Westcliff jet ski danger: Patrol to target speeding jet skis

Beachgoers have called for action to tackle the issue of jet skiers speeding too close to swimmers in the waters around Westcliff.

Two beach welfare officers from Chalkwell Lifeguards Club set off on an eight mile speeding jet ski spotting patrol on Thursday morning from Chalkwell Beach.

They travelled all the way across the River Thames to All Hallows in Kent.

The club has stepped up its kayak patrols in conjunction with the council's pier and foreshore patrol boat to try and identify jet skis flouting the eight-knot speed limit.

Patrol - the two lifeguards tackled an endurance challenge to keep an eye out for speeding jet skis

As this three-hour kayak patrol took the beach welfare officers across busy shipping channels on the way to All Hallows in Kent, close contact was maintained with Dover Coastguard to ensure their safety.

A Chalkwell Lifeguards Club spokesman said: "It was a tough long distance paddle to get to Kent and back but on this occasion all powered water craft were thankfully operating within the designated speed limits, which was very good to see."

Last month Andy Farrell, 65, from Westcliff, and his brother were swamped with water in their boat after four jet skiers came speeding towards them.

Read more: Beachgoers warning after 'speeding jet skis' in Westcliff

One of them was said to be driving just three meters away from them, near Westcliff Esplanade.

He’s calling for jet skis to have registration numbers and for drivers to get drug and alcohol tested.

Andy said: “They were on their jet skis doing doughnuts where they go round and round in aggressive circles.

“We were in my inflatable around 30 metres offshore. We had stopped to refuel and my brother said “oh no here they come”.

“I would say they were doing about 30 knots as they came by us. One of them was about three metres from us and he totally washed us out and swamped us.

“It filled up our inflatable and it was quite choppy out so we had to get back in as quick as we could.

“More and more people are swimming further out. If one of these comes along speeding like that they wouldn’t see the swimmer. It’s a tragedy waiting to happen.

“They are a public nuisance.”