2023-09-30 09:34:26
Tourist semi-rigid boats, which are increasingly numerous in the Bay of Somme, are in the crosshairs of local residents. Caroline Deconinck, who lives in Crotoy 80% of the year, launched a petition on Change.org to say “Stop the nuisance” of these “over-motorized machines”. It has already collected more than 1,000 signatures. As a result, the sub-prefect of Abbeville announced a meeting for the beginning of October in order to arrive at a charter of good practices.
Good news for Caroline Deconinck: “Three companies, based in Saint-Valery-sur-Somme and Le Crotoy, operate six boats which each make up to four rotations per tide at speeds of up to 85 km/h. The noise of the engines combined with the sound system generates a very high volume of decibels which resonate throughout the bay where, a few years ago, jet skis were banned. »
“Not an amusement park”
For her, this commercial activity is in total contradiction with the protection of the ecosystem of the bay, labeled Grand Site de France: “The bay is a cocktail of emotion, not a consumer product, an amusement park where speed , noise and pollution prevail over calm, silence and respect for nature.
In Saint-Valery-sur-Somme, Philippe and Arnaud Forest operate four semi-rigid boats in which 12 people can fit and two larger ones with 98 seats. An activity which employs six permanent workers and five seasonal workers.
“We are also defenders of the bay,” defends Arnaud, who advocates dialogue. We give tourists an experience while respecting speed limits. It’s people on foot who disturb the seals, not us. They are curious animals. They often come to see us, walk around the boats. »
A hybrid boat will arrive for the 2024 season: “It’s 150,000 euros more than a classic boat,” says Arnaud Forest.
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