Director of the Coastal Zone Management Unit, Dr Leo Brewster, is urging swimmers and sea bathers to avoid swimming between buoys being installed at beaches across the island.
He made this appeal as the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and the Blue Economy began the installation of water sports and jet ski corridors at beaches across the island. This is expected to take place over the next two and a half months.
At present, corridors are installed at Carlisle Bay Beach, Bay Street, St Michael, and at Lower Carlton Beach in St James.
“The intention behind the corridors is to clearly demarcate the area where water craft…as well as jet ski operators are supposed to come to shore and leave shore with their patrons on board. This way is to control and better manage how the motorised water craft use the shoreline space,” he said.
The Director explained that there were 31 locations identified where the jet ski corridors were supposed to be installed on the south and west coasts of the island. He also advised swimmers and sea bathers to avoid paddle boarding or snorkelling between the string of buoys.
“This is the location where the motorised craft will be coming to shore to pick up their guests and then go back out safely. The line itself is about 50 metres long and the reason for that is that at 75 metres offshore is where the water boats and other rides can take place, and the jet skis are to operate 150 to 200 metres offshore,” Brewster stressed.
He further noted that the Ministry also intended to put up signage on beaches to identify the water sports corridors. He added that there were also plans to use feather banners so that the jet ski and water sports operators could clearly see where they were to come back in.
Brewster said similar signage would be placed on two inner spar buoys to indicate to them where they were supposed to traverse for the safety of all at the beaches. (BGIS)