Marine cops clamp down on waterway offenders
(CNS): Following several reports of wave runners and vessels operating in a dangerous manner, especially in the North Sound in the Vicinity of Rum Point area, an operation was carried out by the RCIPS Marine Unit on Sunday 11 October, police said today. The RCIPS did not make any arrests but said they warned owners about potential prosecution over operating vessels in a designated swim area, wave runners exceeding 5 knots within 50 yards of a boat at anchor, within 200 yards from shore and within an Environmental Zone. Police Sergeant Clive Smith said such offences would not be tolerated by the Marine Department and offenders would be prosecuted.
“On Sunday’s in particular there are a large amount of boats that congregate at Rum Point at anchor, with hundreds of persons in the water, including young children and babies, the wake from these vessels can exceed 5 Knots. Going between these boats can cause injury or death,” he explained.
“Boats are also used for birthday parties and other celebrations where food and drinks are set out only to be turned over by some inconsiderate vessel operator approaching the area at a fast speed. The Marine Unit is requesting that all boat operators exercise safety and courtesy when approaching other vessels at anchor.” he added.
Anyone with information about crime taking place in the Cayman Islands should contact their local police station or Crime Stoppers on 800-8477 (TIPS). All persons calling Crime Stoppers remain anonymous, and are eligible for a reward of up to $1000, should their information lead to an arrest or recovery of property/drugs.
Category: Local News
I agree that a lot of times people are given an inch and take a yard or two… but how long has this been going on, every Sunday at Rum Point? It seems that as the "young people" grow older they see everything differently so they themselve become the older people who complain. I also agree, however, that all of the music blaring isn’t exactly appealing but lets handle it in a civil manner.
AND I have also been approached confrontationally by a tourist who spent whatever amount of money on thier condo blah blah blah… when it comes down to it, that beach is my beach, the Caymanians Beach tourism or not. I certainly do not go to anyones country and disrespect them regardless of how much I spend there. Sometimes they are too out-of-order for their own good!
Just my two cents.
The laws are there to control this out of control behavior. All that’s needed is for the police to show up and start handing out citations. They’ve put everyone on notice, now for the needed crackdown. A few irresponsible people causing problems for the majority of us, as usual, is all this is about.
Its not just a few out of hand people disturbing the peace at rumpoint, it is a zoo down there on sundays, cars double parked, parking in peoples yards, loud music, filthy language and the list goes on, as the poster said the tourist pays thousands of dollars to rent these properties yet they cant come out of their rented property because some smart ass person gives them an attitude when they step out of their rented home. our economy suffers from this as they donot want to return again. The perpetrators that bring their boats right up on shore along sand point road defy you when you walk out. I know that the shore line is public property but a little common sense should prevail, they come out over night or early sunday morning and set up their volley ball net on the sand bar and all hellbreaks loose. So unless you live it dont condemn it.
I am one of those whom pulls his boat upto the beach on sand point road, the reason i do this is because i have young children and theylike to play in the sand and also paddle in the shallow water there, the other reason is becuase of its safety, there are no waverunners speeding by at full speed and also no loud annoying music, most of the other families that go there do so for the same reason, I have been doing this of over 14 years and have only just recently been approached by someone whom i presume was renting a villa on the beach , he was extremely rude and very confrontational in front of my kids, after me explaining to him that all beach is pubic land up to the high water mark, he still did not understand and the police were called, upon there arrival they came and spoke to me and the other boats that had turned up by then, and said that we were all fine and he was just doing his job, asking nicely to make sure the kids did not go above the high water mark which they did not do, upon leaving were were given a not so nice hand jesture by the tennent. If I did not have my kids with me perhaps he would have been met with filthy laungage but only in response to his confrontational attitude towards me from the onset without knowing the law. The people that rent and sell these homes should make people aware of what happens on Sundays, I am not going to be driven away from what my family loves to do on Sunday afternoons by a ill inform tourist regardless how much money he/she spends to rent it.
This could easily be solved by the rental companies putting a sentance in the litrature that they have in the rental homes/condos, stating that all beach is pubic.
Nobody disagrees about the ones that are quiet and respectful,but they are the minority, the others that play loud music, use filthy language, leave their garbage above the high water mark, these are the ones that make it difficult for us locals that live there and the tourist alike. How would you like if I pulled up and parked in your front yard and started to eat throw out garbage and play loud music? would you greet me with a smile, I dont think so.
But if a family pulls up, no loud music playing ,no dropping of garbage, would you greet me with a smile?, that’s what my point was, of how rude this man was from the start. The majority of boats that pull upto the beach on Sand Point rd are families whom do not litter, and if there is litter most will pick it up and take it home with them,in your fist comment you clearly state that " The perpetrators that bring their boats right up on shore along sand point road defy you when you walk out. " , I am now wondering if it was you whom was rude to me?, one must also wonder if you have just perchased your home as its not like sundays at rum point just started, its been going on for the 22yrs i have lived here. maybe next time someone litters in your garden perhaps going out and being nice to them and kindly asking then to respect your property might just work, because almost always confrontation is meet with confrontation.
I disagree with the comment above. Sundays are kick back and relax at Rum Point, if the "owners" had a problem a complaint would have already been made. Nothing wrong with different boats playing different music. If you have a problem going there, then stay home.
Which owners are you talking about? the homeowners or the bar and restaurant? Go talk to a few homeowners and see what they have to say, you will get an earfull, hundreds of people from 11 am to 6pm, debri all over the place peoples patio furniture removed from their decks, going into peoples yards, the list can go on, and on.
kick back and relax, I beg your pardon, why not take it out to sea away from the shore and allow us to have a sane sunday.
Complaints have been made for years. A know of one instance where a tourist was actually assaulted after requesting music be turned down. I have seen persons (gangst’s) sitting on the beach openly smoking Ganja with tourists huddled insde watching and wondering why they are spending 10,000 a week for the experience.
I have seen similar things happening at the sandbar with boatloads of tourists actually being chased off by expletive riddled lyrics.
More laws not enforced. More long term damage done to our economy.
I do have a problem with it, I live right there in the midst of it.
Rum Point is the new Hell.
I hope that they hurry and clean up Rum Point, sundays are a disgrace down there, north side becomes a zoo and the residents of rumpoint cannot enjoy their weekends after a long work week. Shame on those that invade such a tranquil area with their drugs and loud music. We do not need this, five to six different types of loud music playing all within a few feet of each other.Country,jaz,spanish,rap etc, alcohol in abundance the cops really need to clean up this place, greed is what drives it.