Caribbean Islands
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Awww, come on guys, what about St. Marrten (Dutch side).
As in the Sunset Beach Bar, I love that place.
I read in the travel section of the local paper that cruise ships are bypassing St. Thomas. What’s that all about?
As in the Sunset Beach Bar, I love that place.
I read in the travel section of the local paper that cruise ships are bypassing St. Thomas. What’s that all about?
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Well it wouldn’t surprise me that much. I can’t remember which hurricane it was (In 1990 or 92 somewhere back then) I flew in into STT right after it passed in a U.S. Marshal 72. I was the second airplane (I think) to land there the first was the FAA’s DC-9 and right after I landed a C-141 landed.
The primary reason we went in was to evacuate the prisoners in the jail back to the US. However we rapidly had to change the mission when the Deputy US Marshal on the scene reported that there where no prisoners because the police had let them go and that the local police where looting and leading gangs.
I got a phone patch through Mc Dill AFB to Washington and we flew back to Miami and picked up a SOG team and came back the next day. As you probably know the island was placed under martial law and it took awhile for things got back to normal.
One side note; nobody could figure out how my airplane got unloaded so fast during this time at STT. Everybody, military and FAA included, took hours to get unloaded. After the first trip I always brought a couple hundred pounds of ice and 4 to 6 cases of beer. Worked like a charm.
(Don’t tell anybody about the beer, illegal on US government aircraft you know)
The primary reason we went in was to evacuate the prisoners in the jail back to the US. However we rapidly had to change the mission when the Deputy US Marshal on the scene reported that there where no prisoners because the police had let them go and that the local police where looting and leading gangs.
I got a phone patch through Mc Dill AFB to Washington and we flew back to Miami and picked up a SOG team and came back the next day. As you probably know the island was placed under martial law and it took awhile for things got back to normal.
One side note; nobody could figure out how my airplane got unloaded so fast during this time at STT. Everybody, military and FAA included, took hours to get unloaded. After the first trip I always brought a couple hundred pounds of ice and 4 to 6 cases of beer. Worked like a charm.
(Don’t tell anybody about the beer, illegal on US government aircraft you know)
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Con-air, interesting experiences. I lived there in 93-94. The USN stopped liberty on St. Thomas in 1993 after two sailors killed at a phone booth near where there ship tied up. They continued going to St. John, but have to drop the hook in the channel and use small boats, but safer there.
I could write volumes regarding the government corruption on STT, but not worth the energy.
America's dirty little secret is the high incidents of violent crime there. Drug gangs, drive-by shoot-outs, etc. prevail big time. The tourist industry obviously keeps all of this a secret, but warn tourists about Puerto Rican violence and crime (go figure). I find Puerto Rico very enjoyable and safe myself. Yes, like any big city stay away from the projects/barrios around San Juan.
Ciao from Italy
I could write volumes regarding the government corruption on STT, but not worth the energy.
America's dirty little secret is the high incidents of violent crime there. Drug gangs, drive-by shoot-outs, etc. prevail big time. The tourist industry obviously keeps all of this a secret, but warn tourists about Puerto Rican violence and crime (go figure). I find Puerto Rico very enjoyable and safe myself. Yes, like any big city stay away from the projects/barrios around San Juan.
Ciao from Italy
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Yeah I know what you're talking about. San Juan is not one of my favorite places either.
Have had some of my backend crew run into trouble there, but they were armed. Lowered the crime rate a bit.
Have had some of my backend crew run into trouble there, but they were armed. Lowered the crime rate a bit.
Gatvol
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"As you probably know the island was placed under martial law and it took awhile for things got back to normal. "
Dont think things will ever be normal in STT. Im sure to put the tail on the Donkey in this forum would get me labeled as a Racist so I will just let it slide. The Problem is not Rocket Science.
Dont think things will ever be normal in STT. Im sure to put the tail on the Donkey in this forum would get me labeled as a Racist so I will just let it slide. The Problem is not Rocket Science.
and for something totally off topic, are there any helicopter pilot jobs for british CPL holders out in the Caribbean? Used tolive out in the bahamas many years ago and recently working on cruise ships around the above mentioned islands. The heli ride I did round the pitons cost me nearly £60k after getting the commercial licence. A bit hooked!!!!
Cruzan rum? One or two watching the seaplanes come and go!!!
What a way to live.
Cruzan rum? One or two watching the seaplanes come and go!!!
What a way to live.
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So the sunset beach bar is still there huh?..
I remember being there when the local cops were trying to shut it down (he who bribes the hardest, wins..)
I flew for that idiot in the Lr24 based at Juliana..spent all day at the sunset bar sipping non alcholic drinks waiting for the next phonecall.. Great location to sit and grade approaches
I remember being there when the local cops were trying to shut it down (he who bribes the hardest, wins..)
I flew for that idiot in the Lr24 based at Juliana..spent all day at the sunset bar sipping non alcholic drinks waiting for the next phonecall.. Great location to sit and grade approaches
