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Accra Beach

Barbadians over the years would have heard references in the news to people being drowned or encountering difficulty with unusual and unexpected currents at the Accra Beach in Christ Church. Our recollection is the unfortunate victims have been mainly visitors to the island. There is no empirical information source that we are aware of which can be accessed to clarify the growing concern, Accra Beach maybe taking too many lifes.  There is rising anecdotal evidence to suggest that the authorities should start to investigate the matter.

Recently in the local press we have read of more mishaps at Accra Beach which has prompted BU family member Carson Cadogan to ask: Can Barbadians get statistics for the number of people who drowned at Accra Beach over the last two years or so? I believe that Accra Beach is the most dangerous beach in Barbados judging from the number of drownings that I can remember at that stretch of beach.

One observation which may give some meat to the concern is the fact that Accra is a beach more popular with visitors. A rule of thumb used by the BU household  when frequenting local beaches over the years has been to visit those beaches where locals are inclined to go  e.g. Folkstone, Pebbles, Enterprise etc. BU joins with Brother Carson and others who are concerned about the perceived Accra Beach mystery. Is this concern being investigated, and if it is not being investigated, why not?

On a related note we take this opportunity to highlight an additional concern. Visitors to the Accra Beach have complained about an open gutter which divides the beach area. We are not sure why the authorities would approve of an open drainage system at Accra Beach but it has existed for several years under different governments. There is also a large tree adjacent to Cheffette Restaurant where garbage is usually strewn for all to see. Barbadians should be more conscious of how we treat the environment but we maybe fighting a losing battle on that front, it does not prevent the NCC staff from ensuring the beach area remains clean especially given its high public profile.

Why are we allowing our beautiful little country to succumb and descend to unacceptable standards?

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45 responses to “The Accra Beach Mystery”

  1. Tourism Monkey Avatar
    Tourism Monkey

    I think that too much may be read into this.

    From the look of it, Accra beach plays host to hundreds (or possibly a couple thousand) people daily.

    Added to that is the fact that the beach is not as expansive as say, Carlisle Bay and furthermore does still get wave action time and again.

    I think it’s just a matter of statistics. The probability of someone drowning there may be higher simply because there are more people in a concentrated area that does have currents.

  2. Sargeant Avatar
    Sargeant

    On the issue of the number of drownings I would say there is no mystery. The number is in correlation to the number of people who use the beach hence a large percentage of “swimmers” at a particular beach then the percentage of those who drown will seem to be high when compared to other beaches. In the instances of middle age people dying some people may have succumbed to heart attacks while in the water and the assumption is made that they drowned ( as usually reported in the newspapers) while death may be due to other circumstances.

    You have however missed the real reason why many Bajans die at Accra: Simply put many cannot swim; Bajans go to the beach to frolic in the water so when they venture to an area where they are unable to stand without the water going over their heads panic ensues and accidental death results. Does anyone know the percentage of beach going Bajans who are able to swim?

  3. CENTIPEDE Avatar
    CENTIPEDE

    As a person who has spent their whole life in the sea, there is something I can tell you which, I believe, is a major cause of drowning – if not the THE major cause.

    There are areas where waves come in – and then (guess what) – the water hits the beach and then has to go back out. In doing so, a ‘rip current’ is formed. This rip current will dissipate ‘out to sea’ maybe a 100 yards or thereabouts.

    What happens: especially with people who are not good swimmers — they ‘panic’ and try to swim against the current — they get tired, flounder, – and drown.

    All a person has to do when caught in a ‘rip current’ is … GO WITH THE FLOW. The current will take you a little way out, – then stop. Then all you have to do is gently swim in, a little further along the beach.

    I am speaking here from knowledge gained from personal experience. Any lifeguard who knows his stuff, will endorse this.

  4. David Avatar
    David

    @Sargeant

    The point raised in the blog is the high number of visitors who encounter difficulty at Accra, not Bajans.

  5. Sargeant Avatar
    Sargeant

    @David

    There were two points raised in the blog a) The number of drownings and b) an issue of environmental concern. As someone who had friends die at Accra I chose to address it from that perspective.

  6. Wright B.Astard Avatar
    Wright B.Astard

    This I heard form an old guy years ago who used to live the the area. I thought that it was ridiculous, but nevertherless…here is his account.
    The beach area of Accra/Rockley now under water ,years ago was land and many houses, “On Sea” hotels and bay houses had suck wells located in this area.At certain times nowadays these old suck wells, now underwater become active,and may be contributing to the frequent difficulties that swimmers get into on that stretch of beach.

  7. Yardbroom Avatar
    Yardbroom

    I have bathed at Accra beach when the Hotel was a single floor building, with wide steps leading up to reception perhaps over fifty years ago. It is a nice beach “but” even in those days we were warned never to go far out to sea.

    I am sometimes alarmed to see strangers swimming some distance from the shore…caution should be the watchword there.

  8. David Avatar
    David

    All Brother Carson seems to be asking is whether the relevant authorities have investigated the matter.

  9. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    From the time I was a boy growing up nearby, everyone KNEW that Accra Beach was potentially dangerous, because of the rough waves that are experienced there, in addition to a rip current.

  10. Sir Bentwood Dick Avatar
    Sir Bentwood Dick

    i also add my two cents that evry sence, Accra beach was known to be dangerous.

    I remember my father telling me that he was almost drowned there, in his youth, saved by another older gentleman.

    Around when i was five, a few decades ago, my father used to take us there, and remember myself being send rollicking underwater by one particular wave, henceforth treated the sea with great respect, guess that was my lesson.

    Since the, always have known the Accra to be ‘marked’.

    Remember, the first thing you do when arriving is check the water. How level, how high, whether churning, frequency of waves etc.

    Also, immediately you get in, try to feel the strength of the backtow.

    As another noted above, rip current anywhere can be nasty.

    Accra is not the most dangerous beach by far.

    Crane, Paynes Bay, Foul Bay, Bathsheba, Long Beach are more ‘dangerous’ per se, due to the level of water and to tides.

    Only an idiot would swim at Cattlewash, some people being pulled in even while only walking on the edge, one young man died about twenty years ago like this.

    But, the sea is as dangerous as you make it. Do not get into m ore water you can handle, do not do stupidity in the sea (pranks) and do not skylark (show-off).

    One can drown in two inches of water however. Have you ever been rolled in two or three feet of water by heavy seas and a current, I have. Bang your head on a rock in that and you have trouble.

    I agree, that many visitng do not understand the sea. My and mine have warned several visitors at various times, on the sea status at the time, but one a couple of occasions, were ignored.

    On two occasions, after the warning, same visitors got into some difficulty.

    One set managed to get themselves out.

    Another set had to be rescued out.

    I have even been at the sea, seen people I know could not possibly understand the sea, based on their meanderings into the water and have myself left, not wanting to be part of idiocy as to how far they go out, further than I.

    Basic rule, understand the sea, pay attention.

    Even then, accidents happen.

  11. Carson C. Cadogan Avatar
    Carson C. Cadogan

    A couple of months ago one of our Guests, an airline pilot drowned on Accra Beach, about a week prior that another visitor drowned while bathing there as well. Then there is the tragedy of those two young guys losing their lives. That makes four drownings at Accra Beach for the year so far that I know of.

    We are warning our Guests to be very careful while using the beach. In spite of the fact that the beach is always full of people caution must be exercised. Last year there were a number of drownings and the year before that.

    I must also mention the fact that lots of people get into difficulties while bathing at Accra Beach and have to be rescued by others bathers.

    As mentioned on this blog a lot of the drownings are visitors maybe that is the reason why the situation is not being given more scrutiny.

    I have been working in that area for the past twelve years now and the drowings there at Accra Beach are very worring to me.

    Another thing that puzzles me, Why do some of the bodies of people who drown at Accra Beach end up in the water just outside Kentucky Fried Chicken Hastings outlet the following day or days later?

  12. queenam Avatar
    queenam

    @ CENTIPEDE // June 21, 2009 at 11:15 am

    Accra beach has under currents and they are very unpredictable – so yes it is dangerous but YOU CANNOT go with the flow as many believe – this could carry you out too far. What someone caught in this situation should do is try to swim sideways (horizontally) out of the current. However when people panic, their natural instinct is to swim against it or go with the flow which in most instances will cause drowning if you are not a good swimmer.

  13. Partly bajan girl Avatar
    Partly bajan girl

    As a snorcler and diver, I have spent a lot of time in the outer rim of Accra/Rockley beach/sea.
    I also watch the tourists, and what I see, is drunk people often go in the sea for a dip after a long time in sun.
    Alcohol and swimming doesnt combine!
    Another thing is the currents that came appear very suddenly a little bit away from the beach.
    And another thing is the many tough,local beachbums on waterjets, driving very close to some snorklers and swimmers.
    This is something that should be observed carefully,because i have seen many potential very hazardous situations.
    There are more far out in the sea there holes with a lot cooler water coming through. maybe people get problems in them too?

  14. Carson C. Cadogan Avatar
    Carson C. Cadogan

    Wright B.Astard

    “This I heard form an old guy years ago who used to live the the area. I thought that it was ridiculous,……..”

    The old Gents explanation may not be ridiculous at all.

  15. Partly bajan girl Avatar
    Partly bajan girl

    Quote from an anynomous life-guard in Barbados Advocate about the incident with the two students drowning;

    “We always try our best to advise persons using the sea on areas that
    are not safe to bathe. However, at the end of the day we can only do so much; the final decision is still left up to that person,” he stated.

    When asked about the day that the incident occurred, which resulted in the death of Seale and Alleyne, he outlined that there was an “extremely strong north-west current” prevailing in the area that day which caused the sea to be quite treacherous.

  16. tourist Avatar
    tourist

    the life guards up there should try and watch the water more instead of trying to chat up every young girl who passing there.I use to frequent up there very often and have always seen most of the time those life guards doing their own thing.I was there a day when someone drowned as well and all the life guards were up in theier hut,so by he time they got down and to the other end of the beach behind the hotel they guy had vanished.They should try and space out the life guards at 3 different spots there,instead of them up in the hut all d time in one spot

  17. Carson C. Cadogan Avatar
    Carson C. Cadogan

    Tourist

    I am in complete agreement with you.

    About half an hour ago I was on the Accra Beach and all the life guards were in the hut cooling out. Even though the surf is a bit rough today.

  18. Save Mullins Bay Avatar
    Save Mullins Bay

    Any investigation of the safety of the beach at Rockley/Accra must take into consideration the man-made submerged offshore barrier which was installed there to help control beach erosion. Someone in this thread has already mentioned the under currents in the area. Jetties, groynes and other structures in the water such as this barrier do produce strong currents as the waves break around them and seek exit back to the ocean. This is yet another reason why we are holding our breath here in the Road View/Mullins area where three groynes have been installed on a beach with an already well known poor water safety record.

    Meanwhile, for what it is worth, the Ministry of Tourism and the Coastal Zone Management Unit are inviting Bajans and other interested persons to come for a sundown beach walk this coming Saturday highlighting beach erosion in our area – http://shar.es/siMz -. After seeing what the sea is capable of on land you probably will also wonder about the forces at work in the water itself.

  19. David Avatar
    David

    Were Environmental Impact Studies done in the case of Mullins and Accra Beach to determine the outcome being discussed?

  20. Micah Avatar
    Micah

    Thank you for this article and comments. I myself had been concerned about the most recent drownings of those two young men, and what were the factors involved. I had wondered if it was that it was an unusual and unfortunate event, or whether Accra Beach was in fact dangerous and a public safety concern.

  21. The Oracle Avatar
    The Oracle

    @David

    I cannot speak for Accra but that was a government project so supposedly some environmental studies were done. In the case of Mullins that depends on who you listen to and when and where you listen to them. Officially, CZMU claims they are in possession of studies which they approved. Unofficially, they say no exhaustive studies were done and that they were overruled by the political oversight. There are anecdotal stories in the local area which claim that the condos were built so close to the water that when they were excavating the foundations they could not find a firm footing so they had to dig deeper than planned. The question then became what were they going to do with all of the sand. Somebody (apparently who worked on the Port St. Charles project) came up with the brilliant idea of widening what little beach was left with groynes and the fill.

  22. David Avatar
    David

    @ The Oracle

    Does it not strike you as odd that there would be work done on our coastline which is integral to our tourism product and detailed studies are not immediately known to be available that would guide how this important work would have been required to be done? That’s like owning an expensive motor car and happy to ignore the manufacturers manual.

  23. The Oracle Avatar
    The Oracle

    @ David

    This is why it should also be enshrined somewhere (if it isn’t already) and solemnly adhered to that the public must be consulted on all environmentally sensitive and economically critical infrastructural changes. People should not have to wake up one morning to find their neighbour putting down groynes, as happened in Mullins, and when they called the relevant government authority to find out what was going on only to be told that “the matter is out of our hands.” That’s like starting the car, putting it in gear and hopping out of the driver’s seat.

  24. iWatchya Avatar
    iWatchya

    Remember that in-depth studies cost large sums of money that small island states have to agonise as to whether they can afford it.

    Maybe it is time for the government to have another good look at the costs involved in a full coastal study involving fluid dynamics, attrition and morphology.

    Once the CZMU have a working software and computer model in place, they can apply the necessary “tweaking” to analyse the impact of further man-made structures.

    It’s possible that a partnership could be made between McGill university and UWI. Doctorate studies could be funded by the government to produce the necessary data.

  25. The Oracle Avatar
    The Oracle

    In the case of Road View/Mullins those modeling studies could not cost as much as the half million dollars reported in the press – http://www.nationnews.com/news/local/-great-house-spending-nuff-to-keep-beach-copy-for-web – which just one property owner, only one hundred yards from the groynes is spending to repair the damage they have sustained and guard against future storms. And, that figure does not take into account what other neighbours are also spending, nor the loss of the beach amenity to the local economy – not even to mention the costs to the environment. Even the best modeling studies where actual scale models of the coastline are built and tested, as was the case with the south coast boardwalk and Port St. Charles, are flawed (as the CZMU are only too quick to point out) because you cannot scale model sand. So we have the mathematical studies (if any were done), but, IMHO, it should not have taken more than being half-awake in high school geography class to know those groynes would have been the disaster they have now turned out to be. This is a crying environmental shame on our government. I would really like to hear what they are going to be telling people is the cause on the beach walk this weekend. Oh wait, let me guess – Gullible, oops, Global Warming.

  26. Bonny Peppa Avatar
    Bonny Peppa

    My heartfelt condolences are extended to the families of these two young men; gone too soon. I know your pain cause I too had to deal with a family tragedy a few months ago and at times I feel as though God has turned his back on me. But I’m trying. Haven’t given up yet. Some days are better than some and others are spent just crying and reminiscing but time is a great healer, they say.
    R.I. P

  27. Hopi Avatar
    Hopi

    @Bonny Peppa…my dear. Glad to know that you are still pressing on. Remember what ‘GOD’ is, so stop beating up yourself. Take this tragedy and grow with it Bonny.

    Amon Ra! Hotep!

  28. Save Mullins Bay Avatar
    Save Mullins Bay

    CZMU & Min. of Tourism “Tourism Environmental Awareness” Beach Walk 6/27/09 – http://shar.es/tewM – #Barbados #environment

  29. Marching To The Beat Of The Drum « Barbados Underground

    […] our coastland especially is not legitimate, we recommend reading two comments posted by The Oracle (1,2) on the Accra Beach […]

  30. partly bajan girl Avatar
    partly bajan girl

    Hopi // June 23, 2009 at 10:53 pm
    “Amon Ra! Hotep!”
    ””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””
    Here a little clip from wikipedia about the greating “Hotep”:

    “” In Afrocentrism
    Several modern circles of Kemetic Reconstructionism belief, from Afrocentrism and Nuwaubu to Kemetic Orthodoxy, used the term hotep (or em hotep) as a greeting meaning “peace” or “in peace”. [6][7]

    In the Ausarian tradition Hetep meant peace, but not just saying peace but sending peaceful energy. Hetep is also found in greeting phrases like Hetep Sesh (Peace to you teacher – hello teacher). Some phrases combine the word Hetep with English words e.g. Hetep and Respect (sending peace and respect to the person).

    Hotep (Hetep) is also used in a call and response by those steeped in Classical African Civilization cosmologics. A Culturally healthy communication might look like this: Hetep (call); Hetepw (response). In ancient Egyptian the word is rendered ḥtpw. Sometimes this greeting has a physical bio-energetic aspect. The call might be accompanied with back of left hand pointing to target (responder) right hand taped against left palm to facilitate sending peaceful energy. This practice is used in some modern Kemetic schools of thought like the Ausar Auset Society.””

    By the way:
    The cult of Amon Ra was started in Nubia by egyptian conguerors in early 12. dynasty, and soon became very popular there.
    Its main centre was Thebe in Egypt.
    Have you been in Thebe, Hopi?

  31. partly bajan girl Avatar
    partly bajan girl

    In black Nubia, Amon Ra was pronounced Amane……

  32. Bonny Peppa Avatar
    Bonny Peppa

    Hopi,
    I’m trying my darling but at times it seems so difficult.

    You’re still my numero uno. Along with Negroman, Scout, J, JC, Dr.Porgie even C.C.Cadogan etc.

  33. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    Bonny honey

    Glad to hear that the old girl still perking!

  34. The Scout Avatar
    The Scout

    The area in Road View, St Peter where St. Peter’s Bay is located was a known problem area. I was surprised when I saw the project started. Now all those houses on Sweet Home Gap opposite the project are in danger of flooding even with moderate rainfall. Now the beach is causing problems, these things happen when greed or bighead people just wouldn’t listen. As I see it millions of dollars would have to be spent to rectify the problem and it might involve re-locating some people and construcying a project similar to the one at Accra

  35. JC Avatar
    JC

    Hi Ms. Bonny poo nice reading and knowing you’re alive!

    I pray for you!

    Hopi when I grow up I want to be like you!

  36. Hopi Avatar
    Hopi

    @PBJ……….Thebes —NO….Cult of Amon Ra? Be careful with wiki..

    @JC……I’m touched!

  37. partly bajan girl. Avatar
    partly bajan girl.

    Hopi // June 24, 2009 at 2:27 pm

    @PBJ……….Thebes —NO….Cult of Amon Ra? Be careful with wiki..
    ””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””

    Be a little careful with your afrocentrism too…

  38. Save Mullins Bay Avatar
    Save Mullins Bay

    “Another Road View/Mullins Bay Disaster Picture Lesson” – http://shar.es/vSmX – #Barbados #environment

    about 16 hours ago from ShareThis.com
    savemullinsbay
    Save Mullins Bay

  39. victor Avatar
    victor

    Tourists get drunk then go swimming. Drunk British tourists drown aII the time in the Mediterranian.

  40. Kammie Avatar
    Kammie

    I am the only persons who is concerned that 3 in every persons in Barbados dying from some sort of cancer. Every man jack should read the guest column in Monday November 4th Daily Nation written by Dr Robert Lucas about Sodium Nitrates contents are over 200ppm way over the international standard of 100ppm. Then we have 130 Cell Sites in a 166 sq mile country a damn high penetration and lots of radiation. The human body is 75% water and its electrical so undertand what is happening to atoms in ourt
    body

  41. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Re:Rockley Beach. Doing myfamily tree, my mother says her grandmother, a Carmichael (possibly Caroline) and two of her sons (names unknown) aged 10 and 12 all drowned there together. Caroline died 12 June 1898. Can anybody verify ?

  42. Exclaimer Avatar
    Exclaimer

    One more victim of Accra Beach:
    BBC filmmaker Jay Merriman-Mukoro feared dead in Barbados

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-27172323

  43. David Avatar
    David

    Accra Beach appears to gobble many lives. It would be interesting to look at the drowning statistics of Barbados by location.

  44. pieceuhderockyeahright Avatar
    pieceuhderockyeahright

    @ Tourist

    You said and I quote “the life guards up there should try and watch the water more instead of trying to chat up every young girl who passing there…”

    It is a very say thing but true that these NCC guards, the males beleive themselves to be a gift to womankind and are the “endorsed” gigolos of our beaches instead of doing the work that they are paid to do, walk the Phvcking beach and keep people safe.

    @ Bathers

    “cool down, befo’ you go into the water” my granny used to say.

    As someone who nearly drowned three times, I for one can attest that, when you eat a good meal and then go to the sea, DO NOT GO SWIMMING far from shore. As a matter of fact do not go swimming, wade in the water!!

    Your guts is at that time using a significant part of your energy in trying to digest the food and, even if you dont know it, you may not be able to effect both function and supply the energy required to break down the food in you stomach and supply the rest of the extremities wid de energy required to swim!!!

    Ohhhh and if you did not know this drinking and swimming, like drinking and driving, DO NOT PHVCKING MIX!!

    You are slowed to PHVCK down and while you feel that you are mark Spitz you are more like Boychild under the influence of Alleyne Arthur, no relation to Owen Seethru Arthur other than by way of the amount of rum consumed, and the inebriation that follows.

    But this is an ole man rambling to wunna young peoples dem and wunna gots degrees en ting and real bright….BRASS BOWLS

  45. Steven Avatar
    Steven

    I went swimming at Accra today. I was there for a couple hours having fun. I could sure feel the rip tide and everything was great and then all of a sudden I got caught in a very strong one and it took me out over my head. I started to panic as I’m not a real strong swimmer and I started to do what you should never do and swim straight back to shore and I kept being swept out further. Luckily, I was able to remember to swim sideways out of the current and my day was done. I was exhausted fighting the current.

    I wasn’t aware how dangerous the current was there and that’s what brought me to this site. I surely know now.

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