St. Kitts and Nevis Block Gay/Nude Cruise Ship

(Basseterre, St. Kitts) When customs officials boarded a Windjammer Barefoot cruise ship, S.V. Polynesia, a 75-meter schooner, with mostly naked gay Americans onboard, they asked for assurances that the passengers would be clothed on shore. According to Nevis' Tourism Minister, Malcolm Guishard, no assurances were given so the ship was blocked from docking in St. Kitts and Nevis where public nudity is illegal. Minister Guishard deflected criticism that the ship was denied entry because it was carrying only homosexuals.

"If this ship had been chartered by a heterosexual clothing-optional group, our decision would have been the same," Guishard said.

Indicating some inconsistency, Windjammer Barefoot VP Shannon Manno said that local authorities told the ship's crew that "they had concerns about letting the ship in because it was a gay and nudist cruise." Manno also said that the company is working to resolve the issue with higher government authorities.

Nevertheless, one thing seems certain. Naked homosexuals shouldn't expect to be greeted with open arms in St. Kitts and Nevis. Hell, there are probably many locations that don't particularly care to have them, or any naked people, show up.