How safe are our beach

By Philip MwakioThe Kenyan Coast is famed for its glorious weather, attractive white sandy beaches and a variety of attraction sites. The beaches are a daily crowd puller with both locals and tourists on holiday who desire to sample its attractions and bask in the hot sun. Occasionally, they take a plunge in the clear blue waters.Apart from swimming and basking, beachgoers also enjoy snorkelling, wind surfing, sail boat rides, underwater coral garden rides aboard glass bottomed boats and deep-sea fishing. Camel and horse rides have also become a major attraction along the beaches.Of late, however, the safety of beach users has come under sharp focus from stakeholders in the multi-billion-dollar tourism industry. The blame game and finger pointing accuses the Government of not implementing urgent measures to ensure all beaches along the Kenyan coastline are safe. Security monitoring tower at Jomo Kenyatta public beach in Mombasa. Photos: Omondi Onyango and Courtesy/StandardMombasa’s hotelier and chairman of the Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers, Coast branch, Titus Kangangi, is rooting for a complete shift in security measures if Kenyan beaches are to be made safer and acceptable to all beach users.According to Kangangi, the recent tragic incident where two British tourists on holiday at the Coast died after a boat accident could have been prevented if proper safety and rescue mechanisms were in place.Failed engineIn the incident, a group of eight tourists, all students from Coventry University in the UK, hired a fishing boat for what was a routine fishing expedition off the Mombasa Marine Park. The engine of the boat failed as it entered the high waters leading it to drift before it tilted to one side and capsized. A female student aboard the ill-fated boat drowned before help could arrive. Though the male student was rescued, he later succumbed in hospital two days later. "It is clear there were no safety devices onboard and that the boat lacked adequate communication gear with which the guide could use to send a distress call," Kangangi, who is also the General Manager of Sunrise Beach Resort, says.Habib Hakeem, the Managing Director of Peake/Luna Water Sports (the largest water sports firm in Mombasa) echoes his sentiments. He is quick to apportion blame to the various Government agencies, particularly Kenya Maritime Authority and the Kenya Wildlife Services (marine department) who are mandated to ensure safety at the beaches.Cheap excursionsBut Arthur Tuda, the Kenya Wildlife Service warden-in-charge of the Mombasa Marine Park, says they ensure all boats operating in the ocean waters for the purpose of excursions are certified and seaworthy. Hakeem, however, argues that the latest boat incident was as a result of laxity on the side of Government agencies. He also decried the tendency by some tourists and locals to seek cheap excursions, which are often not insured.Peake/Luna Water Sports instructors line up jet skiing boats before sailing at Travelers Beach in Mombasa."All vessels that carry tourists to either marine parks or for leisure sports must strictly adhere to safety standards and undergo regular checks," says Hakeem. "Sadly, this is not often the case. Cheap is expensive in the long run. Reputable water sports firms have at their disposal well trained crew and communication gear that includes a shoreline base. They also carry first aid kits on board," he addsAt the Peake/Luna Water Sports based at Travellers Beach Hotel in Mombasa, all swimmers are qualified and trained in first aid."We conduct regular checks on the equipment and fleets that are in our possession to ensure they are seaworthy," says Hakeem. "Beachgoers and guides must also adhere to safety tips and guidelines. Most importantly, one should be sober when going into the water. Alcohol has been found to be one of the main causes of drowning as it completely interferes with a person’s thinking and concentration. In many parts of the world, beach authorities prohibit alcohol drinking."Cases of drowningAt the Jomo Kenyatta beach, the largest public beach in Mombasa, an estimated 10,000 people flock there especially during holidays. There were many cases of people drowning at this beach until recently when a group of beach operators, whose occupation is to lease out inflated car tyre tubes, got together last year in July and formed the Jomo Kenyatta Public Beach Life Guard and Beach Watch team."Before we started, there were incidences of drowning at the public beach and we decided we wanted to do something about it," says Frank Menza, the group’s captain. His team is compromised of seven volunteers who work at the beach. They all have been trained on first aid and life saving techniques by a UK-based organisation, Crisis Respond Development Foundation. "Apart from drowning cases, beach revellers also get injured when they step on sharp corals and suffer sting bites from sea urchins," says Menza. "There are also cases of harassment while in the water, which we equally attend to." Kenya Commercial Bank came to the group’s aid and helped them set up two watchtowers along the beach, which help in surveillance."We still need more equipment like speed boats and communication gear to make our work easier," says Menza. While on their routine watch, the group keeps track of single swimmers, whom Menza says are at high risk of drowning. They also advice on when it is safe to swim.Coloured flags"Some of our group members mingle with the swimmers all day long and this has really helped to quickly respond to any eventualities, particularly, cries of help" he adds. "Normally, shouts from a drowning person tend to be weaker hence the need to always be on the look out."Coloured flags are used to warn beach users and alert them to when it is safe to venture into the seawaters. A red flag indicates the tide is low hence swimming is not safe. A green flag means it is safe to swim. A combination of red and yellow flags hoisted together announces that lifeguards are on duty. At exactly 6pm daily, the lifeguard on duty blows the whistle to mark the end of the day’s swimming and the team start ordering people out of the water.

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