Campers and beachfront owners urged to obey law
(CNS): The police are urging both campers and homeowners to obey the law during the traditional Easter holiday beach camping weekend. The RCIPS urged those who are pitching tents and camping on the beach not to trespass on private property, but also reminded owners of beachfront property that their boundaries do not extend past the high-water mark. The public is permitted to access the beach up to that point, in accordance with both land survey and planning regulations.
“Our officers are properly briefed and each unit has a role to play during the holiday season,” said Acting Superintendent Brad Ebanks. “Our community officers will be making regular visits to campsites and speaking with campers to encourage safety and at the same time ensure that the peace is being kept.”
Police said that during the holiday period, it is well known that many residences throughout the Cayman Islands will be vacant while families go camping on the beaches. Incidents of burglaries usually increase during this time of year as burglars take advantage of the vulnerabilities in homes while owners are vacant.
The RCIPS offered the following tips and urged people to implement as many as possible before leaving their homes:
- Be sure to properly lock and secure your premises before going camping.
- Be sure to leave lights on inside and outside the property. If you have light timers, it is best to have these set up while you are away.
- Consider storing valuable items within interior rooms in the residence, and locking these doors. This will make it harder for would-be thieves to get access to your valuable possessions.
- Clear any shrubbery, tools and other such items from your yard, so as not to provide burglars with tools they can use to gain entry or conceal themselves from detection.
- If you have neighbours who will not be camping, consider asking them to keep an eye on your property for you. Alternatively, if you have other family members who are not camping, ask them to come by and check your property a few times over the period.
- Consider leaving the campsite occasionally and making checks on your property.
- If you have windows and door shutters, put these up while your away.
- Consider implementing alarms and camera systems if you are able, especially those that can be monitored from your mobile phones and alert you immediately.
People at the campsites should consider the following tips:
- Be sure to secure your belongings when camping. Remain vigilant of your valuables at all times.
- As camping does come with some risk, pay very close attention to children for their safety, especially around fires and in the water. Ensure young children wear proper floatation devices and are under constant adult supervision.
- Try to ensure there are persons within your camp site who are up to date with CPR/first-aid training and that there is a first-aid kit on site.
- Use the buddy system and ensure that someone knows where you are at all times.
- While camping, it is also important to follow all relevant laws and not to trespass on private property. However, owners of waterfront property should also remember that their beachside property boundaries do not extend past the high-water mark, and that the public is permitted to access the beach up to that point, in accordance with the Land Survey Regulations (2018 Revision) section 28 and the Development and Planning Regulations (2022 Revision) section 8 (10).
- Ensure that you keep your mobile phones charged and in good condition at all times so that in the event of an emergency you are able to call for help.
- Be sure not to drink and drive. Exercise caution on our roadways and follow the traffic law while travelling.
- Identify a responsible person, or persons, at each campsite to take lead on any incidents that may occur.
- Any animals taken to the camp site must be properly tethered so as not to pose a risk/annoyance to others
- Ensure that your campsites are acting in accordance with the Towns and Communities Act. This includes no loud music or noises which may cause a nuisance to nearby communities.
- Ensure that you obey the National Conservation Laws, observing seasonal marine life closures and limits.
- Remember that littering is against the law. Ensure that you clean up the campsites and beaches before leaving your designated areas.
“Our traffic officers will show a heightened presence on our roadways to encourage good driving behaviour and discourage DUI and speeding especially,” said Ebanks. “There will also be increased patrols in residential areas both during the days and at night to provide as much coverage as possible. We are asking for the public’s assistance to help us in this task by heeding the safety tips provided as much as possible.”
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Category: Crime, Crime Prevention, Police
The amount of hate against a local tradition is appalling.
“The RCIPS urged those who are pitching tents and camping on the beach not to trespass on private property, but also reminded owners of beachfront property that their boundaries do not extend past the high-water mark.” So RCIPS you think someone can camp by pitching a tent BELOW the high water mark? Bit wet, no?
If they are above the high water line they are in someone’s back yard.
So? Prescription.
Private land with public rights. Google it.
Sorry, once a yeat is not enough for prescription to apply.
But 20 is. And so is the 150 before then.
The comments on here are so disappointing. The disdain of people who don’t camp for those who want to. If you are not a Caymanian that likes to camp at Easter perhaps ask a Caymanian if you can visit or join their camp to understand what it is about. Eat some good food, enjoy family time, waking up to a sunrise on a beautiful beach. I really don’t understand visitors to a place who moan constantly about local traditions. Campers pick up your garbage, be considerate of other campers and people living close by. Enjoy yourselves. Have a wonderful Easter. Please everyone remember to be kind to one another, come together and stop hating on one another.
So they’ve taken down the ropes in front of the Governor’s house then? The ones intended to keep people out.
The queen does what the queen does.
Well so much marijuana gonja burning on south sound late night/early morning that I nearly fainted on me early walk blimey!
sorry bruv. Nothing else to do
Nothing better than stewing up a big pot of fresh caught turtle over a nice big bonfire on the beach at Easter. Crank up the A/C, break out the dominoes and herb and let’s get this party started.
When did you get out of prison?
Truly…turned into an all illegal activity holiday beach six with minors not to mention the high underage drug consumptions…eek!!!
Prove it elvis
Our Easter tradition has become walking the beach the weekend after picking up trash and broken beer bottles.
And you wonder why we let the access paths become overgrown? The refugee camp vibe is bad enough, but the mess afterwards is a disgrace.
What your laws say, and what you think they say, are very different. One day, there will be a beach lawsuit and some of these issues may get definite answers. Meanwhile there is a lot of common law about beaches and the high water mark. You can look it up.
Ummm, and then there is this irritating statute law thingy called the Prescription Act.
One can only attain prescriptive rights by repeatedly trespassing.
True
Voting that comment down does not make it go away. Google it. Cayman Law since 1964 (and incorporated through Jamaican Law before then).
Gotta love section 4 which essentially provides: “When any beach has been used by the public or any class of the public for fishing, purposes incident to fishing or for bathing or for recreation … without interruption for twenty years, the public shall … have the absolute and indefeasible right to use such beach…”
Absolute and Indefeasible.
That means no police constable can prevent lawful peaceable enjoyment within that established right.
Absolute and Indefeasible.
Learn those words Cayman. I fear we are going to have to use them with increasing frequency. Try not to shout.
Can still lock your sorry ass up for littering and being a public nuisance.
Sure. If anyone enforced any laws around here. But they don’t . You need not worry though. If I have to defecate on your beach, I will cover it, and otherwise clean up after myself. Happy Easter.
Your wuote refers to “beach” which has a well established meaning of below the high water line and belongs to the Crown. So stay out of my yard. I’d also question whether you can have prescriptive rights against Crown land. Maybe a barrister could comment. Are there any precedents? Maybe when the governor signed the law that was the Crown’s consent?
Yeah. Not a single court decision under that law.
Meanwhile in Nevis, in reponse to a tourist trying to kick locals off a beach:
“Those who visit our island or choose to live on our island are welcomed and will experience no warmer or more genuine hospitality anywhere else in the world. I wish to be pellucid; however, that our generous hospitality must not be abused,” the premier stated.
I wish we had this level of testicular fortitude for the benefit of our people in Cayman.
That place bent over backwards to hoover in Russian wealth.
Amen!!!
I was enjoying some beach time last weekend in Cayman Kai and asked to move by a family that wanted to pitch their tent saying it was their family spot and had been for years. I should have told them I was entitled to be sitting on the beach and they should wait until I left, but didn’t want any trouble. Why have so many families adopted this entitled attitude?
The politics here uses them as pawns.
The High Water Mark bait n switch is just one of a number of prolonged efforts by the realtors and developers on these Islands (both Caymanian and non-Caymanian btw) to maintain the illusion of property ownership as regards the beach – it lets them get away with the insane prices for shoeboxes with a waterfront! (Why would anyone pay $5 or $10M or more to live in a condo block with the pleasure of hearing next door scream, pee and watch tv!).
Anyhow the next election really should start now with new political entrants informing the public about the theft and corruption here – start with the difference between high water mark and ‘natural vegetation lines’ and go burn the ropes that are all over seven mile beach etc etc.
The over development and destruction of Cayman by so few for the benefit of even fewer continues unabated – one of the very best examples of just how naive the general public are, and how amoral the same old culprits are was about 10 or so years ago when they managed to ram thru the change of rules of majority votes in condo developments – all of a sudden, we’ve gone from a relatively peaceful and pretty caribbean outback to an absolute eyesore getting worse by the week with 10 story towers everywhere and more to come. Condo owners didn’t even know what hit them, all of a sudden total redevelopments could be pushed thru with smaller voting. Combined with a ‘very favorable’ legislative body at the time and here we are – Miami South.
Guess what comes next?
The Cayman beach camping we see is PSR -5. Full-sized fridges with extension cords and generators isn’t staying in touch with the hardships and simplicity of our mariner ancestors. It’s just a noisy and messy beach occupation.
easter and the following weekend…the only time of the year i avoid the beaches in cayman.
Wise decision if you’re not local
So where do all this lot defecate?, do they sit on a bucket and dump it in the sea afterwards?.
Idiot! Every heard of portable toilets? Contact MASSISVE or AI RENTALS the next time you think about typing such ignorant sh*t. “This lot”…please
12.17pm You have to be Caymanian with that language. Driving up to East End yesterday I passed numerous encampments but not a single Portaloo in sight.Put that in your loo and flush it.
Cayman – where camping is naturally thought to be accompanied by portaloos, generators, TVs. fridges and even AC. Not that we are privileged or anything.
Weed is cool too right? Just for Easter of course.
Happy 4/20!
This “tradition’ is an eyesore and a blight on the beaches. It should be discouraged.
I’m still trying to figure out how it is a tradition. I’m 51 years old and never camped in my life except in United States. I also don’t remember anyone camping in the Cayman Islands during that time. Can someone tell me when this supposedly tradition started?
A simple Google search will find you all the answers you need
Below the Mean High Water Mark = OWNED by the public
Prescription Rights to Beaches = ACCESSIBLE by the public
“When any beach has been used by the public or any class of the public
for fishing, for purposes incident to fishing or for bathing or recreation, and any road, track or pathway passing over any land adjoining or adjacent to such beach has been used by the public or any class of the public as a means of access to such beach, without interruption for twenty years, the public shall, subject to the provisos hereinafter contained, have the absolute and indefeasible right to use
such beach, land, road, track or pathway, unless it appears that the same was enjoyed by some consent or agreement expressly made or given for that purpose by deed or writing.” Prescription Law (2018 Revision)
(link above)
Beach is undefined but could reasonably be interpreted to mean the vegetation line.
Yup. Now will police now retract their statement or are we to ignore and mock them for eternity?
Beach means below high water mark.
No it doesn’t. It’s a beautiful thick white sandy thing that has clear crystal blue water on one side of it and verdant trees and bushes on the other. It is unmistakable and it is precious and it is shared by all.
all the camps are above the high water mark and the vegetation line. Your point is….?
Nasty ass “tradition”
Leave. Just leave.
Pick up your damn garbage.
You leave your trash.
Please don’t act like disrespectful, ignorant, and intitled children this time. Like that’s ever gonna happen here.
Otherwise knowm as rich people want you to keep it down and stay off their “private” beaches
It’s particularly true of American owners. Just try to get access to beaches in South Florida, for example. If we’re not careful, developers will cage rest of us inside their coastal perimeter.
Have the Police just ordered that we must pitch our tents below the high water mark? Are our children to drown in their sleep when the tide comes in? Please, someone, make it stop.
#worldclassmyass. They just make it up as they stumble along.
Yes. Beach is for walking or water access. The high water mark is above the high tide most days. No right to build a campground above the high water mark in someone’s back yard.
Wow. Laying out and sunbathing not an option then? Enjoying a drink and reading a good book? Sharing a sandwich? Fishing? Photographing sunsets? Playing with your dog? Building sandcastles? All not allowed on the beach?
I hope we never meet. Indeed, I am not sure you have chosen the right place to move to. There seems to be an expectation gap.
Very well said.
Obviously, if we choose to camp in front of a condo or, really any beachfront residence, we must be respectful. We must haul out all that which we bring and leave no trace behind.
There are a few traditions that have been killed due to a very few ruining it for the many. I hope and pray this is not one of them.
In the same way that people along the parade path endure Batabano, beachfront owners should thank their lucky stars that they live there, and be more tolerant of local campers.
As campers, we should have fun with our families, and endeavor to not be a giant pain in the ass to anyone. Everybody wins and has a good time.
You can do all that, moron, just stay out of my yard. Did you expect me to list every beach activity?
No. You definitely suggested my right was only to pass over the beach. Not that I had any right to settle in with friends and family for the afternoon (or an Easter weekend).
Deal with the second part of his comment – the one about camping above the high water mark, in what is indisputably someone else’s property.
Prescriptive rights override private property ownership.
simple question….how many fines for littering have the police ever given out over easter weekends?
will wait for answer.
How many unapproved bonfires have they shut down and prosecuted the culprits for?
Tis a good weekend for the people to remind the wealthy beachfront property owners that we have just as much a right to our lands as they think they do. Arbitrary boundaries are arbitrary.
This land is our land.
That’s great until I enter your house and pee on the rug that really tied the room together. Because I can.
Unless they are White Russians., dude.
Nihalists!
Agree, however it’s also a good time to show the wealthy beachfront property owners that we can conduct ourselves as responsible adults and not leave a blight upon the sand when we leave. We should also endeavor to keep the noise down. Why? Because historically a few ruin the fun for the many.
Don’t be “that guy”. Have fun. I intend to. Already have my family’s spot picked out, and we intend to occupy it early.
Obey the law?
Place will be like a bomb site when they leave as usual
It is terrifying that the police think that what they have described is the applicable law and has any relevance to the prescriptive rights enjoyed by Caymanians (and all persons in Cayman) for generations. Be afraid Cayman. Be very afraid.
What are you afraid of? Some families having fun for a change?
You used the words “terrifying” and “afraid” twice. Don’t fear the campers, Don’t fear the reaper, either (we’ll be able to fly)
Try to have fun. There are various group celebrations throughout the year that I don’t look forward to, but I try to put on a kind face and not be a crochety old fart.
This is at least a Cayman tradition. Maybe you should camp in front of your own place. ;o)
BZ. I’m with you. It is the police not understanding the law that terrifies me. Not the camping tradition which I fully support and demand be protected.
The police plainly have not read the Prescription Act. Very worrying that they think the law is as they describe.
THAT IS NOT THE LAW. Will the police stop spreading the High Water Mark bullshit. The public’s right to enjoy extends back to the natural vegetation line. The police, and everyone else should not be allowed to diminish sacred and long established rights.
Will the people voting that comment down please confirm that they deny that Caymanians are entitled to peaceably enjoy the full width of the beach? There is no surer way to create a breach of the peace.
Exactly. The public’s rights exist by prescription. Ownership and whether the land is public or private, or above or below the High Water Mark are irrelevant. If you or any class of the public have used it for more than 20 years, do so, but do so peaceably. It is your right. Do not surrender it. It is at the core of all that makes Cayman so special. That does not mean you can camp in someone’s yard – but some common sense and mutual respect must apply. Statements that infer you have to stay below the High Water Mark are simply wrong, and in fact absurd.
Well said, respectful and accurate, proper way of communicating,
Provide us with the evidence that you have been trespassing for more than 20 years then.
Mostly wrong. The high water line is the start of the beach. The prescription law does not apply to all land. To prescribe your use must be uninterrupted.
You are right that it must be uninterrupted, which is why it is so important not to simply surrender it because a misguided policeman asks you to.
The natural vegetation generally begins at the high water line. Get your facts straight.