The Round-The-Island power boat race worked its usual magic on the East End yesterday, with hundreds of spectators on hand to watch the Island's fastest boats dance in the waves.

The good times were nearly marred however, when a boat from the D-class race drove between a reef-line and Elbow Beach, missing a snorkelling couple by 15-feet, said one beachgoer.

On Ferry Reach meanwhile, a pair of frustrated Police officers took the war against violence to a new level.

Race fans crowded the stretch of pebble beach, which runs the length of the Kindley Field Road, as Police quietly watched for frequent traffic jams. Stalls and attractions, including a miniature go-cart track, were scattered across the grounds.

The highlight of this year's power boat race was the Bottom Line booth which promises children somewhere to escape foul language, cigarette smoking and excessive alcohol consumption.

Their fortified green-and-white striped tents, surrounded by barricades and signs, housed a group of children who played in a wading pool, under the watchful eyes of Bottom Line chairmen Irvin Hendrickson, Raphael Simons and secretary Rydell Simons, as well as other supporters and family.

Mr. Hendrickson and Raphael Simons said that, as Police officers, they were tired of Bermuda's youth admiring groups such as Front Line - which is rumoured to be the Island's largest and most organised gang from the "Middletown", or the back-of-town, area.

"You see Front Line here and there, do you know Front Line? Well, we're the other end," said Constable Hendrickson.

Sergeant Simons added: "They're the Front Line, but we're the Bottom Line. It comes down to the Bottom Line."

The group had signs hanging from barricades that read, "No foul language, no smoking and no drinking."

Near Elbow Beach meanwhile, swimmers were forced to scramble out of the water after several D-class boats nearly ran over two snorkellors.

At about 3.30 in the afternoon, the D-class boats were racing along South Shore when they approached Elbow Beach.

A beachgoer called The Royal Gazette and said several boats turned left toward the shore.

The caller said: "And this wasn't just on the beach side of the reefs. These guys were only 30 feet from the shore. The entire beach went quiet, I've never seen an entire beach go quiet before.

"There were people out there snorkeling. It was such a nice day, I felt like swimming out to the reefs. That could have been me out there," he said.

As of press time, Police had no report of the incident.