Soil and construction materials dumping at the Tent Reef Beach has been the topic of great concern raised by all the dive business operators on Saba with the island government over the last few months. While such discussions have been kept outside of public debate, the lack of resolve, and the absence of any government response prompted the business operators to share their concerns publicly and to invite the independent review of Coastal Geo-morphologist researcher Dr. Jennifer Rahn. She submitted her assessment report to the island government in early June and recently made the finding publicly available.
In early May, the Saba Dive Operators forwarded a letter to the Executive and Island Council of Saba, formally alerting the officials that in the Tent Bay area, in recent months, “Windward Roads has been using the seashore on the south side of the island to store the excavated materials from the construction area at the harbour,” the letter reads in part. The letter alerts to the threat of storms or swells that could lead to the washing into the sea of the sediments and construction debris which would “smother the already recovering corals and sponges, thus threatening a vital habitat. The unsightly area is now also becoming a new dumping ground with an abandoned vehicle, rugs, debris, etc.”
The letter also reminds that Tent Bay is home to Saba’s popular dive sites, Tent Reef Deep, Tent Reef, Tent Reef Wall and Tedran with water flows into Ladder Bay. The letter stresses the imminent danger of sediment runoff and the tenuous situation of the marine sanctuary it threatens. The man-made environmental stress may endanger the coral habitat and the future of eco-tourism on Saba; 20 per cent of all dives around Saba are on Tent Reef.
The letter, signed by Saba Divers owners Wolfgang and Barbara Tooten, Lynn Costernaro and John Magor of Sea Saba, Cheri and Tony Waterfield of Saba Deep, as well as Clay McCardle of Explorer Ventures, had also been forwarded to Saba Conservation Foundation. Inquiries with the Island Secretary Menno van der Velde, who represents the island government on the board of the Saba Conservation Foundation, have not yet received a response.
Dr. Rahn’s report on the implications of concrete and soil fill being dumped at Tent Reef Beach outlines two main environmental concerns. First, the composition of the soil and road/building materials being dumped, including rebar, pipes and other metals, have very different physical properties compared with the natural landscape’s volcanic rock.
While the landfill is for the most part above the high tide level, 10 percent of sediments, states the report, “will soon be incorporated into the seashore sediment system and eventually reach Tent Reef.”
The report notes that the dumped soil is very loosely compacted and piled high with a steep slope which is unstable and will eventually collapse from increased moisture from rainfall or the undercutting by large waves. The report documents visible fault lines within the dump deposit, with one 3-meter fault line observed in the seaward edge of the dumped soil. The second most worrisome assessment is the major environmental impact of this dumping as the unconsolidated sediments wash into the sea, harming the habitat of the coral reef through major deposits and sediment turbidity.
Source: “The Daily Herald” 2012-08-09
(17)
Out of all I that read on this site, this is the saddest. Don’t let corporations destroy your home. They don’t care; you must! Corporations can surely be stopped from doing wrong. The bigger they are, the harder they fall. Who regulates toxic companies on Saba which has one of the most fragile eco-systems in the world? Don’t expect the companies to regulate themselves.
BLACK-OPS MISSION AT ANY TIME.
This area is one of the best Saba has to over diver’s, it is one of our most unique sites and possibly one of our most fragile.
As of this morning there are 4 or more Frogfish on this site and definitley a great attraction for our visiting divers.
Windward Roads has taken alot from this island, time for them to give back and clean it up!
Saba has some of the most beautiful reefs in the world. The people of Saba were promised improvements by the Dutch government. The lack of response from the government for three months questions that promise. Willing allowing any destruction or damage to Saba’s natural resources to continue is just mind-baffling particularly when the islands primary tourism base consists of divers.
It was not the Dutch government, mr. R.J., that has been addressed by the divers, but the Island Government that is to be blamed at least in this case.
Apart from this there is a mistake in the article: The Island Secretary is not a member of the SCF on behalf of or representing the Island Government as I have already stated before.
I personally blame the “Reef Guardians”, where were they when the island needed them, to see them on the front page of the Herald chained to anonymous trucks with their imaginary force of Eco-warriors (Y’all played along in the witch hunt didn’t you just) Now our proof of indecisive deception is a photo that looks like it’s been taken from the back of a bus in De Hague and the camera’s been pointed at the moon. Oh please. Reef Guardians give us your sign, so we can em-blaze it on the clouded skies above this ruptured isle. By all means talk amongst yourselves.
Awesome Malachy! Personally I plan to chain myself to a Grief Guardian. Safest place to be in these stormy and contentious times – at the bar, talking crap.
Amen. We should get T-Shirts printed.
The only adviser I trust unequivocally has told me to desist from posting on this blog, it’s not news people, I will however post this last thing. I was cleaning the tiles down here the other day, and my mop broke… terrible it was, cleaning agent all over the place, Shady cat skating across the flooded apartment, funny but stressful. Should the Reef Guardians wish to be truly helpful, please pop down to Hell’s Gate so I can wipe the floor with ya’ll in person. Tea & Crumpets on a promise.
So in short, Saba has a lot more problems at he moment than people anonymously spouting or saying big words and pretending they is so ed-u-cated. This island has a beautiful, rich and multicultural heritage which pans itself out to display a wonderful history.and in turn great people are the bi-product.
You won’t change Saba, Saba will change you. And for that I am truly thankful. Peace out, be nice to each other, you’ll meet them tomorrow on the street if you’re not.