guidance to check we are eligable to visit, what special customs are in force, what healthcare is available etc. I have now learned that poor Matthew will have to leave his favourite clothes behind as the wearing of camouflage is forbidden by law in several islands. I also need to be a bit savvy when packing my camera gear to ensure I don't fall foul of this law either.
The biggest headache is the US Visa requirements. Under the Visa Waiver Program we may enter for up to 90 days but this inlcudes time spent in the Bahamas and Caribbean. Hm. We intend to visit the US last at the end of the time in the west. However, on close reading, it seems that this only applies to time spent in the Caribbean after initial entry to the US. As we are reaching Florida last heading north, we should be alright. The other requirement is to hold a ticket for exit of the US and surrounding territories. That's fine for me as I'm booked to fly home from Washington on April 29th, but I'm still not sure how they decide on a private yacht leaving under its own power. We may yet need to apply for a visa for James and the kids. Any advice gratefully received on this one!
Flag etiquette is also proving troublesome. I have ordered courtesy flags for the independant states we may visit - Bahamas, Barbados, St.Lucia, St Vincent, St Kitts, Dominica, Antigua and the USA. The French territories are easy - we fly the Tricolore. The Dutch territories seem to require the Dutch Antilles ensign (which we don't have) but the British Overseas Territories remain unclear. As a British registered vessel, do we need a courtesy flag at all?
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| Flag of Britsh Virgin Islands |
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| Civil ensign of British Virgin Islands |
Take one red or blue ensign, then add the following as required:
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