Thanks for some Caribbean insight Caribbean!
Caribbean wrote:
I think we do have some sort of formal arrangement with the US, if only because the WIGS is, I believe, nominally attached to one of their task forces. That said, it would be good to have our own arrangements.
Yes, AFAIK, the ship operates under the umbrella of the US 'Operation Martillo' counter-narcotics effort, part of US Southern Command's Joint Interagency Task Force South, HQ at NAS Key West. I was referring more to a arrangement such as in the South Atlantic, where the APT(S) ship usually has some maintenance done at Simon's Town. Granted, a River wouldn't need as much support.
Monserrat is a bit of a non-starter, I would have thought - Little Bay is a shallow bay with a small jetty for a local ferry.
Thanks for the info, the only reason I suggested Little Bay was due to the fact it was new and any RN facility could be set up from scratch. Since part of the development was already funded by DFID, perhaps some of their budget could be used to establish a "HADR facility" for the RN. DFID's not gonna happen, I know. Other than it being shallow, it also looks very exposed to the elements.
We aren't really in good standing in Turks and Caicos (something to do with the UK taking over direct rule, putting the Premier on trial and imposing VAT - I think they hate us now).
I thought all that was resolved and they voted for a new government? Anyway, I wouldn't think there would be sufficient port facilities there.
It's really between Bermuda and BVI. The best harbour is definitely Bermuda, but unfortunately most of the old Naval Dockyard is now a museum/ marina complex, though I'm sure there's still some room, if the Bermudians were willing (not a certainty)
Looking at Google Earth, it looks like they're filling up the southern part of the former dockyard. Bermuda has the historical association with the RN in the region, but seems a bit remote.
which leaves the harbour at Road Town in BVI. I never been there unfortunately (something I must remedy one day), but it does have a deep water approach and pier for cruise ships. Not as good as Martinique, but a decent enough location, I would think.
Whenever I've thought about this in my 'fantasy fleets' musings, Road Harbour ends up on top of my list. It seems to be deep enough judging from all the cruise ships that dock there, it's a natural harbour, located quite centrally in the region. It's also somewhere I'd really like to go
Maybe Belize?
Doesn't Lord Ashcroft pretty much own most of Belize? Maybe he could do the RN a few favours
It seems that it's the opposite situation to Gib - where we have the facilities in place, but not enough willingness to make full use of them or enough ships to make frequent use of them, whereas in the Caribbean we seem to have the commitment to the region but with inadequate facilities.
Instead of jumping in at the deep end and spending £millions the RN doesn't have on a new base, perhaps we could get our Lancaster House buddies to let us forward base a River at Martinique for a few years to test the concept.