It is very shocking to see these cries for government help and compensation from our local fishermen when "groundswell" season rolls around in T&T.I write to suggest that our fisheries institutions implement a programme to educate our coastal fishermen on how to use any of the following Wave Action Model web sites listed below.
There is no excuse nowadays, as I'm sure they all have access to "data" or "wi-fi" in some form or fashion.At least their wives and children or someone in the village must use Facebook or a smart phone.
This is the second time I'm pointing this out as a similar, typical ground swell "once in a lifetime" event happened in January 2013, and because it was a little more north-west, Tobago took the brunt of it.
That one was so big, many surfers came from the US to Tobago and Barbados and there are stories of some of the local surfers warning these fishermen days before of the impending sea conditions.
Not many took heed and indeed dozens of boats were destroyed and yes they all clamoured for government help and compensation. Again, these "models" are so accurate, surfers actually make flight and hotel bookings for Tobago exactly in time for the swell's arrival.
That the ODPM, T&T Met office etc, do not regularly warn of these "events" is typical of how much more these local institutions can do to actually help.
As a matter of fact, many local surfers love to joke about our Met office's standard line when it comes to marine forecasting that must be a standard from decades ago:
"Waves two meters in open waters and less than one meter in sheltered areas."
Here are two of the websites used by surfers and other people who regularly enjoy our islands costal waters.
A simple Google search will produce many more, and best of all they're free: http://magicseaweed.com/Venezuela-Trindad-Tobago-MSW-Surf-Charts/43/
http://passageweather.com
Anyway, just for reference, the "groundswell" season runs from October to February, for better or worse, you can count on it.
Robert Johnson,
Maraval