There were fewer visitors to Maracas Beach than usual yesterday but lifeguards on duty did not know if it was related to the shark attack at Courland Bay, Tobago.
Lifeguard Kevin Quintero described the mood on the beach as quiet for a Friday.
“With regards to the incident that took place in Tobago, I don’t know if that caused a spark or raised an alarm but people kinda kept away,” he said, noting that at 2.45 pm, the crowd was less than they were accustomed to seeing.
Looking out at the handful of beach-goers he said it was highly unlikely that a similar incident could happen at beaches on the north coast.
“Seeing that Tobago is our neighbouring country and we are so close, we still have to keep our eyes open and tell bathers to be careful when you come to the beach, so look out for any unusual fins or anything as you never know what could happen,” he said
Jeremy Jugmohan and his family, who only returned from a five-day vacation in Tobago on Thursday, took the opportunity to soak up the hot sun and cool waters at Maracas Beach. He was horrified after hearing about the attack and sympathised with the victim
Jugmohan urged visitors to exercise extreme caution.
“Enjoy the beaches in Trinidad, enjoy the beaches in Tobago but be vigilant, be observant of your surroundings. Try and go in pairs at least if you are going into the waters,” he advised.