It's not your back yardJuly 25, 2002Dear Sir,I would like to respond to the Ferry Reach Residents Association regarding their July 18 letter to the Editor entitled — Ferry Reach is for all. What a joke. It sounds as if the Ferry Reach Residents will not be happy until there is no marine traffic in Ferry Reach. Ferry Reach is not their personal back yard.

Let's be honest, how many of the actual residents of Ferry Reach actually signed your petition? I personally know of residents who live at Ferry Reach who were never approached about the ten-knot wake zone.

I have been involved with the Power Boat Association for over 35 years and find it ironic that the so called Ferry Reach Residents have now started to complain. In my 35-year involvement with the BPBA I have never seen anyone in kayaks, canoes or wind surfers in the Ferry Reach area. Grotto Bay but never Ferry Reach.

Powerboat racing is one of the biggest spectator sports in Bermuda. If you have any doubt, just take a look at the Round the Island Race every year. We have been racing at Ferry Reach for over 50 years. Why do the powerboat racers have to be penalized for a sport they enjoy doing? Ferry Reach is the "only" safe place for the racers to practice, especially for our junior classes. If one of our racers were to get into trouble or worse, get killed off the North Shore while trying to practice, how long would it take for them to be rescued? I doubt if the FRRA would want to be deemed responsible for the death of a racer who had to practice offshore.

Regardless of whose fault it was, the powerboat racers were once again penalized, this time for not notifying Marine and Ports about the make up race for July 14. Every powerboat racer has a race schedule and it clearly showed that July 14 was a make up race day. I don't think all the racers that showed up at Ferry Reach on July 14 for the make up race were all-wrong, were they?

Have the FRRA ever complained to air traffic control about the planes going over their homes all day? Give us a break. The powerboat season runs from May to September and usually every other Sunday, depending on the weather. This season only 12 races were scheduled, of which five races are being held at different venues,

(1) St. George's,

(3) Dock Yard and

(1) Hamilton Harbour.

There will appear to be no pleasing the FRRA until they succeed in banning all racing at Ferry Reach.

The Bermuda Power Boat Association is not out to harass anyone. All we want is to have fun doing the sport we love to do, which is race. We are no different from the cricket, football, go- carters or even cycle racers. Everyone wants to enjoy his or her sport, why can't we?

Yes, you are right, Ferry Reach is a beautiful waterway and we should ALL be allowed to use it.

A LOYAL SUPPORTER OF THE BPBA

Devonshire