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I've never liked the idea of catching a local water taxi on the backside and can't imagine many tourists will.


A fish and a bird can fall in love, but where will they build their nest?

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Originally Posted by seashell
I've never liked the idea of catching a local water taxi on the backside and can't imagine many tourists will.


Absolutely not.

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If that's where they go from that's your lot.

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I believe it may result in fewer tourists taking the water taxi to places like Caye Caulker. Of course, you are right Phil, if there's no choice then that's that. But if there's still one taxi able to work the front side . . .well, that will be my choice. smile


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Originally Posted by Phil
If that's where they go from that's your lot.


Yep...let's make 'em use it based on compliance/force rather than finding out what they want and then giving it to them. Makes a lot of great business sense...as usual.

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Access-channel depth aside (and that is a big item to put aside, for sure) -------

As a customer, a resident, and a NEMO volunteer, I am all in favour of the concept of our major water-taxi terminal being in the back. I'll list a few reasons below:
1. Calmer water means easier docking, less damage to boats.
2. Easier as a customer to see that one particular boat is overloaded (which they can shamelessly be) and easily go over to the "competition" to check out options for a safer ride on the next boat out.
As it is now, you can't easily do that, and the taxi operators know it. This is one reason they don't want to dock in the same place.
3. Customs, immigration and police have one port of entry to monitor, making it more efficient for all concerned.
4. A while back, there was big push from a sector of the community to limit the number/congestion of docks in the front of the town. This lagoon-side water taxi terminal would take the pressure off, and allow us to develop a beach in front rather than just a harbour. Further, despite channel depth issue, the water in the terminal itself is sufficiently deep that one doesn't need 200 feet of dock to moor a boat. This is less debris in a storm, less cost to maintain. Remember the collapsing docks in Caye Caulker?
5. In times of evacuation the present water-taxi loading system is a totally chaotic mess. No other way to describe it. Dangerous, disorganized, prone to panic and meltdowns. One point of departure allows for manifests (so you know the evacuation destination of your kin) of evacuees, oversight of crowds, and can prevent overloading. The water in the front is 90% more likely to be rough than in back, and when it is very rough as it will be with an impending storm, just getting onto a boat is a dangerous exercise. Safer in back by a long shot.
6. Traffic congestion/taxis - the front street congestion when a water taxi arrives is ridiculous. The area in back appears a lot more user-friendly in this regard, and it would also free up parking space for residents and tourist golf carts on Front Street.

The water taxis serve some tourists, but mostly they are public transport. As they are now operating, it is very difficult for authorities to oversee these vessels and to maintain minimum standards for passenger safety. And IMHO, the fewer "buses" we have running up and down the front of the island, the safer those waters will be for kayakers, swimmers, windsurfers .....



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Originally Posted by seashell
I've never liked the idea of catching a local water taxi on the backside and can't imagine many tourists will.


I beg to differ.......most people could care less. I've done it both ways as have many others I know.


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I hear you Diane. smile

Klcman, but you are special.


A fish and a bird can fall in love, but where will they build their nest?

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As an aside - yesterday San Pedro-Belize Express rammed into coral on its early AM run from San Pedro to BC. It hit Coral Gardens, which is the outer "front route" leading to Caye Caulker. This was not a small event - check news reports for details - boat was damaged, rescue was required. It is reported that the boat's compass was not working. It was also traveling the "outer" route from SP to CC, which is the riskier one and the natural one to take if a boat leaves from San Pedro's front docks. There is a broader passage coming off the southern tip of the island,aiming at the southern tip of CC.
I've generally had a nice experience with SP-B Express but have had a couple of scary moments with them as well - nobody and no organization is perfect and that is why we have public transport standards - and why one central terminal (knowingly beating dead horse here) would facilitate enhanced efforts at enforcing these standards. The public deserves better than an overloaded boat with no compass - 30 minutes in a sinking boat without staff taking charge of safety and evacuation?! Not good, not good at all.


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It is not as if Coral Gardens hasn't been there for a few years! Scary!

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