Unlocking cell phones RANT

WARNING: This is a customer service rant.

My St. Maarten UTS Chippie cell phone is not in the best shape, and since I have 3 other cell phones from AT&T/Cingular, I decided to look into getting one of them unlocked so I can use them here in the Caribbean.

Saturday, I did a search and found a company that would sell me the unlock code for my Sony Ericsson z300a for about $15. But, there was a Google Ad that gave a price at £4.99 or about $7. I went to look at them. In their dropdown menu for Sony Ericsson phones they listed my model. You fill out their order form and click on the "agree to terms & conditions". I quickly read the terms and conditions which stated that if you couldn't unlock this phone you'd get a credit to do another. No problem, I thought, because it was listed in their dropdown menu... I paid via PayPal and didn't log into our account. I just used the PayPal pay by credit card option. The order was accepted and it said I'd have the code in 4 hours.

Well, I received an email saying they couldn't unlock this phone and to check their terms & conditions and I'd see that the phone was not listed on this page but I could get a credit to unlock another phone. I was a bit miffed... why was it listed in their dropdown menu then?

But not to worry as I have another phone... a Nokia 2610 that I got in St. Thomas in November. In the form I filled out it asked for the PayPal receipt number, order number, the phone's IMEI serial number (which I assumed was for the 1st phone so they could check my account record). Then in the message area below I put the new phone information with its IMEI serial number.

I received a reply with the unlock code but by the way the email was written, I was worried that they didn't use the correct serial number to generate the code, so I send another message and ask them to verify that they used the correct one and gave it to them again.

I received another reply with a different unlock code. It starts with PW+ and I can't get my phone to enter "P" it just displays 7, so I ask how to do that. In the meantime I find the answer on a different web site. I then understand how to enter the unlock code and do so. It doesn't work. I try it again and it doesn't work. I read on the internet that you can only do this 5 times.

I write to the unlock data company again saying that it doesn't work. They said they were sorry and that they have modified my account giving me credit to unlock yet another phone. How many phones do they think I have? I told them I was unhappy and I would contact PayPal or they could give me a refund.

I wrote to PayPal. Gave them my receipt number, the name of the company, and the amount charged. I told them I'd like a refund for services not rendered. Gave them a very short account of how they claimed they could unlock my cell phone but failed twice. I mentioned that I had felt safe to puchase this via PayPal.

I'm sure this scammy company (UK) makes most of their money by not delivering product in the full knowledge that their customers will just go "oh well, it was only $7 and I should have known better". I felt this way, too, but I didn't want them to get away with this yet again.

The next time I checked my email I had a nice message from PayPal saying that the company had given me a refund! Hooray! Thank you PayPal for your help.

I don't know how many hours I've wasted with this. At least 6 over the past couple of days.

Oh, by the way... I called AT&T yesterday and they'll give out the unlock code for their phones (FREE) but you need to have had it for at least 6 months. That was a nice surprise. Thanks!

I think I'll just look into buying a new phone in the meantime :)

GROUNDHOG DAY... again!

Happy Groundhog Day 2009!

Well, according to Punxsutawney Phil, there will be another SIX weeks of winter!

Any of you fancy a sailing vacation in the warm, blue waters of the Caribbean? Check out Paradise Connections Yacht Charters (had to give ourselves a plug!)

You can see the official declaration at http://www.groundhog.org/

Take a look at the pictures here (scroll down a bit)... Reminds me of a Jimmy Buffett concert!

Jeff Masters at Wunderground explains how this crazy tradition started:

It all started in Europe, centuries ago, when February 2 was a holiday called Candlemas. On Candlemas, people prayed for mild weather for the remainder of winter. The superstition arose that if a hibernating badger woke up and saw its shadow on Candlemas, there would be six more weeks of severe winter weather. When Europeans settled the New World, they didn't find any badgers. So, instead of building wooden badgers, they decided to use native groundhogs (aka the woodchuck, land beaver, or whistlepig) as their prognosticating rodent.

I've always enjoyed this holiday. Does Hallmark make cards for it?

AMAZON Valentines Day Gift Ideas

Today is February 1st. The first month of the year is gone. Wow, what it month it was...

This morning I received an email from Amazon.com to remind me about gifts for Valentine's Day. How thoughtful :) It gave links for Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, or the one I really liked.. GIFTS FOR ME!

One of the items they displayed for ME was Bacon Air Freshener.... What? How bizarre is that??? Well, it is cheap at $1.69, though it doesn't seem all that romantic... Different strokes for different folks, I guess :)

Here's a link for their Gifts Central page.

Here's another Amazon link for Save $10 on Select Intimate Apparel

Amazon is an especially great place for cruisers like us who are outside of the US Postal system to buy gifts for those back in the US. We used to have hassels using a credit card and sending a gift to another address which was not our cc billing address. We now buy an Amazon Gift Certificate and have that sent to our email and then we make our Amazon order and use the gift certificate to pay for it. No problem. Life is easy :)

Try it!

Yesterday in St. Martin & Sint Maarten

Yesterday we went over to Marigot on the French side of St. Martin to see the charter yacht ALOHA MALOLO who graciously delivered a few packages to us from St. Thomas. DVDs from Amazon, and our new electric motor. Thanks, Erik!

We noticed that the number of yachts anchored in Marigot were way down, probably due to the new anchoring fees. Usually there would be boats from the marina almost to the bridge channel. Yesterday they didn't even pass the resorts! Most of the boats that are anchored there have French flags. They are charged half the rate of foreign flagged vessels.

Upon returning to Simpson Bay, we passed under the Dutch bridge at 5:30pm just as the yachts were entering the lagoon. There were quite a few. I wouldn't be surprised if it was an exodus from Antigua, following Perseus. In fact, Salute a 184-foot sistership, was amongst the group.

I don't know why, but there were two Coast Guard "dinghies" stationed in the channel for this bridge opening.

Salute to s/v PERSEUS in St Maarten

This morning's Dutch bridge opening in St. Maarten was quite moving... As the sailing yacht PERSEUS entered the lagoon everyone saluted the yacht with their horns. It lasted about 5 minutes.

Here's a photo of the 163-foot, Perini Navi charter yacht Perseus from the 2008 St. Barths Bucket Race from the Monaco Eye website.


(Monacoeye.com kindly granted us permission to use this photo. Please do not copy.)

As most of you probably already know, the Australian 38-year-old yacht skipper Drew Gollan was fatally shot in Antigua last week. You can read about this tragic incident in Latitude 38's online magazine... CLICK HERE

Our sincere condolences to all...

Sunny St. Maarten

My last post was "Wintry Washington" where my brother lives, so today I'm showing where I live. This photo was taken about 20 minutes ago on our way back to the boat. Simpson Bay, Sint Maarten.



I'm NOT wearing socks :)

... I just noticed that one of today's Amazon.com Deal of the Day is an IceDozer Plus Ergonomic Ice Scraper. Definitely not necessary here, but if you need one click on the LINK and go for it!

Wintry Washington

This morning my brother who lives in Eastern Washington State sent this photo that his wife, Laura, took the other day.

Notice the ice-covered plants due to the freezing fog... brrrrrrrrrr!



This hawk was perched on one of their very popular bird feeding stands... hoping for some tender tidbits of his own, I bet!



My brother felt good that it was 16ºF this morning because they had forecast 9ºF.

It's in the 80's here in St. Maarten.

Meeting tonight about Marigot St. Martin fees

There will be a meeting tonight, Thursday January 22, 2009, at the "Le Village" restaurant at the Marina Port La Royale (the one inside the lagoon) to discuss the new fees for anchoring in Marigot Bay, French St. Martin.

Watch Obama's Presidential Inauguration on web

Lifehacker has a good post this morning of sites covering the US presidential inauguration of Barack Obama.

CLICK => Lifehacker's Guide to Catching the Inauguration from Anywhere

Maybe we'll be able to watch history in the making live on the internet aboard So It Goes while at anchor in St. Maarten. It will definitely be warmer and less crowded than Washington D.C.

Cat Blog Friday: Buffy & Willow

I haven't posted a photo of Buffy & Willow for awhile...

Buffy has a big smile for the camera :)



Have a great weekend!

CULEBRITA Puerto Rico closed to visitors

Just read this in today's (Jan.14,2009) eTN and thought some of you might like to know about it...

Puerto Rico bars tourists from Culebrita while it clears US military ordinance

BY NYDAILYNEWS.COM | JAN 12, 2009

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — A tiny Puerto Rican island popular with tourists has been closed to allow contractors to sweep its beaches for buried ammunition.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has hired a private company to scour the natural reserve for leftover projectile and bomb fragments. The U.S. military used the island for bombing practice from 1930 to 1975.

The Corps said Friday that Florida-based contractor USA Environmental hired a biologist to monitor any turtle nests that might be disturbed.

Culebrita lies east of mainland Puerto Rico and is popular with snorkelers and divers. It is home to the ruins of one of the oldest lighthouses in the Caribbean.

No mention of how long it will be closed for.

More about Marigot St. Martin fees

Today's St. Maarten newspaper (The Daily Herald - January 12, 2009) has another article concerning the new anchoring fees for Marigot Bay, French St. Martin.

Métimer calls for discussions on anchorage fee collection

MARIGOT--French side Marine Trades Association Métimer has called for a 30-day suspension on collection of anchorage fees to allow room for negotiations with the Port Authority amid fears the new fees are too expensive and may influence boats to visit other islands instead. The fees were implemented on January 1, 2009...

Read the entire article: CLICK HERE

And we thought St. Martin was bad... Sarasota anchoring

And we thought things were bad here in Dutch & French St. Martin... At least we are allowed to anchor for more than three days!

On Monday afternoon, the Sarasota City Commissioners approved an ordinance criminalizing anchoring in the bay for longer than 72 hours.

Boaters risk having their vessels seized and having to spend 60 days in jail if they spend more than three days "on the hook."

By a one-vote margin, the City of Sarasota joined the ranks of the most boater-unfriendly cities in the nation...

Read the article in the Pelican Press of Sarasota, Florida

Another destination to cross off the list :)

St. Barths rate hike!

I think it is contagious! Just read an article in the January 9, 2009 'Lectronic Latitude 38 (click here). The author says (about St. Barths):

To give you an example of how absurd it's become, as of January 1, we're being charged nearly $900 U.S. a month for the privilege of anchoring our Leopard 45 catamaran. Not for docking or mooring her, mind you, but for anchoring her anywhere around the island. This marks the second year in a row that the rates were jacked up approximately 50% at the height of the season.

Read this issue for more info.

I'd love to see the official rate sheet for St. Barths. Perhaps one of our charter or cruising friends can pass one along?

Newpaper article about Marigot anchoring fees

There was an article in today's (Jan.9,2009) "The Daily Herald", a Sint Maarten newspaper, concerning the new fees on the French side of St. Martin. The link is:
http://thedailyherald.com/news/daily/l198/anchorl198.html

Port applies anchorage fees for Marigot Bay

MARIGOT--All vessels anchoring in Marigot Bay must now pay anchorage fees that were implemented effective January 1, Ports Authority Director Alberic Ellis disclosed Thursday.

Anchorage fees were not fully collected in the past and were applied mainly to cruise ships, although all vessels were required to pay the clearing-in fee.

Ellis said the new anchorage fees were necessary for the better development of the bay and in keeping with new infrastructure projects, including expansion of marinas for megayachts and yachts in general. The fees will also be used to assist the Collectivité which up to now collects nothing for garbage disposal from yachts.

The fees currently apply to Marigot Bay, but discussions are ongoing about also implementing their collection in Grand Case Bay.

The rate structure is based on the size of vessels, the larger vessels paying more than the smaller vessels. The size categories range from vessels of eight metres in length up to 75 metres. Vessels have the option of paying a one-day rate or a different rate for stays longer than one day.

The one-day anchorage fee (plus the clearance fee) for all vessels 8-13 metres is 20 euros, 13-18 metres 30 euros, 18-23 metres 40 euros, and so on.

Longer stays for non-residents are charged on a per metre per day basis. For example, a 13-metre vessel will pay an anchorage fee of 25 euro cents per metre for a charge of about three euros per day for up to a three-day stay. For stays longer than three days, the rate goes up to 35 euro cents. St. Martin residents are charged 13 euro cents.

“We believe the fees are reasonable and come with all the services,” Ellis explained. “Efforts are currently being put in place to provide more security on the dock. We have already installed surveillance cameras to watch over dinghies and more cameras will be added. The Collectivité is also looking into improving the lighting on the waterfront, and on the dock in particular where the dinghies are tied up. There is a technical problem there which is being addressed.”

Some 150,000 euros will also be spent on refurbishing the deck of the waterfront dock, while Semsamar will also be investing in improvements to Marina Port La Royale in 2009 and 2010

Ellis said the introduction of anchorage fees in Marigot should not come as any surprise, as they were applied in harbours all over the world.

“We understand for quite some time anchorage fees were not charged, but St. Martin is changing and evolving,” he said. “If we are to continue giving the level of service expected of us, that comes with a price. That said, we fully recognise the yachting and marine industry’s significant contribution to our economy. Naturally we want to keep St. Martin/St. Maarten as an important port of call.”

Ellis and First Vice-President Daniel Gibbs stressed they did not want the fees to be viewed as a tax on cruising yachtsmen, but as a participation fee to continue ensuring that the necessary infrastructure can be put in place.

“It’s not fair that only the population pays for upgrades in infrastructure and new facilities. It’s reasonable for yachts to contribute and our prices are well below the other islands,” Gibbs added.

The Ports Authority has no jurisdiction over anchoring in Simpson Bay Lagoon and only collects the clearance fees.

New anchoring fees Marigot St. Martin

Yesterday we went to Marigot and spoke with the official who clears the boats in & out, rather than depending on rumors that have been going through the SXM boating community.

New fees for French St. Martin, Marigot Bay as of January 1, 2009.

1 euro is currently about US$1.40

Clearance fee: 5 euros

Initial administrative fee includes first day anchoring charges:

• 8 to 13 meters: 20 euros
• 13 to 18 meters: 30 euros
• 18 to 23 meters: 40 euros
• 23 to 28 meters: 50 euros
• 28 to 33 meters: 60 euros
• 33 to 38 meters: 70 euros
• 38 to 43 meters: 100 euros
• 43 to 50 meters: 120 euros
• 50 to 75 meters: 130 euros
• more than 75 meters: 150 euros

Non-resident boats:

• Days 2 & 3: 0.25 euros per meter per day
• Days 4 and thereafter: 0.35 euros per meter per day
• (they might change this to all days at 0.25 euros/m/day)

Residents of French St. Martin:

• 0.13 euros per meter per day

No minimum fee. A 10m boat is 20 euros, then 2.50 euros/day for days 2 & 3.
No charge for French lagoon, Grand Case, etc... Only for Marigot Bay.
Based on honor system, but next week they will have a harbour patrol boat to check who is in the bay.

According to a friend of ours, if you need to anchor for a couple of hours in Marigot Bay while waiting for the Sandy Ground bridge to enter the Lagoon, you will not have to pay the fees.

Port Authority Hours:

• Monday through Friday: 8:00am to Noon, 2:00pm to 4:00pm
• Saturday: 8:00am to Noon

For times outside of office hours, you may clear in or out at Marina Fort-Louis in Marigot. Their may be an additional charge for this service.

Hope this helps!

French St. Martin - New cruising / anchoring fees

Well, we were warned about this two years ago... The French side of St. Martin has finally instituted their cruising / anchoring fees.

On the SXM cruiser's net, a few boats said that beginning January 1, 2009 that the French side is now charging 0.35 euros per meter per day, along with an administration clearance fee. Someone was complaining that they are 45 feet and being charged 5 euros/day ($7). Not sure if there is a minimum fee. I bet this has made the Dutch side of Sint Maarten very happy.

What we are reporting is only 3rd hand so we intend to go to Marigot and find out for ourselves directly from the horse's mouth. We'll let you know ASAP what the new fee structure is.

HAPPY WINTER

Hello & Happy first day of winter.

We are back in Sint Maarten (Dutch side) and it is in the 80's. My brother who lives in Washington State is happy that his temperature is going to rise into the double digits today! Brrrr!

Yesterday was Buffy & Willow's first anniversary with us. Here's a photo from the first time we met them at the vet.



I must take a "one-year" picture of them today.

They "lost" their superball and they really miss it. We have a couple of small catnip balls but they don't seem to care for them. When we were in St. Thomas we looked at K-Mart and we were surprised that they didn't have any. I thought they'd have something especially since it is Christmas and they have a larger kiddy toy section. Willow might have picked it up and taken it onto the bed. I'll have to move the mattress and see what I can find. It is just such a struggle to get under the mattress that I've been putting it off. They are such good kittens.

St Maarten FREE WIFI

We are in the Bubble Tea shop which is located across from Palapa Marina at the other end of the building where MacDonald's is located.

We used it yesterday and today and it is very ZIPPY! Plus having a frozen, non-alcoholic drink was quite nice. Today we bought a medium Coffee & Almond Slushi, $3.25 each. Not a bad price for good internet service!

Try them...

NEW NEIGHBORS IN SIMPSON BAY

The other day, we had a couple of new boats sharing the anchorage with us... Maltese Falcon and Hogfish Maximus.


Maltese Falcon


Hogfish Maximus

I must admit that I find Hogfish much more interesting. This is a boat that we are considering building as the next Loose Moose. Chris Morejohn stopped by St. Maarten for a couple of days while single-handing his way down island from the Bahamas. He invited us aboard to show us the boat. It was really nice to see how the plans translate into a real boat. We also got to test the headroom on this flush-deck sharpie and it is almost good for Bob. Bob is 6'5" while Chris is 5'3".

While we love the way So It Goes sails, we need more room for all of our stuff that just doesn't fit on a 1969 Cal-34. We miss Loose Moose and the Hogfish Maximus sharpie could just fill the bill :)

More St Maarten

Yesterday, we had the St. Maarten Coast Guard board our boat. They politely asked if we minded if they come aboard. Two very nice men with big boots, guns, and clipboards came aboard. We showed them our clearance papers, boat certification, and passports. They asked about flares and lifejackets so we showed them. They also asked if we had fire extinguishers (yes, 2) and weapons (NO WAY). After filling out all the blanks on their forms they thanked us for our time and left.

This morning I noticed that the plug for our solar panel which goes through the side of our coachroof near deck level was completely broken off leaving a hole with a couple of wires sticking out... He probably didn't even feel it crunch with such heavy boots.

Oh well, not too much trauma :)

* * * * *

We really miss having WiFi on the boat. We don't like taking our computers ashore because something might happen to them. We try to be careful as we know what it like to be computerless. MacDonald's has had superslow WiFi this past week. We can send mail but I cannot download all of our email before it times out. We cannot download a web page. It might be because of their ISP though and not their fault. Today we are going to try the free WiFi at the Bubble Tea place which is located at the other end of the MacDonalds building. If that's not good enough we'll go up to The Mailbox and buy a 1/2 hour of time ($5).

* * * * *

What else about St. Maarten.... Oh yes, the signals for the bridge...

On the Simpson Bay side of the Dutch bridge there is a sign (Enter on Green) with two sets of red and green traffic lights. This sign has blown down. Hurricane Omar was two months ago and this sign should have been repaired. There is a light on the bridge but it is not as easy to see. I might mention this when I pay the SLAC ladies another $20 for our next weeks' stay. They may not be aware of it. I was looking for the red lights as a guide for when we were approaching St. Maarten in the dark and now I know why we couldn't see it.

Enough ranting for now :)

BACK IN SINT MAARTEN

We are back in St. Maarten... So it goes... We stayed later in St. Thomas than we had planned because we were waiting for mail. We weren't feeling well but we had to set sail for Antigua because we were going to attend the Antigua charter yacht show. Well, by the time we reached Saba we thought that it would just be better to go to SXM as we were not feeling better and we wouldn't be up to snuff for the show. Too bad as we were invited for a 3-day sail aboard the new Sunreef charter catamaran Seazen II.

Also, our WiFi set up conked out on us the day before we left St. Thomas. This was an Engenius EOC-8610 which replaced our previous Engenius EOC-3220. The cool thing about these units is that they are made to be used outside and they are PoE (Power over the Ethernet) so you just hoist them up on a halyard as high as you need to and the the ethernet cable supplies power to the unit, plus you do not lose signal strength as you would if you were using an external antenna with a coaxial cable.

Our problem was that we could no longer do what I call "access the box". There was a power failure on St. Thomas so I had changed the hotspot or access point that we were using and I wanted to change it back to the one with a better signal. I went through the rigamoroll of changing my network settings, opening up my browser to the unit's IP address and I never got the login screen to access the unit. (Plus it was doing weird things before completel becoming inaccessible, such as changing the unit to an access point all by itself, etc.).

While in St. Thomas, I called Engenius and told them the problem. They suggested doing a reset which entails opening the box to access the serial port and using a serial cable (which nobody has now days), etc. BluePoint on St. Maarten did this on our previous unit (with no success) so as we are now in SXM, we hopped on a bus and went up there.

Since we bought it in May or June, it was still under warranty and they agreed to do a reset. Well... after hanging about the store for over an hour, they finally told us that their cable doesn't work. I'll spare you other frustrating details of promised phone calls that were never made, etc. Who knows when we'll get it back from repair.

When I spoke to Engenius, they recommended the EOC-2610. It is less expensive ($90), has 3 lights on the unit to show connectivity, and has a RESET button on the unit (what a novel idea!). Bluepoint said they would have this unit in 2 weeks but we've heard that before. 2 weeks becomes another 2 weeks and so it goes :) So, I went and bought one on Amazon.com and specified next day shipping so we can get it as quickly as possible. Even with the $35 shipping charge plus our additional shipping charge that Four Star Cargo will charge to bring it into St. Maarten via our mailing service, "The Mailbox" at Palapa Marina, it will probably still be less than BluePoint will charge. Although, if a local store would have had the unit we have bought it locally.

This will be our 4th Engenius bridge. The first one, a less powerful, internal non-weatherproof unit with an external antenna still seems to work, but then the two others are toast. We were hesitant to buy a 4th Engenius product but it seems to be the best solution to our wifi needs (when they work!). When our EOC-8610 returns from the shop we'll have that as a backup.

Let's hope we have better luck with the EOC-2610.

Affordable WiFi Equipment

The VOYAGES OF SEA TREK has an interesting post concerning a "simple and inexpensive WiFi" setup.

Read it here:
http://sea-trek.blogspot.com/2008/12/simple-and-inexpensive-wifi.html

St Maarten Bridge Times - Winter Season

Just wanted to remind everyone that December 1st is the beginning of the Winter bridge opening times for the Dutch side of St. Maarten.

Outbound from the lagoon: 09:00am, 11:00am, 16:30pm
Inbound from Simpson Bay into lagoon: 09:30am, 11:30am, 17:30pm

They were talking about changing the opening times and also the possibility of nighttime openings but nothing has become of this.

Hurricane Season 2008 is officially OVER

Hurray! 2008 Hurricane Season is officially OVER.



This image is from Weather Underground
http://www.wunderground.com/hurricane/at2008.asp