Water taxis to service the South
Belize’s telecommunications monopoly is not the only business, which intends to respond to the changing needs of its customers. Water taxi operators are also making plans to cash in on growing local and tourist traffic. They will be adding new routes later this summer that will make travel around the country a lot more convenient, comfortable and hopefully, affordable. Jacqueline Woods reports.
Since the Marine Terminal started operations in 1996, its water taxi service has been ferrying passengers to the northern cayes, primarily San Pedro Ambergris and Caye Caulker. Today, as a result of numerous requests, the boat station will be extending its service to the south.
Howell Garbutt, Manager, Marine Terminal
“We feel very comfortable with the Northern route that we have with the Caye Caulker Water Taxi Association doing these runs. At this time based on those requests we are going into the South working along with BTIA members to facilitate them in organizing themselves in getting this southern run operational with them. It won’t be just the Caye Caulker water Taxi Association that we will be looking at in terms of handling this southern run. It will also be that we will be utilizing our full membership from the north of Belize all the way down south to participate in this southern run.”
The route being proposed is San Pedro Ambergris, Caye Caulker, Belize City, Dangriga and Placencia. It would eventually include connections Honduras. According to Howell Garbutt, Manager of the marine terminal only specific types of vessels will be used in the southern run.
Howell Garbutt
“A standard has been set for the size of the boat which is thirty five feet, the requirements for radio, safety equipment all the necessary standards that port authority we will also be requesting that the boats that will be going over to Livingston and Puerto Cortes that they meet with the international standards.”
“We will be having the boats leave from Belize City arriving in Dangriga then move on from Dangriga to Placencia and in Placencia we will be connecting with boats out of there and Punta Gorda that will be going over to Livingston Puerto Barrios and Cortes.”
One boat that is sure to be in the inaugural trip is the forty three-foot fiberglass boat, Senira.
Julian Rosado, Captain, Senira
“I think these boats are the biggest boats they have right now and I think they are very safe, very sturdy, they are fiberglass boats and I think that is safe. People have been asking about these routes, demanding about these routes to go to like Placencia, Stann Creek and so we all got together and decided that it would benefit both the people them and also the water taxis.”
Although the new run is still in the planning stage, Mike Panton, second vice president of BTIA, the association which manages the terminal, assures the public that before the route is activated, they will ensure there is quality service and safety on board.
Mike Panton, Second VP, BTIA
“We will not start this route until we have all safety factors taken into consideration basically life jackets the basic things like anchor radios we will also have systems in place to make sure we are in constant touch with these people and systems in any case of search and rescue where we can be able to connect to people in Belize or people in the areas where anything can go wrong.”
The southern route is scheduled to start in August and the marine terminals say the rates will be affordable to both tourists and locals. Jacqueline Woods for News Five.
We hope the folks at the Marine Terminal will have good weather for their first southern run, and of course that they invite News Five along for the ride.
