I just came across this in the British paper, the Guardian. Seems a good guy, out with his family, was subsumed by the strong, strong current at Calabash Bay. http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/may/17/charity-worker-drowns-rescuing-so n

Read On: Where is TPDCO ???? Where Is The Beach?
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/British-visitor-drowns-in-Treasure-Beach_166 84327

Any signs up yet? How many people have to die here before a serious effort is made to make people aware of the dangers?

There are signs up. Someone mentioned using the flag system. For instance, if a red flag is flying you should not go swimming. I think this is a very good idea.

We have had signs up on our beach for ages. We have a printed warning on the door leading out to the beach. We tell all guests, in writing, about undertows before they even arrive. Our staff tells every guest--even return guests--to be careful and does their best to alert them when there is an undertow.

I like the idea of the flags, and we would certainly be willing to post them. This, however, would need to be an all-Treasure Beach effort.

Many places in Mexico use the flag system. They have even adopted a black flag which means that conditions are even worse that a red flag. Obviously, some people ignore the flags. I'm having a little difficulty visualizing how such a system would work in Treasure Beach, given the wide variety of conditions there and the relative lack of large hotels. Would each villa owner/manager erect a flag and who would determine what conditions are? There's been a discussion on Facebook about "rescue cans", which are floats that are used for rescues. It might be a good idea for hotels and villas to have these available for use in such emergencies.

There has been several drowning at Treasure beach over the years and nothing has been put in place to resolve or warn people or who are not familiar with the beach. I had frightening experience about 5 years ago. We normally bathe in a particular spot and on this occasion met up with some family and friends who took us to another area that we never bathe before...One minute I am standing next moment it feel as if a hole had open up and I began to go under and my husband quickly pulled me out. Since that incident I have always warn family and friends to avoid that area. The signs need to be more visible and lifeguards need to be on beaches. My hear felt sympathy goes out to the family at this time.

Over the last 5 years there has been approximately 30 people from Great Bay to Billy's Bay trained in lifeguard and lifesaving techniques. I do not know the number but I know there have been many persons in Treasure Beach trained in first aid and CPR over the last several years. Many of the villas/guest houses have life rings and ropes on property.

Many (if not all) guest houses and villas give the same warnings Mrs. Kennedy says they give their guests.

Both a boogie board and a life ring were used, CPR was given and Calabash Bay has signage warning of the dangerous currents.

I am not saying more can't be done. But I do think significant progress has been made.

Many of us have had an occasion where we find our selves in trouble in the sea in Treasure Beach. It is a frightening experience. There are signs on all the beach's...with graphics so that the warning can be interpreted in any language. People don't heed these warnings...visitors are on vacation and don't think of the danger. I grew up on the water - we were told not to go into the water alone. No excuses. People need to be educated about the dangers of swimming here. The current is unpredictable. People have to take responsibility but sadly, things happen.

Just to let all of you in Treasure Beach know that some of us are thinking about you too - that a loss of anyone in your lovely part of Jamaica is being felt by everyone on land and beaches. Keep up the care and kindness you bestow on visitors. Treasure Beach is wonderful and hospitable where ever one goes.

THANKS CONNNIE

I find it very disturbing that recently the Red Cross installed signs in, and around Treasure Beach, some of which was initiated by an NGO operating in Treasure Beach, but no such sighn was installed on any of the Bays, including Calabash Bay. I guess this is not political correct to install these sighns to save human lives.


Which is better to have sighn to warn people of imminent danger or to read on BBC, the local and international media, facebook , twitter. of FATHER DROWNS WHILE TRYING TO SAVE SON IN TREASURE BEACH !!!!!Wake up people whatever is done will negatively impact this area.

There is a sign located just as you would walk on the beach from the road and another sign located half way down the beach warning of dangerous currents on Calabash Bay. These have been in place for a few years now.

We are all so sorry to hear of the tragic death of Tony Wilkinson, who sadly lost his life while trying to save his son from drowning.

All our condolences from Owen and Elizabeth Clarke and Frenchman's Reef Restaurant staffs. He will be missed but not forgotten.

I have seen such a sign on Frenchmen Bay. However, it is not very noticeable because it is only one small sign, and it is on the end of the beach by Treasure Beach Hotel, where most people do not go.
So maybe the "warning signs" need to be more prominent, and more of them ?
Maybe the guesthouses and hotels can do a better job of warning their guests about the dangers ?
ONE LOVE !!
Mike

Haven't we been down this type of thread before? Seems every time something happens we keep having the same conversation over and over again.

MikeyMike

Thanks for your comment, which does not need another interpretation or buffering, plain and simple.

This tragedy cannot be explained away.All of the holiday makers deserve to be protected from the dangers, of the sea.The responsibility for the health and well being of these people lies with their host.I am a qualified lifeguard i would like to make a positive contrubition with a suggestion to all the accommodation owners in the area,you could all employ life guards,and ensure that they have the necessary equipment,to save life, no excuses please.A long piece of rope and a float can be donated by any of the community groups which can be left on the beach,to be used when necessary.

All swimmers need to be cognizant of dangers they may encounter while in the sea. They need to respect what the sea can do, even if it is "only" the Caribbean. On top of that, they are relaxed and on vacation--and are probably not giving 100% of their attention to water safety.

I used to be on a competitive swimming team. However, as good and confident a swimmer as I was, I swam in a pool--and that is totally different than the sea. I speak from experience because I, too, have been pulled out to sea by an undertow; it was a scary experience, but I knew exactly what to do--and I didn't panic.

However, yes, accommodations owners need to warn their guests about what the sea can do.

To propose that each accommodation owner employ lifeguards sounds good, but in reality it is utterly unrealistic.

If I look at "our" beach (Billy's Bay), there are several villas along a long stretch of beach. No one person could be expected to be a lifeguard for more than one place. And, since swimmers are often out at dawn and may be out until sunset, you are talking about two shifts per place per day. This doesn't make any economic sense.

Speaking as the owner of two villas, I can tell you we feel fortunate if we break even--and we are not at the bottom end of the rate schedule. If we had to hire several lifeguards, we would be forced to raise our rates to the point where we would be shut out of the market. This is not like a hotel with several hundred guests where perhaps four or six lifeguards would be employed and could do a good job.

I have personally seen members of our staff save people from drowning. These people were not our guests, but they stayed at less expensive places across from the beach. I would guarantee you that the owners of those places wouldn't chip in to pay "our" lifeguards.

To add insult to injury, the people rescued never even bothered to tip their rescuers--much less offer them any sort of thanks. (And, I know this has happened in other locations in Treasure Beach--after someone had put their own life in danger to save the life of another.)

We post warning signs, and I have seen these signs used as convenient places where swimmers hang their beach towels.

So, as hideous as any drowning death is, there is a shared responsibility between the swimmer and the accommodations owner.

To me, it is akin to someone buying an automobile and then driving on ice and having an accident when they don't know how to get out of a skid. (The normal "get out of a skid" instinct is dead wrong--and can have deadly consequences; this is similar to a swimmer who attempts to fight an undertow--the immediate instinct.)

ST-T/B Life saver, if you wish to post something else on this thread, I will be glad to respond. If you want to contact me personally, you may click through to my name and send me an email.

I hope you will not interpret my response as an "excuse" because what I have told you is stark reality.

I have been coming to TB for many years and last summer during my stay, the water was quite rough and from the patio of the villa I was staying at I could see a mother and 2 children (no older than 12 years) on the beach. The waves were really big and the kids were diving and jumping in and out of the waves. Even on a calm day in Calabash there is quite an undertow. Our housekeeper went down to the beach and spoke to the woman, even telling her of past drownings, but to no avail, she just let her kids continue what they were doing. I have been coming to TB for almost 15 years and probably stayed in four different properties in that time span and to say that villa owners/housekeepers do not warn guests about the waters around TB is NOT TRUE. We were always warned of the dangers and possible rip tides. Just sayin'

The tragedy of Father drowns whilst saving son in Treasure beach is terrible, a horrific incident.

The heroic act by the gentleman to save his son, should not be misconstrued as being ignorant. It is a worst tragedy to try and blame this fine gentleman’s action as such.

Let’s not be defensive, but show humility, and love, the kind of love, we the people of Treasure Beach are known for. Acknowledging when something is wrong, and get it corrected, then we can move forward.

We got in trouble once a couple of years ago and were helped to shore by a neighbor. I like the flag suggestion and propose that one or two responsible people on each of the beaches take on the responsibility. There should be some compensation, perhaps a small (repeat, small) surcharge on rented rooms. I wouldn't complain. Visitors like me don't have the local water knowledge to always know when its less than safe.

I work in the tourist industry here in Canada and I can tell you from experience that it doesn't matter how many signs you put up or what kind of flag system you use. Visitors to your area will ignore any and all warnings or advice that the local people may offer. Believing they know best and unfortunately tragedies like this will happen again.

Dear Canadian, I know you're right, but I'm not one to ignore warnings. While there are always some who don't have the sense they were born with, I would still urge the flags, or other "current condition" notice.

The flag system or other warning systems warn of obvious dangers (high waves)the real danger is the undertow this can't been seen from the beach. If you want to prevent this it would require the construction of a reef about a 100 yards off shore.

I have lost count of how many times me and the guys on the beach have told/advised people not to go in the sea at the far end of Frenchman and we have been totally ignored. If I went anywhere and was told it was dangerous to swim, would I go in, no I wouldn't. In this case he was trying to rescue his young son, so sad. I go in the sea up to my knees and if I feel any tug of an undercurrent I am out like a shot. I don't think it would matter how many flags or warnings you had people will still ignore them. If you have ever watched the programme of the lifesavers on Bondi Beach you would see/understand what I mean.

I agree with UK Jean. I have warned parents before when the seas were clearly dangerous to keep a very serious eye on their very young children only to be ignored. I have found it useful to just stand there and watch their kids. It makes the parents uncomfortable and they take their kids and leave, which beats having them die.

Let common sense prevail when you come into an open ocean to swim. No depth sign, no shallow no deep end. Use your common sense and that will save a lot of lives. Yes we need signs for the clever swimmers too. Just yesterday two men were warned in Frenchman about the tide, response we are great swimmers. OK then swim... don't leave the burden on the resort owners. No where in Treasure Beach is great for swimming! sorry.

Now that WE KNOW the REALITY of drowning AGAIN...do NOT GO further INTO the OCEAN than where "WE" can STAND UP...HIPS, to WAIST-LINE. Be CONSCIOUS ALWAYS of this, before and into water.

Let this "COMMON-SENSE GUIDE YOU".

If YOU FEEL any PULLING water CURRENT,Get OUT and WARN OTHERS, ON YOUR WAY OUT.

As sad as it is,there IS a saying...It is APPOINTED ONCE for MAN-KIND to LIVE and then,FACE the Judge-ment.

The drowned people gone FEW HOURS AHEAD of US. sorry to say. But, be of GOOD cheer. Guess WHO over-came the WHOLE world?

CHALLENGES COMES to MAKE US STRONG, NOT to destroy US. (did you GUESS WHO,YET!) ha,ha, haw.

When YOUR FAITH IS TESTED in adversity, YOU have an opportunity to GROW. (by T.B. JOSHUA- Pastor. Lagos, West Africa. S.C.O.A.N.) Google SCOAN to GET his SITE.

Treasurian, all of you must realise water has great fascination for everyone, and people will go in to enjoy a swim whatever the sea condition. I am a qualified lifeguard my suggestion is that a simple rope and float left on the beach is inexpensive and can be thrown out by anyone to help, when bathers are in difficulties.This suggestion could be taken seriously and act upon by one of the community groups. Please make a positive impact for your community.

Where can these floats be accessed ST T/B?

We don't live once but we die to this life once. Hebrews chapter 9v27.we live on forever somewhere else for all of eternity to die no more, saved or otherwise. Hopefully mr. Wilkinson and his family will be reunited in eternity

Turey I want to believe that you are genuinely wanting to do something positive and doesn't know where to get a float.
The fishermen corp at calabash bay is a good place to go.They also sell rope.

OK, thanks.

I own a villa in Calabash Bay and learned to swim there in the most extreme of conditions as a child. I can tell you that all of the staff in Calabash Bay warn people when the sea is potentially dangerous. However, what is dangerous for one is not dangerous to another. I have been trained in life saving and CPR and have had to use both on numerous occasions. One thing I have learned is to observe the swimmer. Drowning victims rarely call for help for two reasons. One is pride and they don't want to concede to being in trouble and the other is that people can't shout when they are struggling to breathe and stay afloat. I know that the fishermen on Calabash Bay are constantly warning people and some will take their advice and others won't.

In this particular incident, it was a tragic chain of events that went horribly wrong and a lot of people did everything they could to save a number of lives that day. Unfortunately our dear friend Tony did not make it.

there is a telling of story not yet mentioned... local folk listen! it's not written cause it's oral & when you relaxe your mind all that needs to be in place will make sense! Walk the beaches & know local folk will heed & WARN!
One Love!

A. Todd , THANK YOU so much for your explanation . I have been a visitor to Treasure Beach for 20 years and I am an avid swimmer . I have been in the sea every year (6-8 weeks we stay)every day unless the seas are rough and dirty and I have never encountered any difficulties . I know that villa owners amd locals advise of dangers. Awareness is certainly the key to safety and no matter where I swim , I am respectful of the perils . Yours is the first explanation that indicates there may have been a number of factors contributing to the tragedy. I now have peace of mind about swimming when I come next year but as usual I will be very alert to the sea and any warnings from the locals . I send my regards to the family for their loss .

ST T/B Lifesaver, we had exactly the type of rope and float about which you were speaking at the beach in front of Rainbow Tree. It has been stolen. We are now replacing it.

Even if it does not get stolen again, there needs to be someone there to throw it to a swimmer who is in trouble. That means that a swimmer should never go out alone, and if there are multiple swimmers in a group at least one person needs to stay on the beach watching the others in the group and be prepared to accurately and quickly throw the rope with the float.

I put out three different ropes and rings at the beach front of three different villas and all three went missing within two days.

"IT's JAMAICA"
ONE LOVE !!
Mike