myTobago – your questions, review and comment about Tobago

I have recently returned from a lovely hol in Charlotville.

I was, however, very concerned that there was a water jet ski being operated from the main beach, often over to Pirates Bay, with complete abandon.
I make no secret of my dislike of these unbearably noisy machines - and, unsurprisingly, this one was being driven at high speed around the bays, and up onto the beach, within metres of bathers - seeing anxious parents rushing to summon their children out of the water whenever it appeared became commonplace!

Jet skis have an all round negative impact environmentally, and thankfully are being banned, or at least subject to strict controls in many places.

Does anyone know of what controls/licensing regs there are in Tobago on the use of these machines?

Am I the only person disturbed by the intrusion of them?

Yours
Richard

don't know about them, but CERTAINLY hope we'll never get one in castara!!!!!
STEPH

Hi Richard and Hi Steph,

I do understand your feelings about the jetskis and I share this feelings.

Steph, if you see anyone going around Castara with this ugly things, kick him out! Thanks!

They maybe nice on some beaches (I only know about a jetski in Pigeon Point) but not to go over the coral gardens around the beaches because they will damage it.
Hopefully people put the security of the swimming people and the protection of the corals over the money they could make with this! And hopefully the Government makes good controlls about it.

Cheers and hopefully see you in May

I am a passionate motorcyclist and so have a natural affinity to jet-skis. Although I haven’t ridden one for some years now, I can claim to some degree of skill with them and admit that they are very great fun.

Consequently I admit to mixed feelings on the subject. However, on balance I totally agree with everything read above. The thought of jet-skis in Pirates Bay – or even Man ‘O War Bay – fills me with total horror. In fact, I’m not happy about them ANYWHERE in Tobago.

In the hands of responsible people trained to use them properly, jet-skis are totally safe – hence the reason they are used by so many lifeguard services. However, the thought that these potentially lethal machines can be rented out to people with no training, skill or aptitude and ridden at full blast, near the beach and where swells can hide swimmers, fills me with horror and disgust.

Like many other form of motorised watersport, there’s a time and a place – and Tobago is not one.