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YouTube users Claud Watkis and Noel Smith are no strangers to the Flat Bridge and Rio Cobre. The pair often appear in videos on their social media pages showing them swimming, magnet fishing, and boating in the “haunted” waters.
But last Thursday, the two men were on different missions.
After seeing the aftermath of Category 4 Hurricane Beryl, which hit Jamaica last Wednesday, the influencers decided to take it upon themselves to clean up the massive amount of debris that had submerged the historic St. Catherine Bridge.
Smith and Watkiss said access to the swampy canyon, commonly known as River Road, was a challenge because authorities locked the gates to the access road because of fallen trees and rising water levels.
Content creators said they had to come up with a clever way to gain entry.
“Nobody could get across because the bridge was flooded, but I really wanted to help clear the bridge,” Watkis told reporters. star.
“We were there for a while and the police came and wanted to know why we were there. Then someone came and opened the door to let a certain group of people through. So Noel and I both made up a story. We told them we were there to visit family and friends who lived in the area. And that’s how they let us through.”
Big Jam
Watkis said they encountered some obstacles as they went around the canyon, but they were able to break through them with the help of machetes.
“I was really shocked when we got to the bridge to see how badly it was blocked. It was a very large area,” he said.
“There was an NWA crew member and he told us he had someone to help lift the tractor, but I decided to help anyway. Noel was fishing with a magnet, so I helped, and then I started moving what I could, little by little. It was really slow going, but I wasn’t going to give up.”
He continued: “Another passerby from Linstead, named Curry Carter, also joined in the clean-up effort. I tell you, it wasn’t easy because the pile of debris was huge, but I persevered. This bridge has been very useful to me and other Jamaicans.”
Watkis said workers from the National Works Agency (NWA) arrived on tractors during the cleanup. He said the workers thanked them for their service but told them that it would be nearly impossible to manually clear such a large rubble.
“They told us it was a tractor job and we couldn’t do it on our own. I totally understand, but I’m glad we had the opportunity to contribute,” Watkis said.
“This is our Jamaica and Beryl has influenced us in one way or another, so this is just our way of helping.”
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