ALLIGATOR POND, Manchester — There were frantic scenes here on Good Friday as Jamaicans rushed to rescue an American man who got into difficulty while swimming in the sea.

The incident has fuelled concerns about the dangers people face when they attempt to swim along sections of Jamaica’s south coast in waters regarded as treacherous.

In Alligator Pond, an area known as River has been the scene of numerous drownings over the years. Here a river empties into the sea, and locals have been warning visitors to use the river for recreation-like swimming, but not to venture into the sea. However, their warnings have been ignored on many occasions.

This might have been the case on Good Friday.

When the Jamaica Observer visited the beach on Good Friday, a female vendor, in a bid to get the assistance of beachgoers, shouted, “Help!”

The woman ran frantically as she called on residents from Alligator Pond to rush to rescue the American man shortly before 1:00 pm. Luckily, one of them got there just in time and rescued the tourist from the sea.

Soon after, another vendor, Michelle Smith, was heard warning people. She told the Sunday Observer that she has seen numerous tragedies over the years.

“A lot of people have died in Alligator Pond. The problem is that people go into the sea and so on, and when they ‘catch’ in the sea, they drown… When people drown, we get less support in Alligator Pond, so we have to secure them,” she said.

“I just came down here to work over 20-odd years, and people just come, and when you look you only see them looking for help and they just drown like that,” she added.

Smith recounted how the American tourist was among a group and got into difficulty before being saved.

“There was a group of American people and they went in the sea, and I was telling the people that they were going too far. When I looked they were about to drown, but they got saved. Have to give God thanks,” she said.

“We don’t want anybody to drown this year,” she added.

In August 2023, “No swimming” signs were placed on the beach after two people drowned there within a week.

“Is police put them up because lots of people were drowning…” Smith explained.

“The river is much easier and better, but the people won’t go in the river, they are going into the sea,” she added.

A fish vendor, who identified himself as Tajj, otherwise called River Ras, shared similar sentiments as he prepared seafood at his stall on Good Friday.

“People coming out and more people going to come out over the holiday. The current in the sea, plenty of people see it and feel like it is a regular beach where you know that it is calm. Sometimes current in it, you can’t go out where you can’t manage yourself,” he said.

He reiterated that some visitors don’t take heed to the warnings of locals not to swim in the sea.

“Once you have been here over the years, you would see one and two [drownings]. We put up signs over there and the people still go in it. Nuh care what you do, you can’t get people out of it,” he told the Sunday Observer.

He said the “No swimming” signs were damaged in the passage of Hurricane Beryl last July and have not been replaced.

“A since the storm the thing nuh really put back together. Before that, the signs were there. As I am telling you, the sign will be there and people still nuh obey it. The last time a man took off his shirt and put it on the sign and go jump off in the water and people have to end up come help him. You know how Jamaican people stay,” he said.

The Sunday Observer was unable to find the rescued man. However, Sam, a visitor to the island, told the newspaper that he is heeding the warning of the locals.

“Beautiful water. The people are nice. The beach is also nice. The food and the culture with a bar everywhere. I can swim, but not too far. I was warned, ‘You can’t go too far in that, you will drown.’ Back home I swim in the pool,” he said while smiling.

With the Easter holiday weekend stretching to Monday, people are being warned to be cautious while attempting to swim at the location.

Reports are that in August 2023, a local community hero, Wayne Watson, who had saved at least five people from drowning at the same location, drowned upstream the river in Alligator Pond a week after rescuing the people.

People enjoying the river and sea at a beach in Alligator Pond on Good Friday.

Alligator Pond was abuzz with activity on Good Friday. (Photos: Kasey Williams)

A little boy swims in a river at the Alligator Pond beach in Manchester on Good Friday.

Sam, a visitor to the island, says he’s heeded the warnings of the Jamaicans not to venture far into the sea.

Fish vendor Tajj, otherwise called ‘River Ras’, speaking to the Jamaica Observer at Alligator Pond on Good Friday.

SMITH… a lot of people have died in Alligator Pond