Reckless Boating

The roads are not the only place to find bad drivers in Bermuda.

After spending the day in Somerset watching the dinghy races from my in-laws' yacht, at 4pm we started motoring back along North Shore to St. George's. At around 5.30pm, as we approached Martello Tower, we started to notice more boats than usual, presumably coming from the finish of the Comet races in St. George's harbour. Clearly oblivious to the rules of the water, several cut across our bow as we entered Ferry Reach, cheerfully waving at us as they passed.

But it wasn't until we were about half way along Ferry Reach itself that we got our biggest fright. Swing bridge had just opened, unleashing a flotilla of craft both large and small. Many of them, heedless of the no-wake zone that they were in, were gunning their engines, kicking up huge wakes as they headed straight for us.

One boat travelling at speed wouldn't have been too much of a concern. As long as you see it coming, it's relatively easy to ride out a wake by turning into it. But there were enough boats, sufficiently close together, to make this genuinely dangerous. As they bore down on us we saw one vessel just to port that seemed to be out of control. About to be passed at high speed by another, it looked like this vessel might drift straight across our bow. A third speeding boat to starboard gave us few options about where to go. For an instant, a collision involving at least two of us seemed inevitable.

I'm still not quite sure how we avoided it. As our bow smacked into the giant wash, sending spray across the deck, we could only shake our heads in disbelief (and relief) as these smiling, waving cretins sped by.

We were amazed at their recklessness. But with that much marine traffic in St. George's harbour wanting to get home, this was entirely predictable. Why, then, didn't we see any marine police patrolling Ferry Reach?

Before we allow people to ride a bike or drive a car, they have to study the rules of the road, then pass a test. Before you can fly an aircraft you must get your pilot's licence. Yet we don't require the same of those who own a boat. Any idiot can buy one and take it out on the water without needing to be certified safe to do so. Today's experience left me wondering why not.

Comments

[jake on 13.06.05 at 21:01]

I'm glad you are ok.

You are right that people drive boats with little regard, but I think for certain sizes you need a pilot's license. I am not sure.

There will always be some who are both stupid and often drunk. Dangerous on land and sea.

[sleepy on 13.06.05 at 21:08]

So, how does this mesh with your theory about making the roads more dangerous?

[The Limey on 13.06.05 at 21:57]

sleepy

Obviously, making the roads more dangerous is really about making them safer, by redesigning the roads themselves to reduce the number of accidents.

But at least even the most ignorant driver has passed a written and practical test, and knows which side of the road to drive on and when to give way. In the absence of any kind of "boating test", the same cannot be said for some of the would-be mariners out there.

[Weeee on 13.06.05 at 22:27]

"As our bow smacked into the giant wash, sending spray across the deck, we could only shake our heads in disbelief (and relief) as these smiling, waving cretins sped by."

During the dinghy racing some people do the same thing and go right through the course and pull up a huge wake. It drives me crazy. The dinghies bows just go right under the waves and it gets the bailer on the leeward side soaked. Glad you were wathcing the racing though. Hope to see you out next race day in Granaway Deep.

[S on 13.06.05 at 22:35]

i hope this doesn't come across the wrong way...here goes.

i'm glad that everyone was ok, but if the situation that you describe was "entirely predictable", then why would your captain and crew put your safety in jeopardy like that?

surely if it was such a predictable situation, they would not venture into such waters...especially in the absence of marine police. just doesn't seem to make sense somehow.

[CB on 14.06.05 at 08:20]

I'd like to speak up for the marine Police here. They do a splendid job and simply can't be everywhere at once.

I live on the harbour and observe them all year doing their job - and doing it well. If you'd ever needed the assistance of the Marine Police, as I have, you'd perhaps appreciate them and the difficult job they do. Thanks guys!

[Somers on 14.06.05 at 08:58]

Yeah - you see it all the time... I was actually glad the Comet race went towards St. Georges this year, when it finishes off Watford Bridge you can't even go through the bridge for the number of boats out there milling around. The majority of that crowd are menaces - with no understanding of the rules of the road.
We encountered the Bermuda Optimist fleet short tacking up the channel late Sunday afternoon, with high speed ferries, high speed boats, a large fishing boat, us, and the coach boat off to the side. I thought it was reckless for them little Opti's to be sailing up the channel at such a busy time, especially when there was less traffic out of the channel over by Spectacle Isl.
Maybe it will take some else to be run over before we learn, but then again nobody has learn't on the roads yet.

Anyway - nice to see you guys in Mangrove Bay, if only from a distance... Phil it looks like that dinghy from your way needs some help - jump aboard for a first hand perspective!

[denning on 14.06.05 at 10:02]

Holidays always bring out the worst in boaters. I live near the far end of Ferry Reach and generally enjoy sitting out on the deck watching the boat traffic. Yesterday, however, I spent most of the day cringing and peeking out from between my fingers at one near miss after another. The best move of the day was by a smallish Whaler loaded with safety conscious family (all in their life jackets)who came flying into the Reach full throttle, until one of the chidren shrieked "Turtle!" whereupon the driver wheeled around in a full speed doughnut to have a closer look at the hapless creature.

If anyone is out there from Marine and Ports, if you'd like to instal a surveillance camera on my back deck, you're welcome to. No more than half the boaters in the Reach obey the posted speed limits.

[DS on 14.06.05 at 11:07]

Look closely & you will most likely see that the idiots at the wheels of the boats are the same ones driving like there is nobody else on the road on land.

So where were the marine police in ferry reach? This behavior was predicatable. Happens every year. Same boats. Same people. Same event.

All the police had to do was to be visible. Had they knocked off for the day?

I am still waiting to see Ross Perot prosecuted for a boating offence last summer. A complaint was lodged. A statement was given. There are multiple willing witnesses. NOTHING HAS HAPPENED.

It is wild wild west on the water just like the roads. No enforcement.

[Boston Baked Bean on 14.06.05 at 11:38]

The thought had never even crossed my mind regarding how other means of transport require training but pleasure boating does not.

I wonder if it would help if a safety program was offered which when taken, will lower your insurance? But I suppose not everyone has insurance on their boats, do they?

And another thought - boats have radios for a reason, you shouldn't be afraid to use them.

[The Limey on 14.06.05 at 13:03]

S

You probably have a greater chance of encountering a drunk driver on the road late on a Friday or Saturday night. So do you always stay home at those times?

While the risk of encountering an idiot is greater then, I usually reckon that *my* chances of encountering one are still small. If I want to drive somewhere on a Friday or Saturday night, I do.

Same reasoning applied to going down Ferry Reach yesterday.

[S on 14.06.05 at 13:20]

Limey, with regards to your road comparison... i am still quite young, and my mother is a very smart lady and yes, i do try to avoid riding during the times you have mentioned.

yes i could complain and say "where are the police??? this is so predictable!!" but i have come to the conclusion that they can't be everywhere. for example, if i choose to go to club malabar on a saturday night, i can expect them to have a road block set up at grey's bridge in somerset, but i dont expect them to have a police car at every 500 yard interval between club malabar and my house...it's just not practical.

while the police are here to "" protect and serve, you as a private citizen have to limit your exposure to these risky time periods. i'm not saying that we should hide and fear the people committing offences, just try and limit your exposure to them.

from what you have written, while you were out having fun on daddy-in-law's pretty lil yacht, maybe you could have moved to a safer location so that you wouldn't have been in the crossfire. the way you describe the situation, it's almost as if your saying "it's almost certain that something bad is going to happen here... i see that the police are not there... so i'll just wonder in the middle of this situation and hope i dont get hit".

[The Limey on 14.06.05 at 13:31]

S

Our moorings were on the other side of Swing Bridge, and the last opening was at 6.45pm. So we were going to have to run the gauntlet at some point, or spend another hour going all the way round St. George's. Perhaps we should have taken the detour, but there would have been no guarantee we wouldn't have run into more speeding lunatics coming through Town Cut.

I'm not asking the police to be everywhere, just at known hot spots. Ferry Reach is one of them, as denning's comment should also have made clear.

[S on 14.06.05 at 13:45]

are the marine police a part of the bermuda police service or marine and ports?

[loki on 14.06.05 at 13:53]

"are the marine police a part of the bermuda police service or marine and ports?"

They are part of the police service.

[S on 14.06.05 at 14:00]

thanks loki.

Limey

I'm not an expert on the police force, but wasn't it in the news recently that there was a recruitment shortage and a large amount of retirees? this has come up because people are saying there are not enough traffic cops.

are you saying that an already strained police force should focus even more on marine policing when they dont even have enough people for traffic policing?

i'm not saying that we have one of the greatest marine police services in the world, but maybe the very few boats that we do have were already occupied... possibly attending the unexpected drowning that occurred yesterday... who knows

maybe they were not at that particular hotspot, but they could have been at another. but there's a lot of coastline... a strained police force... and not enough people signing up. if it's such a great concern to you... start a recruiting drive... or maybe you could sign up yourself...here's your chance to save the world

[CB on 14.06.05 at 14:17]

The Marine Police had a strong presence in Hamilton Harbour all weekend and I saw them stop quite a few reckless individuals. I think they only have about 3 boats though. Obviously they can only cover so much area.

[Adjustah on 16.06.05 at 07:28]

Any idiot can buy a boat.

And every idiot usually does.

Just because you own a boat, doesn't mean that you should.

[TheSpectre on 20.06.05 at 00:13]

Well coming from a boating background (StDavids Islander) I have long felt that there needs to be some sort of control over the rules and enforcement of boating.

At present anyone with the financial capital can purchase a high performance boat and be on the water without any formal lessons on what are the rules of the water let alone the dynamics of controling a vessel on the water which calls for more skill and understanding than operating any wheeled vehicle.

This is a recipe for disaster and it is only by the grace of God that more people havent been maimed or killed over the years than one would expect.

The real problem is that "We live in a lawless society" end of subject.

We are teaching our children that its ok to break the rules and now the cock has come home to roost.

This behaviour isnt new we are reaping what we have been teaching for the best part of 3 generations that its ok to bend or break the rules. This behaviour transcends class and race barriers.Its as simple as the mother who J walks in Hamilton with her child in tow or the father who double parks on queen street waiting for his KFC running red lights has become so prevelant they seem to have little meaning and through it all our children sit there and learn through our bad examles.

People break the laws because they can there is no real deterent as the police are either not there or turn a blind eye to most illegal activities (misdeamenors) that in time turn into bigger crimes as some in our society feel they can do as they feel.....even kill people.

The solution would be requiring anyone looking to operate a vessel powered by more than 25hp be required to pass a test similar to that at TCD.

Some may argue about the inconvienience and red tape but be real what is the other option?

Also our present administration could use the added revenue earned as they seem to be spending/wasting it like drunken sailors.