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UPDATE: South Cardinal Buoy @ Beef Island Bluff 'back on station'

The South Cardinal Buoy located at The Beef Island Bluff in Sir Francis Drake Channel is back on station following repairs. Image: Virgin Islands Shipping & Maritime Authority
A Cardinal Marker Buoy. The Virgin Islands Shipping & Maritime Authority is alerting mariners that the South Cardinal Buoy located at The Beef Island Bluff in Sir Francis Drake Channel is not on station. Photo: marinebuoy.com
A Cardinal Marker Buoy. The Virgin Islands Shipping & Maritime Authority is alerting mariners that the South Cardinal Buoy located at The Beef Island Bluff in Sir Francis Drake Channel is not on station. Photo: marinebuoy.com
The Virgin Islands Shipping & Maritime Authority said an update would be provided when the navigational aid is placed back in its position. Photo: Facebook
The Virgin Islands Shipping & Maritime Authority said an update would be provided when the navigational aid is placed back in its position. Photo: Facebook
BEEF ISLAND, VI- The South Cardinal Buoy located at The Beef Island Bluff in Sir Francis Drake Channel is back on station following repairs.

This is according to the Director of Shipping, Mr John M. Samuel, in a notice to mariners today, July 30, 2024.

“The Notice to Mariners No. 3 of 2024 issued on Sunday, July 28th 2024 is now cancelled. The marker has been repaired and returned to its charted location,” Mr Samuel said.

The notice was issued in accordance with section 163 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 2001.

See previous article published July 28, 2024.

Mariners alerted to removal of Cardinal buoy @ Beef Island Bluff

The Virgin Islands Shipping & Maritime Authority is alerting mariners that the South Cardinal Buoy located at The Beef Island Bluff in Sir Francis Drake Channel is not on station.

The Beef Island Bluff South Cardinal Buoy VQ6 + LFl (Lat:18° 25.539’N Long: 064° 31.322’W) has suffered severe damage to its base pontoon, the Authority stated today, July 28, 2024.

It said the marker had been removed from its location for immediate repairs.

“Mariners transiting Sir Francis Drake Channel, passing south of The Beef Island Bluff, are required to maintain safe distance keeping well clear south of The Bluff; must maintain a sharp lookout, exercising extreme caution in the vicinity of the Bluff, particularly during periods of restricted visibility, and at nighttime,” the Virgin Islands Shipping & Maritime Authority stated.

The Authority further said an update would be provided when the navigational aid is placed back in its position.

31 Responses to “UPDATE: South Cardinal Buoy @ Beef Island Bluff 'back on station'”

  • Negligence (28/07/2024, 14:38) Like (17) Dislike (3) Reply
    THOSE THINGS ARE VERY IMPORTANT AND SHOULD OF BEEN CHECKED REGULARLY WITH A SPARE TO PUT IN PLACE WHENEVER THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH ONE AND IT HAS TO BE REPAIRED , THAT IS SIMPLE COMMON SENSE , THE SEA WATER IS VERY CORROSIVE
    • Understand (01/08/2024, 14:51) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      It's sad to see what have become of navigation aids in the BVI
  • please (28/07/2024, 16:44) Like (13) Dislike (0) Reply
    Put a temporary lighted buoy in this location while the cardinal buoy is ashore for repairs.
    • WISE (30/07/2024, 12:34) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
      @please i was thinking the same thing and especially this festive season there needs to ba a marker. Lets hope they get it fixed by today. I think they would be wise enough to do something temporarily in the event its talking longer
  • John (28/07/2024, 20:41) Like (2) Dislike (2) Reply
    Are they even capable of fixing them or it's a Jerry rig type of thing?
  • Captain (29/07/2024, 09:19) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    From time I see they put that type buoy there I done say that wouldn’t last need to do a better decision making ,while am on this topic why isn’t the government put more than one marker between the airport an comanoe island so much boats already run aground an destroy by that reef time for the government to protect people investment
    • John (29/07/2024, 18:46) Like (1) Dislike (2) Reply
      That was all my idea I actually overpaid for it as well, there is a next company that make navigation aids and when I reach out to them for pricing it was a lot lower than ordering from Germany but is tax payers money
  • BuzzBvi (29/07/2024, 09:26) Like (12) Dislike (1) Reply
    Penn's new committee will have that replaced in a couple of years, after a consultant gets paid, a friend gets a new company set up to handle the contract, another friend gets the contract to order a replacement, barges are purchased to ship the replacement, another contract issued after the cardboard one ordered found to be useless but the money already paid, more barges needed as the first ones were too big and can only now be used to move dirt for the new airport land fill project. New contract issued for another friend with no experience, who sets up another company, that orders another one, from a friend that just started a marine refurbishment and spares company that gets supplies from a surplus company in China getting rid of failed equipment, that a feind used for road repair equipment and did very well out of it. The company that was responsible for maintaining the last one will also have their maintenance contract renewed and paid in advance, and so all the important work will be done, the money will be in the right hands and mariners will be told to be more careful so nothing is wasted on getting a replacement operational.
    • insider (29/07/2024, 18:40) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      You know something buzz!! You ain't see the 2 red ones that across from bobs gas station them there months our staff don't know one thing what them doing lol in here is pure jokes the deputy can't make decisions, we have a set a man on a boat an none is real boat man none can't fix light
  • @Buzzbvi (29/07/2024, 13:16) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    Hilarious! But you’re not far from the truth.????
    Just hope they don’t sit on this and we don’t end up losing lives from boaters not having the lights for guidance.
  • sense (29/07/2024, 18:43) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    Give Port Authority back this responsibility Derek Barzey and team were the best in this and they were all well trained.
  • You said it (30/07/2024, 14:25) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    @sense you hit the nail on the head. Well experienced and still well able to execute. For sure they will fix it by all means get it going.
  • Skipper (30/07/2024, 17:19) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    I feel safer at sea at night in that busy area of the channel now. Thank you
  • jack (30/07/2024, 17:55) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Good news
  • BuzzBvi (30/07/2024, 19:13) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    And congratulations are due!! Well done. Roads next, then, incinerator, Prospect Reef, Greenhouses, Internet, Sewerage, Old Peoples home on Spooners, West End Port, Register of Interests, emplouyees in important posts like at the DPP, Buses to go with the bus stops. If we can only move the Festival and Fairs and all the infrastructure under the Shipping Registry place will be fixed up in no time.
  • done (30/07/2024, 21:49) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Well done congratulations for all the hard work and Swift response.
  • The light is not working (30/07/2024, 22:53) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    The light is not working
  • cap (31/07/2024, 06:33) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Yes it’s back, but the light isn’t working
  • Outsider (31/07/2024, 09:58) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
    To insider it sound like you need a job!!
    Or you walk off?
    They had to sacrifice one of the new bouy base of the red ones to change out faulty assembly which caused the bluff to fail in the first place.

    If you ask me insider you sound like a hating ,jealous arrogant person. Oops
    • Really (01/08/2024, 14:50) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
      Try stop talk bull, that bouy is a year old and failed! When John left port their body program was top notched all one had to do was call and it was fixed instantly. Now when I call they have to wait for stuff to arrive EVERYTIME
    • M/v chyx (01/08/2024, 15:09) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
      I witnessed commercial dive services towing it last year too have it replaced. Didn't they inspect it before it was put in? it was faulty why didn't anyone see? Who was responsible for inspection after construction? Sometimes no matter how good we think we are it's always a good idea for a neutral mind to overlook stuff after. Was there an inspection after this second was completed? Or in a next year or 2 you will have the same sad story
    • insider (01/08/2024, 15:50) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      @ outsider Put that effort into moving out your mother house ????
    • LOL (01/08/2024, 16:03) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Outsider J that one look like it hurt you lol you going be OK man
    • @outsider (01/08/2024, 16:11) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      I have seen your answer about sacrificing the base of the bouy too fix the other. I saw it was fixed but did the faulty construction of the base to be blamed for no lights? I don't feel safe when I past their at nights with guest!!! I think you it will be a good idea to use your obvious connection to rectify problems rather than be here making a fool of one's self.
  • Port Authorities (01/08/2024, 15:17) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Give Port back this responsibility
  • Why (01/08/2024, 15:57) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    How come Port Authority doesn't deal with this anymore, it was always a pleasure to deal with those guys in VG. We knew if we saw them in January doing inspections by March they would be back. After getting to meet them one time at bitter end after they had to repair a bouy I told that that I stayed on a boat and they each give their personal number so that if anything goes out they can be notified immediately. Honestly miss that team I think the guy that led the team name was Derek
  • night (01/08/2024, 16:15) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Thank you for fixing the bouy but without lights it is none effective at night. The danger factor is extremely high why is it so hard to have spare and replacement lights on hand? It really Hurt to see this is how we deal with marine safety in the sailing capital of the world


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