Superintendent Art Frederick wishes to announce to mariners that the Park will begin collecting fees for overnight use of moorings on December 1, 2003. Boaters using a mooring between the hours of 5 p.m. and 7 a.m. will be required to deposit a $15.00 fee into an onshore pay station.
Pay stations are located at Caneel Bay Watersports Shop, Hawksnest Beach, Cinnamon Bay Beach, Lillie Maho Beach, Leinster Bay, Saltpond Bay, and Great Lameshur Bay. Brochures providing information on the moorings will be available at the Visitor Center in Cruz Bay and at bulletin boards attached to the pay stations.
Revenues from the mooring fee collection program will offset the cost of maintaining and monitoring the moorings.
The Virgin Islands National Park mooring system was designed to protect our fragile underwater resources by reducing the need to anchor. Coral reefs, seagrass beds and algal plains around St. John have been heavily damaged by anchors and anchor chains.
In addition, the Park is seeking at least three volunteers (bay host) to assist boaters in need, and to provide information about mooring fees and about the Park. Volunteers must live aboard their vessel, and must be available between the hours of 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. in their respective bays. A mooring will be provided in each bay for the Bay Host. Bay Hosts= vessels will fly a green Park Service pennant with an arrowhead symbol for easy identification, and each pay station will be equipped with said pennant as well.
