The owner and captain of a yacht that was in our news last week for anchoring in Fagasa Bay after it left Pago Pago Harbor has given his reaction to statements by Harbor Master Silila Patane.
Patane had issued a reminder to village leaders that Fagatogo is the only seaport of entry for the territory and if they see any vessels anchored off their villages to notify the police.
His comments were made in reference to the yacht Beach Flea which according to Patane anchored in Fagasa Bay after it sailed out of Pago Pago Harbor.
Patane said the couple and their children on board went on shore in Fagasa and moved about freely.
He said all vessels must be subject to health, agriculture and customs checks when they arrive in port.
And in the case of Beach Flea , the yacht had departed the territory and was supposed to head to Samoa, instead the owner decided to drop anchor at Fagasa.
In a message via our news website talanei, the captain of Beach Flea, Greg Bridges said, “I spoke to many people about our plans to drop anchor in Fagasa Bay. I had permission from the village chief and his wife. I informed the Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources and tried to hail the harbor master 4 different times on VHF 16, never receiving a reply.”
Bridges didnt identify the matai he received permission from.
He continued, “When we dropped the anchor in Fagasa Bay, I landed our dinghy and spoke with the high talking chief that was informed well beforehand that we would be coming.
“I even presented him with a large fish we caught while sailing around.”
The captain said he ran into the chief while checking out of the territory after being here since September of last year.
Bridges said his family enjoyed the island, met wonderful people, and participated in the educational, junior sailing, and surfing communities. Their children attended school for a semester,
He was disappointed with the Harbor Master’s attitude and felt that it was a turn off for the boating community.
“Maybe the Harbor Master should be a bit more inviting and friendly to yachts. Plenty more would show up and spend dollars if they could venture out of the harbor and see more of Tutulia,” he remarked.
“Also I guess I should inform the cruising community asking us about American Samoa that they should bypass it and sail to Samoa, where the check in procedures took less than an hour, was one tenth of the cost, and everyone was so welcoming..”
