Letter from Enimerosi reader: “Show some respect for bathers”
letter
26 Jul 2022
/ 22:41
CORFU. “According to the regulation, vessels should approach the shore at low speed and their drivers must respect bathers and act in such a way so as not to cause any accident.”
Unfortunately, respect for our fellow human is often forgotten for the sake of mass tourism. The Enimerosi reader reported one of the many similar daily incidents on the island's beaches. As she describes, the incident took place in an isolated and pristine beach, when a tourist boat approached and dropped anchor among the bathers and, when people complained, he was ironic.
The reader’s letter:
“According to the regulation, vessels are not allowed to sail close to the shore, but they are allowed to approach the shore at low speed, while the drivers must respect bathers and act in such a way so as not to cause any accident.
The anchor and the mooring ropes should not come out on the beach, the engine should be in a proper position so as not to injure any bather with the propeller, there should be proper signage etc.
It would also be better if the vessels moored at the end of the beach or near the rocks, so as not to block the bathers' view of the sea.
With this in mind, I would like to report that last Sunday my friends and I chose to visit an extremely inaccessible beach.
This is because we wanted to swim in a pristine beach that has not (yet) been invaded by people who want to make money without respecting the nature and those who respect it.
When we arrived, we were quite tired but happy that we made it down the trail, but then the gentleman of the photo appeared.
He drove one of the many well known boats that take tourists to deserted beaches (for extremely high amounts of money and of course without receipt) so that they can also swim in these waters like we did.
So the gentleman chose, for as long as his customers wanted to swim, to moor the boat in the middle of the beach on the shore right in front of our feet.
We looked at each other thinking he would leave them and go further in to wait for them, but he didn't move. He just stayed there, in front of us having, smoking and dropping anchor.
When we asked him politely to just go to the end of the beach like other drivers, he replied “I can't” and continued with ironic gestures without moving his boat from in front of us. Just look how many people are swimming around the boat...
Such incidents have happened too many times on our island and it's a shame because it shows how some people's lack of education and respect disturbs the peace of those who just want to get a little closer to nature.
To anyone reading this, please react to such behaviour.
Boats are prohibited from dropping anchor among bathers near the shore.
Since respect is not given for some people, let us enforce it.”
The reader’s letter:
“According to the regulation, vessels are not allowed to sail close to the shore, but they are allowed to approach the shore at low speed, while the drivers must respect bathers and act in such a way so as not to cause any accident.
The anchor and the mooring ropes should not come out on the beach, the engine should be in a proper position so as not to injure any bather with the propeller, there should be proper signage etc.
It would also be better if the vessels moored at the end of the beach or near the rocks, so as not to block the bathers' view of the sea.
With this in mind, I would like to report that last Sunday my friends and I chose to visit an extremely inaccessible beach.
This is because we wanted to swim in a pristine beach that has not (yet) been invaded by people who want to make money without respecting the nature and those who respect it.
When we arrived, we were quite tired but happy that we made it down the trail, but then the gentleman of the photo appeared.
He drove one of the many well known boats that take tourists to deserted beaches (for extremely high amounts of money and of course without receipt) so that they can also swim in these waters like we did.
So the gentleman chose, for as long as his customers wanted to swim, to moor the boat in the middle of the beach on the shore right in front of our feet.
We looked at each other thinking he would leave them and go further in to wait for them, but he didn't move. He just stayed there, in front of us having, smoking and dropping anchor.
When we asked him politely to just go to the end of the beach like other drivers, he replied “I can't” and continued with ironic gestures without moving his boat from in front of us. Just look how many people are swimming around the boat...
Such incidents have happened too many times on our island and it's a shame because it shows how some people's lack of education and respect disturbs the peace of those who just want to get a little closer to nature.
To anyone reading this, please react to such behaviour.
Boats are prohibited from dropping anchor among bathers near the shore.
Since respect is not given for some people, let us enforce it.”
