myTobago – your questions, review and comment about Tobago

Cut and paste from today's Trinidad Express. We were at Bacolet on Friday and there is a really big swell at this time of year. The advice we received was to swim on the left of the beach (but not too close to the rocks) but it is a lovely beach with nice shade and a good beach bar. We also expereiced swells at Store Bay last week.

"3 DIE ON TOBAGO BEACHES

Aunt drowns in vain attempt to save nephew

Elizabeth W Allard Tobago Bureau


Tuesday, April 10th 2007


Easter celebrations in Tobago were marred yesterday, after the drowning of a woman and her nephew at the popular Bacolet Beach. Police are also investigating the discovery of the body of a lifeguard at a beach in Castara.

According to police reports, in the first incident, Nekeisha Washington, of Mt St George, and her nephew, Nicholas Williams, of Bacolet, had gone to the beach with other family members and friends around 11.30 a.m. to take a swim.

However, shortly afterwards, Williams reportedly got into difficulty while in the water.

Family members told police that Washington, an OJT Clerk at Inland Revenue Department, attempted to help Williams, but she too soon got into difficulty. Both of them then went below the surface and eventually drowned.

Children who accompanied Washington reportedly sat on the beach in disbelief after the incident, not knowing what to do.

Villagers in the area saw the two bodies floating in the water around 12.20 p.m. and called police officials who later arrived on the scene.

Stacy Washington, Nicholas's mother, sat next to the body of her son, weeping inconsolably following the tragedy.

Sergeant Adams of the Scarborough Police Station is continuing investigations.

The beach, located at the back of Bacolet Point, has no stationed lifeguards and people who venture do so at their own risk.

Police officials are now asking members of the public to bathe on beaches where lifeguards are present.

In the other incident, Moriah police are investigating the circumstances under which lifeguard Che Fraser, 27, of Castara, died.

His body was found on a beach in Castara by a passer-by around 5.30 p.m yesterday. There were no marks of violence on his body, but police will have to wait until an autopsy is conducted to determine the cause of death.

Moriah police are continuing investigations into the incident."

The drowning at Bacolet was obviously a very tragic incident.

The Trinidad Express report incorrectly states that the incident took place on Bacolet Beach. Most people will assume - like David - that this was the popular and relatively sheltered beach adjacent to the Blue Haven Hotel.

The incident actually took place on the other side of Bacolet Point - on Minister Bay beach - which is very much rougher, more exposed beach prone to currents and the vagaries of the Atlantic Ocean. The lady and her young family members were totally alone on the beach. The young lad who drowned was just six years of age.

This sad, sad incident underlines the advice regularly offered on this site warning of the dangers of swimming alone. Never under-estimate the sea, anywhere in the world. Sadly, there are very few beaches on Tobago with an active lifeguard (and even when there are lifeguards, they are normally preoccupied with visiting girls). However, if you want to swim in the sea, stick to beaches where there are others who can come to your help. In this regard, Bacolet Beach, which is very shallow and quite sheltered (even though the surf can be quite boisterous) is a good choice.

I totally agree with Steve,particularly on the Atlantic side where than can be chnages in sea conditions in what seems like seconds.That is not to say be complacent on the Carib,side always remember the sea is no gentleman(or to pc lady!).
David

An other problem with beaches like Bacolet is: the water is quite shallow so one must go far out to be able to swim and than one come close to the area where the water start get deeper and therefore rough seas also when the water meet the shallow part of the beach.

The lifeguards at Store Bay Beach are doing a great job, there´s many peoples on the beach (and girls) but there are about 4-5 guards on duty so the beach is never empty and unprotected.