Posted on 10/15/2004 9:24:12 AM PDT by freepatriot32
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (Oct. 14) -- Tiger Woods and his bride were briefly detained Thursday by U.S. Coast Guard officers on their yacht Privacy, then were turned away from San Juan's port because they had failed to notify authorities of their arrival
Since July 1, new security regulations require many boats to submit an arrival notice at least four days before entering a U.S. port, Coast Guard spokesman Lt. Eric Willis said.
The 28-year-old golfer and Swedish model Elin Nordegren, 24, were married Oct. 5 at a luxury resort in Barbados and later set out on the Privacy, along with a crew.
The yacht entered San Juan's port at about noon Thursday and a Coast Guard boat stopped it, Willis said. Five Coast Guard officers boarded the yacht and escorted it to port, he said.
"They were not supposed to be here because they didn't notify us," Willis said.
Eight people were on board, and they said they made their last port call in St. Kitts.
The crew was held for about 3 1/2 hours, then a Coast Guard boat escorted the yacht out of San Juan port. It was not clear where they were headed, but it was "outside the United States," Willis said.
The Privacy's captain said he did not know the new security regulations applied to Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory, Willis said.
The captain said he decided to stop in San Juan only to refuel, Willis said. The Privacy was allowed to refuel as immigration authorities spoke with those aboard, including the newlyweds.
Willis said the yacht is registered in the Cayman Islands to the Privacy Ltd. holding company, which Woods owns.
The company could face up to $32,500 in fines, although it is up to the Coast Guard's captain of the port, Willis said.
Woods is expected to return to the PGA Tour on Oct. 21 for the Funai Classic in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
Before his wedding, Woods played in the American Express Championship at the Mount Juliet Golf Course in Thomastown, Ireland. He finished ninth, and fell to No. 3 in the world for the first time since May 1999.
Yeah, like the Coast Guard was supposed to know in advance that this was Tiger Wood's yacht.
Tonk, any insight for us? Sounds like the CG is simply enforcing the rules and not giving a free pass to a celebrity, even one as beloved as Tiger Woods. Tiger should be upset at his captain for not knowing the rules, not at the CG.
Maybe they could spend a few minutes on the Mexican boarder now that they have prevented this undesirable from entering the US.
Well, I'm sure they aren't hurting any. They can just call up any number of celebrity friends who have hideaways in the various islands to moor their boat.
Looks like Woods is guilty of Sailing While Cablanasian.
I'm pretty sure somebody owes me a picture of the new bride. The rules are the rules.
FOUR
FOUR...
Who cares about the girl, I want a picture of the boat.
Man, it's a shame how she's let herself go...
Sorry, NO sympathy here. Ignorance of the Law is no excuse - if that's even really the case - in any case this 'captain' should know the law.
And how about where this boat yacht is registered, the Cayman Islands. Now Tiger wouldn't be trying to DUCK taxes, or the more stringent US ship registration laws now would he?
Nah..... celebrities don't do that.
/celeb derison off
Correct. Try to enter any port without notice and see what happens. The captain of the boat should be fined.
You can carry a lot of stuff and a lot of people on a 100 foot yacht.
And I have known a number of incidents where yacht captains have ferried illegal cargoes, without the yacht owners' kowledge.
Rules are rules and customs and immigration regulations are the ways nations protect their borders.
And please do not overlook the act that thei was a foreign flag vessel, proceding from a foreign port to a US port.
Fundamentally this is no different than a cargo ship, in terms of notification and port of entry requirements.
Thanks for the pics!!! But now that I've seen it all for free... why would I want to marry it?
The word is that he gave it to her for a wedding gift.
Side note: I also read that she has a twin sister.
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