West End for Customs Check in
- Thread starter boatbum
- Start date
Wear a shirt and shoes to check in. They can be very formal and the wait can be long to have them tell you to go get a shirt on after waiting. I go to Walker's Cay to check-in but this is because I leave from Stuart and do not need fuel until I get Marsh Harbor. The first time I checked in at Walker's, I was the only one there and the customs officer picked me up at the dock in a golf cart and drove me to the office. There is NOTHING but a customs office and an airstip at Walker's now.
Coming home, I always spend the night at West End and depart early in the morning.
Coming home, I always spend the night at West End and depart early in the morning.
- Joined
- Feb 28, 2007
- RO Number
- 25362
- Messages
- 3,996
Mark - I just decided on Stuart for our jump-off spot too. I found storage for my trailer rig (Airport RV Storage) and have spoken to a couple of marinas. Do you have any suggestions on ramps I should consider using and marinas to stay until the weather is good? Perhaps Pirate's Cove or Sailfish?
There has been very little work done since the hurricanes. I saw pictures of teh marina after the hurricanes and all the sunk boats are gone. There were cables with flags strung across the slips in the marina making it clear that they didn't want you to dock there. I tied to the seawall opposite the marina. There were a few slips closer, at the base of the road coming from the airstrip, but they appeared to be for smaller boats. I made two trips last year, mid-June and last August. In June, the customs officer said that they were getting permits "next week". In August, the customs officer said that they were getting permits "next week"
Pirates Cove is a resort with full amenities and it would be my first choice. There is a public ramp close by called Sandsprit Park. It is crowded on weekends. There are other ramps in the area if you plan on lanching on the weekend.