By KARL E CUPID Tobago Bureau Friday, March 21 2008

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ROUGH SEA: Waves pound the surf at Store Bay in Tobago yesterday as lifeguards reported 18- foot high waves....

FEROCIOUS 18-foot waves pounded the beach at Store Bay in Crown Point, Tobago late yesterday afternoon while awestruck visitors and locals looked on at nature’s fury. The popular beach was completely deserted as all bathing was restricted on instruction of Tobago Lifeguard Supervisor Michael Baker.

In fact, Baker yesterday warned all visitors and locals to stay away from beaches on the sister isle for the weekend. “I am strongly advising visitors who have come to enjoy the clean, green, safe and serene ambience of Tobago to stay away from beaches for the next 48 to 72 hours unless otherwise advised,” Baker said.

The situation at Store Bay was really turbulent in keeping with the rough seas warning bulletin issued late Tuesday by the TT Meteorological Office. Baker alluded to the ferocity of the undertow current, pointing out that several of the markers (buoys) to which boats are moored some 80 to 100 feet from the shoreline had actually washed ashore. “Imagine that, those markers are anchored by large heavy slabs of concrete, yet they have berthed on shore; that just tells you the awesome strength of that undertow current.”

However, the threat of rough seas did not deter fishermen on Tobago’s north coast from venturing out early yesterday, Holy Thursday, and returning with bountiful catches. But their stay in the deep was shorter than normal as the seas began “acting up” at about midday.

“It started to get a little bit high but not really rough, nevertheless the fish was really biting and with the large amount we had already caught, we decided to play it safe and come in earlier,” a fisherman in Charlotteville said.

This was more or less the pattern in other fishing districts along Tobago’s northern coastline which, by early yesterday afternoon, was being pounded by fair-sized waves. The boat moorings in these areas, usually very close to the shoreline, were relocated further out to sea as fishermen and other craft operators went into “full alert” mode in preparation for the possibility of unusually rough seas and high waves as outlined in the warning bulletin. NEMA Tobago PRO Alex Browne said fishermen, pleasure craft operators, lifeguards and people in general, particularly sea bathers, were being advised of the possible dangers and urged to exercise caution. Most importantly, he, too, warned they must follow the directives of emergency personnel.