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Bob Marley Beach back in good rhythm
June 09, 2021
Two small children, under the watchful eyes of their guardians, frolicked in the dark sands on Bob Marley Beach in Nine Miles, Bull Bay, St Andrew, yesterday.
Meanwhile, a small group of young men nod their heads to the pulsating beat from their car radio as the waves crashed against the stones. The signs are clear that the spot is once again in operation. Beaches and rivers were reopened on June 3, and, last Saturday, dozens of excited water lovers turned up to the location to spend the day. Vince and Ifari Thomas, who live with their families on the beach, said the reopening was highly anticipated.
"Saturday was a really good day. A whole heap a car come out. It come in like a Sunday because that would be the day when everyone comes with their family but dem come out Saturday man," Vince said.
He told THE STAR that he and his family have been living on the shores for the past decade and they have even made an income from it. The first thing to note is that the beach is clean, with credit going to the men, who are devout Rastafarians, who make it their daily duty to keep the space pristine. There are also a few cabanas that are perfect for relaxing.
"We are setting up a restaurant and it (dishes) will be done to order. I would like to see the Government free up the Sunday too so people can come and relax. Usually those are the days we would get to do our business but when the place did lock dung, everything pop dung," he said.
Ifari said they are also currently building a few thatch huts and benches in anticipation of a bumper summer crowd. He said while he would like to see more advertisement placed on the beach, they do not want it to be popular.
"The system don't really talk about the beach that much and while we would like to see it get some highlight, we don't want it to get too commercialised. This place is full of history so we would love a proper road coming in. We wouldn't want see it as polluted like some of the rest of beaches. We don't want a gate either because we want people to come and go freely," he said.
