The Fuel Crisis - Chaguaramas, Trinidad It might seem odd for a sailboat to need fuel but in order to cool our refrigerator and charge our batteries (to supplement the wind generator) we need to run the diesel for one hour each day. We also use the engine for maneuvering in and out of anchorages or when heading into the wind. At times it is imperative that we have an engine for safety reasons. On August 25/08 the Trinidad Government decided to enforce a l7 year old law that prohibited the sale of fuel to foreign flagged vessels. As we would later find out the fuel we had been buying was subsidized by the government. The price being $l.50 TT (Trinidad & Tobago dollars - approximately .30 cents Canadian) per litre compared to the international fuel price of $5.85 TT ($l.l7 Cdn.) Prior to this ban we had witnessed large commercial vessels filling up at the fuel dock at Power Boats marina (Chaguaramas only fueling facility). Tanker trucks were adjacent to the dock to supply their huge needs. Reportedly some took as much as 40,000 litres of diesel fuel. During the crisis we would learn how some of the large vessels sold the fuel (up the island chain) as a profitable business. The ban on sales placed by the Government was meant to stop this practise but unfortunately the yachting community (also foreign flagged vessels) was caught in the middle. The "yachties" called a meeting and Ann (of Freya of Clyde) was appointed to represent them (l400 yachts "on the hard" and 150 in the water). In an effort to rectify the situation meetings were held and attended by YSATT (Yacht Services Association of Trinidad & Tobago), Power Boats Marina, Customs (Government) and the yachting community which was represented by Ann as well as Jesse (Members Only Maxi-Taxi Service). The story was reported in the newspaper 3 separate times. Interviews also ran on the radio and television. During the negotiating period Barry represented our anchorage (TTSA) and also was interviewed by the Guardian newspaper for their September 3rd article. We borrowed jerry jugs of fuel from our friends (on the hard) as we were extremely low when the ban on sales was placed. It was 3 weeks before Don Stollmeyer, owner of Power Boats Marina came to a solution to rectify the problem. He legally obtained a license to sell fuel at the international price and had a pump adjusted to do so. The net effect of 3 weeks of anguish in Trinidad's yachting community was a raise in diesel fuel cost to quadruple the price. Many cruisers were very unhappy about how things played out and threatened to not return next year. Time will tell.