I'm with Cobra
I really feel at home here. It's like Newark, NJ in the jungle. Dominica enjoys a poor reputation among some cruisers because of the "boat boy" phenomenon. Being from NJ and being racially sensitive, I'm not quick to call anyone "boy" for fear of the .38 slug that would soon be coming my way, but the boat boys have named themselves. These are entrepreneurs on small open motor boats that "encourage" cruisers to buy things from them.............banana bread, ice, beer.........and protection. They have colorful names painted on their boat to make them easy to identify............"Lawrence of Arabia"........."Mr. Magic"......and "Cobra".
While you don't have to buy anything from them, you walk down that path at your own risk. It's kind of like organized crime (more familiar territory for me). Word gets around the bay quickly who you are "with", and everyone else leaves you alone. We are with "Cobra". Last year when we met him and were learning the ropes here I asked him "is my dinghy safe here".......He just smiled wryly and said "yah mahn.....nobotty mess wit you......promise". Now I know why.
Cobra has the most juice on Dominica, and clearly the other boat boys are a bit intimidated by him. He's in his 40s and wears dark sunglasses. Kind of the Tony Soprano of Portsmouth. The great thing is that if someone messed with us or stole our dinghy while we were "with" Cobra, it would be a personal insult to him. Imagine someone walking into Bada-Bing and shooting the place up. Tony Soprano would have fixed that situation. Same with Cobra.
Most of the cruisers we meet are 10-15 years older than us and have apparently lived a bit of a sheltered life. Some of them hide from the boat boys or call the police if they feel "harassed". Dumb-asses. Cobra IS the police. Pay the toll. Pass go.
Anyway, I'm back in a world I understand. Maybe we'll find Cobra's hang-out tonight and buy him a beer. Then, if someone anchors too close to us tomorrow, I won't say a word to them. I'll just mention it to Cobra and I'm sure their chain will mysteriously separate.
While you don't have to buy anything from them, you walk down that path at your own risk. It's kind of like organized crime (more familiar territory for me). Word gets around the bay quickly who you are "with", and everyone else leaves you alone. We are with "Cobra". Last year when we met him and were learning the ropes here I asked him "is my dinghy safe here".......He just smiled wryly and said "yah mahn.....nobotty mess wit you......promise". Now I know why.
Cobra has the most juice on Dominica, and clearly the other boat boys are a bit intimidated by him. He's in his 40s and wears dark sunglasses. Kind of the Tony Soprano of Portsmouth. The great thing is that if someone messed with us or stole our dinghy while we were "with" Cobra, it would be a personal insult to him. Imagine someone walking into Bada-Bing and shooting the place up. Tony Soprano would have fixed that situation. Same with Cobra.
Most of the cruisers we meet are 10-15 years older than us and have apparently lived a bit of a sheltered life. Some of them hide from the boat boys or call the police if they feel "harassed". Dumb-asses. Cobra IS the police. Pay the toll. Pass go.
Anyway, I'm back in a world I understand. Maybe we'll find Cobra's hang-out tonight and buy him a beer. Then, if someone anchors too close to us tomorrow, I won't say a word to them. I'll just mention it to Cobra and I'm sure their chain will mysteriously separate.