ABU DHABI // Reckless jetskiers are continuing to harass residents and swimmers in Al Raha, despite a public outcry at such misbehaviour last month.
Residents of Al Muneera and Al Zeina residences in Abu Dhabi are furious that noisy jetskiers continue to ignore the rules.
They say the riders heckle young girls, encouraging them to get on their jet skis and ride with them.
European expatriate E J said she was worried about the behaviour she witnessed on Thursday evening at the beach.
“The jetskiers approached the beach, even crossing the floating ropes and buoys that protect the swimmers, and began talking to two teenage boys and two teenage girls.
“My husband went over to tell them to move away from the beach but was alarmed to hear they were trying to persuade the young teenagers to go on rides with them,” the Al Muneera resident said.
One boy agreed to go for a ride. E J’s husband then told the other teenagers that they should not accept jet ski rides from strangers.
A boat later crossed the ropes and the passengers started shouting at two other teenage girls next to the couple to go on the boat with them. The girls ignored them, E J said.
“But when we shouted to them to move away from the beach they started signalling to me to go and join them. I was disgusted and my husband was unhappy.
“They showed complete disrespect for a woman with her husband, which is not something I expect here,” she said.
“This is not the first time we have seen them heckling young girls on the beach, but it is the first time we have seen them be so bold.”
The use of jet skis is prohibited on several stretches of water including Al Raha beach area, Al Maqta opposite Zayed Sports City, Abu Dhabi Corniche, Al Bateen area and North Saadiyat Island.
Department of Transport (DoT) rules state that personal watercraft can be operated “not less than 500 feet from the beach” and up to “a maximum of one nautical mile in length from the starting point”.
Resident Elizabeth Smith said that since a report was published in The National last month, the jetskiers had turned very antagonistic towards Al Muneera residents.
“At the weekend we came out on the balcony because we heard a man shouting. It turned out to be a resident who was yelling at two of them coming up the canal. He was shouting ‘No, you’re not allowed here’,” the British woman said.
“Later the coastguard showed up, but of course they had gone by then.
“We are thinking that this isn’t just a maritime matter, the police really should be involved because it is harassment. They (jet skiers) deliberately try to soak people on the walkways,” Ms Smith said.
They leave the jet skis on the beach, then pick up food and drink to take to their boat, she said.
In accordance with DoT rules, jet skis should remain 60 metres away from moored vessels and 200 metres from the shore.
For residents, it has become a daily occurrence with peaks at the weekend. Usually the jetskiers arrive between 5pm and 7.30pm.
Resident J L said that the jet skiers had engaged in dangerous operations such as high-speed passes and intentionally splashing pedestrians, including women, children, and babies in strollers.
As a result no one is kayaking or paddleboarding during those time frames, the American said.
“They even stop to film their surroundings on cell phones before returning to their raids.
“The overall effect is to severely degrade the residential experience here as well as present a dangerous environment for anyone using the canals.”
anwar@thenational.ae
