The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune News Editor

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

A GRASSROOTS coalition in the Exumas is calling on the Bahamian government to urgently crack down on reckless boating, citing a surge in dangerous incidents tied to the explosion of boat traffic around popular tourist attractions like the Swimming Pigs.

The Save Exuma Alliance (SEA) issued a sharp warning this week following a July 1 incident in which a man snorkelling just 20 feet from shore was struck by a speeding 20-foot Boston Whaler. The boat did not stop, but authorities have since seized the vessel and detained two suspects.

“We cannot stand by and allow reckless boaters, many of whom don’t know how to read the waters of The Bahamas and particularly the shallow banks of the Exumas to carry on as if they were on the I-95 speedway,” SEA said in a statement.

The victim, who sustained life-changing injuries, was rescued by bystanders and transported by truck to a local clinic before being airlifted to a hospital in the US.

This latest case, which drew international attention on CBS, is part of a troubling pattern. SEA says the rapid rise in tourism to the Exuma Cays, sparked in large part by the global fascination with the swimming pigs, has brought “literally dozens of boats” racing through areas clearly marked with No Wake signs and teeming with swimmers.

“They visit the sandbars, Thunderball Grotto, the Swimming Pigs at Big Majors, and often have their lunch at Blackpoint or Staniel Cay,” the group said. “But while there have been economic benefits, there are too many cases of captains operating at fast speeds very close to shorelines and right through anchorages.”

According to SEA, the dangerous boating practices have already led to multiple serious accidents. In March 2024, a US woman was killed and her husband critically injured when their dinghy was run over near Staniel Cay. A January 2023 crash near Pelican Point left eight people injured.

“These boats can run over 40 feet in length, powered by three or four outboard engines and carrying over 30 passengers,” the group noted. “They’ve been seen flying through the small cuts at Fowl Cay Resort and Little Sampson Cay, even though both places have No Wake signs clearly posted.”

SEA, whose members include major resorts and tour operators such as Staniel Cay Yacht Club, Embrace Resort, and Makers Air, is urging the government to act. “It is time to take the issue of boat safety far more seriously,” the statement read.

They propose enforcing mandatory boating tests, deploying community patrols, and installing more signage to ensure boats stay at least 200 feet from shore unless travelling at under 5 knots.

“We insist that every driver of a vehicle on the road take lessons and pass a very challenging test before they are licensed,” the group said. “Yet we allow people to hop in a boat and do whatever they want. This must stop.”