BEACH FEARS! - Hellshire vendors clear air about recent animal attacks, say businesses reeling from public misinformation
Published:Friday | December 27, 2019 | 12:53 AMCorey Robinson/ Staff Reporter
The usual Boxing Day buzz at the Hellshire and Fort Clarence beaches in St Catherine was reduced to a hum yesterday as vendors and restaurant operators continued to feel the pinch of a recent animal attack that has left beachgoers fearful.
In mid-November, two men were seriously injured after they went for a swim at Waves Beach about 8 p.m. One of them, whose right leg was severely damaged in the incident, claimed he was attacked by a crocodile and that the animal tried to pull his friend under.
The incident sparked public concern and an investigation by the National Environment and Planning Agency. That, however, has not assuaged the fears of beachgoers, who vendors said have been avoiding that section of the coastline spanning the Hellshire Beach – more than 200 metres west from where the attack reportedly took place.
“We need you to tell the people them that no crocodile attack happened at Hellshire Beach, and the place is safe,” stressed one gate operator at the entrance to the popular beach. “The attack happened at Waves Beach, over Fort Clarence side; over there, close to the crocodile pond. No attack nuh gwaan at Hellshire,” he insisted.
‘Donna’, the operator of Donna’s Seafood Restaurant, one of many strung along the Hellshire beachfront, said her establishment remained empty for much of Boxing Day yesterday.
“A lot of people call this entire area Hellshire, but over here is different from that (Fort Clarence) side. Because of that a lot of people avoiding the beach,” she explained, noting that customers have been calling her questioning the safety of the beach since the attack.
“We can’t sell anything!” shouted a neighbouring restaurant owner, who questioned why more caution was not taken by sections of the media to distinguish the two beaches.
“Over here name Hellshire, and that attack happened way over there. Why them say Hellshire? Is it because over here public and the other beach private?” he questioned. “Is pure false news dat,” he declared.
ENTRANCE FEE
Yesterday, craft vendors, shrimp sellers, and tube operators all shared similar sentiments as they pointed to a fraction of the swimmers and horseback riders who would flock the beach from as early as 9:30 a.m. during the Christmas holidays.
Gatemen were yesterday charging a $100 fee for adults to use the usually free beach. At midday, however, the gatemen said they had not collected anywhere near the sum they pulled in on Boxing Day last year.
Most of the swimmers who The Gleaner spoke with yesterday were either unaware of the crocodile attacks or were not too concerned about them.
“We not even did know seh dat gwaan,” said one father who gave his name as Mark upon entering the beach. With a chuckle, Mark said it was too late to turn back from the beach, as his three children were already in high spirits and ready to go into the water.
Meantime, vendors on the eastern side of the coastline, closer to where the attack took place, said they, too, had seen a decline in business since news of the attack surfaced.
They are convinced, however, that last month’s attack was carried out by a shark and not a crocodile, noting that at least three sharks have been caught tangled in fishermen’s nets in the last two weeks.