And while you can count on turtle greetings in Gales Point, you might not be able to count on a morning fresh.
That's because the village's water pump is out of commission, a side effect of all the work being done on the coastal road. It's a problem Kevin Andrewin pointed out to our team as they made their way back from his turtle beach:
Kevin Andrewin, "Turtle Man"
"Well, what happened with the village water pump, all I hear was rumor. But if I was the village chairperson somebody would have had to pay, because I heard that the people that are doing the construction of the road move the pump from that side and took it over that side. First, the put it with PVC pipe and it was supposed to be with galvanized pipe, so I don't why they didn't ask the last engineer that I got in my time when we had water problems, to come and put it the correct way. I understand the pump had burnt out."
"The problem is the school will be open soon, how will the teachers be in the village without water. The 2 police officers they come now and again, they don't have to take holiday because no water at the police station either. I would want somebody to tell me what happened to the pump and when will they put back the pump, because somebody has to pay. If it's the road man who did it and let that stuck with mud, I want an answer. The last time I was the water board chairperson and I had them get a transformer for the top and they wired the whole system and we got a new pump. Now the pump had burnt out, they say the former area rep. had gotten one. They say a organization had given one and now this one burnt out again, I don't know why, because it wasn't set proper. That is what I am hearing from the chairperson."
"Now the school is opening. Supposed the children were in school and covid never suspended it? there would be double problem. But I am asking the area rep., I am asking the government, somebody to bring back Gales Point water pump and put it in. Otherwise, I will have to take some of you all to court, because it's a long time I am fighting for this thing, no water again and school is opening. That cannot be."
Reporter
"How is the village getting water right now?"
Kevin Andrewin, "Turtle Man"
"Well, I see some big truck came and try to full the water for people. I think it's the same people working on the road sending it. I don't know if they have an agreement, because they say it's their engineer damaged the pump, so something is working out, but I haven't fully got the understanding. The school still doesn't have water and the station doesn't have water."
As you heard, water is currently being trucked into the village. No word yet on when that will change.
