Residents urge stronger enforcement, better signage after repeated high-speed jet-skiing on C-51 Canal

Dozens of residents of the Town of Lake Clarke Shores urged the town council on April 8 to take immediate steps to curb reckless boat and personal watercraft (PWC) activity on the C‑51 Canal and adjacent waterways, saying riders routinely travel at unsafe speeds through no‑wake and blind‑corner areas.

Speakers described a pattern of behavior they say includes repeated high speeds, property damage and confrontations. John Studdard, a long‑time resident and cofounder of the Lake Clarke Shores Yacht Club, said he compiled drone and security footage into a two‑minute video to illustrate the problem and told the council “these guys are going 40, 50 plus miles an hour down a 65 foot wide canal.”

Residents and Yacht Club members said the problem is concentrated on the east side of town along the C‑51 Canal and around the Keller Bridge and Mediterranean Bridge. They cited recent incidents including a group of five PWCs that “swarmed” a boat near a homeowner’s dock, one of which struck and damaged a seawall, and multiple reports that riders have brandished firearms when confronted. Lynn Riley, a resident at 1550 Mediterranean Road West, said she measured noise levels at 125–135 decibels from some…