Senior Multimedia Reporter
radhica.sookraj@guardian.co.tt
Choppy seas caused by the outer bands of Tropical Storm Ernesto prevented two of T&T’s Water Taxis from docking at the Port-of-Spain terminal yesterday morning, before forcing the cancellation of another sailing.
During the voyages between 6 am and 6.30 am, some passengers fell ill and had to be given vomit bags. The ferries—Paria Bullet and Trini Flash—remained at sea for more than an hour before returning to safer waters at the San Fernando Water Taxi terminal.
Speaking to Guardian Media as they arrived at Kings Wharf, San Fernando, several passengers said the experience was unpleasant.
“We stayed on the boat for one hour and ten minutes. People were calm because they kept updating us about the situation. They said we had to bob around until the waters were safe enough to dock. Then they told us we could not dock as it was unsafe, so we headed back to San Fernando,” Aleya Graham said.
Another passenger, Narissa Gregory, added, “I started feeling sick, nauseous. It was an experience—the first time I ever experienced this,” she said.
Natasha Kerr, who was on board the Paria Bullet, said the weather was excellent when they left San Fernando at 6.30 am.
“Midway through the voyage, the water started to get really bad. It got worse when we reached Port-of-Spain. The water was low, and we could see the boat couldn’t dock, so the safest thing was to return to San Fernando,” she said. She added that she was well-equipped with medicine, so the experience was not too unpleasant for her.
Another passenger, Mikela Alexander, expressed gratitude for the wisdom of the ferry captains.
“I am frustrated and tired, exhausted, but I am grateful for the captains. I am grateful we made it back to the south,” she said. Alexander said she prayed fervently for the ferries not to overturn at sea.
Alexandria Ghany of San Fernando also expressed gratitude.
“I want to commend the captain and the crew who prioritised safety,” she said.
Contacted for comment, the chairman of the National Infrastructure Development Company (Nidco), Herbert George, said standard procedures were followed to keep the passengers comfortable.
“The sea state was just too bad, and it was not possible to dock the vessels in Port-of-Spain,” he said.
He noted that docking safety was paramount. “This is standard procedure. The captain is in full control. What the crew and captain did was expected. They had to make the decision to go back,” he said.
Asked whether he would have preferred a different approach, George said, “In the past, before the vessel sets sail, they receive a report of the sea conditions at the docking point. Sometimes, the report might indicate that the sea appears rough, but when they set sail and reach the area to dock, the sea is calm. So they received a report that the seas were calm enough to dock, but during the voyage, things might have gotten worse,” he said.
George assured passengers that safety would always be of paramount concern.
To people who are hesitant about using the water taxi, George said, “We take good care of passengers, but you could encounter rough seas sometimes. I accept that, but for those passengers who choose to sail, they will be taken care of and will never be put in a situation where their lives are in peril,” he added.
