USVI-On-Line

[quote="RickG"]I have no problem with the Westin renting jets skis.

Sorry, Rick. but I agree to disagree. I consider the Westin's jet ski rentals a chink in the armour. Maybe the Westin owners decide to open a Westin East and then do jet ski rentals on Lameshur, which incidentally is not all park owned land. Or maybe they buy Maho for 32 million, or whatever. I don't have a lot of faith that they wouldn't do whatever it takes to make a maximum profit. As to the present Westin, I have no problem with it if it was in Cancun. Not that I have any say on what should, or should not, be on STJ. sorry Westin Folks, but I have my own humble redneck opinion. I would like to see STJ be, and stay, the natural crown jewel of the Caribbean that L. Rockefeller tried to establish when he made all of his efforts. Again, none of this is anything other then the opinion of a sometime visitor, full time rabble rows-er, stating his own thoughts. To me, the Westin, the splendor of Peter Bay, the development above Vie's, are all representative of the exploitation of the spirit of the National Park Service preserving the crown jewel of the Caribbean. Just my HRNO.
JT

and another thing... we should probably move this to the O.T forum.

We live on a small lake in Wisconsin. Jet Skis are the bane of the lake, our personal bete noir. Set aside the fact that most are driven by drunken idiots yelling, "woooooo" the damn things are awful for the environment.

Most jet skis run on two stroke engines, consider the following:

Two stroke engines run on a mixture of motor oil and gasoline. According to EPA statistics, two stroke engines are America's number one source of toxic water pollution (EPA). Two strokes discharge as much as one third of their fuel and oil unburned into the water and air, which means a two hour ride on a PWC dumps 2.5 gallons of gas and oil into the water.

Yup, so for every two hours that every person "tours" on a PWC (Personal Water Craft, AKA, jet ski) that person is dumping about 2.5 gallons of gas and oil into the water.

Do you really want that crap added to all the crap that already is being fed into the Caribbean water that lures us there in the first place?

First of all red ears I apoligize for the tone of this thread you asked a simple question you don't need to feel you were grilled, but ya did open an interesting topic and some of us piped in about our opinions that is what makes the forum intersting so thanks for posting the question.
Pete your right those two strokes aren't very efficient. I remember when I had an old mercury that left an oil slick as you chugged along. Two strokes will be a thing of the past very soon I believe with the advancement of 4 stroke technology.

Hey I just had a hairbrain idea maybe they could allow jet skis in the retention pond were the car ferries come in and thats it. That way all partys are happy

It all made for good discussion. I took no offense and felt piled on be all you good people, just had to throw alittle more fuel on the fire to keep the subject going.
But isn't the dinghy motor just a 2 stroke outboard also?
There I go throwing more fuel on the fire.

Red Ears, I'm with you. Lets be consistent or recognize our inconsistencies. I really don't see much difference between "Personal Water Craft" or dinghy tours. Kayaks are more eco-friendly, but that takes work.

Any way, we are not going to see anything more than dinghies in the NPS controlled waters for a long time, I hope. In the resort areas? I don't care if they do naked barefoot waterskiing, as long as they stick to those areas.

Cheers, RickG

DELETED

I'm with you Rick G., lets keep the island as quiet & deserted as possible. kayaks are to much work, i want to keep me work out on the island in the horizontal postion as long as possible.

By the way wheres the sign up sheet for the naked waterskiing?

DELETED

I believe there is actually a law (I'm not sure whose) prohibiting jet skis from being in any bay. For example, even though Rendezvous Bay is not park land, no jet skis are allowed inside a line from the tip of Ditleff Point to the end of Bovocap Point.

I think STT has the same or similar rule as this year we saw Swimmer John, a noteworthy character at the BW Emerald Beach, go berserk, yelling and threatening to call the police, towards two jerks on jet skis hot rodding around Lindbergh Bay. They left almost immediately.