BLACK RIVER, St Elizabeth — Nearly five months after Hurricane Melissa battered here, the operators of two safari tours on the Black River say they have recovered all but two boats as they look to increase excursion activities.

The safari tour operators, Dr Donovan Bennett and Joseph Ryan Swaby, lauded the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries as well as the National Irrigation Commission (NIC) for utilising an amphibious excavator to retrieve damaged boats which were stuck in the Black River Morass since the Category 5 hurricane on October 28, 2025.

Swaby, managing director of Black River Safari Tours, said the recovery of the boats has been a long and tedious process.

“We had six tour boats, one of which was at our dock and was turned over on top of our crocodile nursery. The other five were stuck in remote areas of the Black River Morass,” he said on Saturday while commending the efforts of companies and agencies to retrieve the tour boats.

“Through the work of engineers from Royal Lubricants, and Peter ‘Big Rat’ James from Big Rat Wrecking, we were able to recover some of the boats. We also got help last week from the National Irrigation Commission to use their amphibious excavator to actually recover another two tour boats, so in total we have recovered five of our six tour boats,” added Swaby.

He said the recovery efforts will continue amid restoration works ongoing at the second-generation Black River Safari tours.

“We will be going to try and recover the last [tour boat]. I want to express thanks to the Ministry of Agriculture, especially the minister, Floyd Green, and Joseph Gyles from the NIC, because their help and use of the amphibious excavator has done a world of good in recovering our largest tour boat,” said Swaby.

“We are now in a positive spot. We have support and momentum going and we are looking forward to being up and ready again for the upcoming tourist season,” added Swaby.

The Black River Safari tours now has three tour boats operational.

“Our carrying capacity at any one time would be up to 80 persons, so Black River Safari is alive and well and operating tours,” said Swaby.

On the other side of the Black River, Dr Bennett, a proprietor of St Elizabeth Safari Crocodile Tour, said four of his six tour boats have been recovered so far.

“We still haven’t found two boats, but we recovered most of the others, but they are all smashed up, so we have to build them all over which is what we are doing right now. We have finished some,” he said on Monday.

He also lauded NIC for utilising their amphibious excavator to recover his tour boats.

“They were very cooperative and they really extended themselves and I am just hoping that when they clean the Middle Quarters River, which is now blocked up, we will be able to retrieve the other two,” he said.

He said restoration work is ongoing at the St Elizabeth Safari facility to be fully operational by May.

“We are still doing our cleaning up and painting. However, if tourists come in we can’t turn them back, but we are not at the level that we were before the hurricane. We are open, we have some boats that we can operate with, but we are not fully operational. We won’t be until about another four weeks,” he said.

Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness said Black River is set for a major transformation as he announced plans to relocate key infrastructure away from the historic town’s vulnerable coastline and develop a new inland urban centre designed to withstand future climate shocks following Hurricane Melissa.

Swaby, in reaction to the announcement, welcomed plans to develop the heritage-rich town.

“It is a very positive outlook for the future of Black River. I think Black River definitely needs infrastructure redevelopment. The infrastructure here has been quite dated. I think the building codes have to be adjusted, so what the prime minister laid out is very promising. As a business operator, especially in the tourism industry, we do feel quite happy about the plans to use the south coast more for tourism is wonderful,” said Swaby.

“We have different types of tourism that can be shown here through community tourism as well, but I want to say that moving all of the Government agencies to one centre, I think it is a very wise move especially somewhere inland with a new building, because that will definitely improve efficiency in and around the town of Black River,” he added.

In his budget presentation last Thursday, Holness indicated that discussions will extend to commercial stakeholders within the town, with the Urban Development Corporation expected to engage property owners on acquisition and relocation, where necessary, to facilitate the redevelopment plan of Black River.

“Early next month various agencies from the Government will begin the consultations and sensitisation with specific communities in Black River and along that corridor regarding relocation of their communities. The truth is that there are some communities that are in proximity to the swamp and the threat from the sea, and when you look at all of the risk maps, the best option is to relocate. We know what this is, and so we will handle this in a very sensitive way. We will ensure it is done in a very transparent way, [and] we will ensure that nobody is at a loss and that livelihoods are enhanced,” Holness said.

Swaby said relocation of residents may be challenging based on the differing views among citizens.

“I know that a number of residents may appreciate it, but some may not appreciate it, so that will have both good and bad effects, but overall I think it is a wise plan. I think they should also look at improving the road network through Black River. I heard plans of a toll road coming out towards Hodges, so all the development is good and will push many more Jamaicans to invest in this area of the parish,” said Swaby.

SWABY… our carrying capacity at any one time would be up to 80 people, so Black River Safari is alive and well .

BENNETT… we are open, we have some boats that we can operate with, but we are not fully operational (Photo: Observer file)

The amphibious excavator being used to retrieve and float a tour boat on the Black River recently.

A damaged tour boat belonging to the Black River Safari Tours being recovered from the Black River Morass recently.