April 16, 2008 – With the June 1 start of hurricane season fast approaching, the V.I. National Park is trying a different system this year to allocate space on its hurricane mooring chains in St. John's Hurricane Hole.
"We tried several other systems and they didn't work for one reason or another," Rafe Boulon, the park's resource management chief, said Thursday.
This year, the park will allow boaters who registered for moorings in 2008 hurricane season to keep their spots for the upcoming hurricane season.
Those who registered in 2008 must let the park know in writing by May 15 if they want those same mooring spots this hurricane season. Boaters then must renew their permits at the park's Biosphere Reserve office at Lind Point by May 29.
The remaining spots on mooring chains will be allocated in a random drawing June 6 at the ballfield next the park's Visitors Center in Cruz Bay. Boulon said staff will be on hand starting at 7:30 a.m. to accept cards with the boaters' names and boat names. The random drawing will begin at 8 a.m.
Spaces will be allocated based on vessel requirements and available space.
The permits are free, but Boulon said the park will probably start charging in 2012. He did not know what the fee would be.
Boulon estimated that 40 to 50 spots on the mooring chains will be available to those who come for the random drawing.
The mooring chains now have slightly more than 100 spaces thanks to the addition of additional mooring chains late last year. The new chains added 26 spaces.
Last year 92 boats occupied space on Hurricane Hole's mooring chains, but Boulon said that only 66 of them registered. He said he hopes to prevent non-registered boats from using the mooring chains this hurricane season by implementing the new allocation system.
When a storm threatens the Virgin Islands, Boulon said the park will open Hurricane Hole 72 hours in advance of a named storm or severe weather system heading toward the Virgin Islands.
After the storm or the threat of a storm passes, boaters have 72 hours to remove their boats, but they can leave their anchors and other gear behind until hurricane season is over. Boulon said that some boaters do not remove their gear in Hurricane Hole after the early December deadline for removing it.
"We've had people leave behind $1,000 worth of gear," he said.
Last year it took seven park staff members in three boats a total of two days to pick up all the gear boaters left behind, Boulon said.
Those vessel owners who don't retrieve their gear will be receive written warnings. Boulon said all future violations will be subject to penalties, including fines, and possible exclusion from Hurricane Hole.
When the park plans to open Hurricane Hole because a storm is approaching, Boulon said he will get the word out to boaters through e-mails, word of mouth, notices posted around St. John and through the media.
Those interested can contact Boulon by e-mail, by letter mailed to 1300 Cruz Bay Creek, St. John 00830, or by fax at 693-9500 or 693-9301. Renewals can also be dropped off at the Visitor Center in Cruz Bay, but they must be addressed to Boulon.
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