The 2003 ohliz-all-over-Jamaica trip report (NOW FINISHED)

[sweetnlow61]

Re: The 2003 ohliz-all-over-Jamaica trip report (NOW FINISHED)

OhLiz-
Loved your trip report, reading it, getting to hear about Jamaica and feeling your experience. Thanks for sharing.
I was wondering how your friend Lynn liked Jamaica. I never saw a trip report and I emailed her to find out, but never heard anything. Did she have a good time?
Thanks again for sharing
Leslie

[ohliz]

Re: The 2003 ohliz-all-over-Jamaica trip report (NOW FINISHED)

Lynn had a GREAT time. She and her husband started off at the Yoga Center but moved to Errol's for a really good rate (they'd only booked a couple of nights at the Yoga Center). She became good friends with some people there, close enough that they called her when he died a couple of weeks after she left.

I just saw her this weekend and they're planning to go back.

[ohliz]

Re: The 2003 ohliz-all-over-Jamaica trip report (NOW FINISHED)

Day Ten, Friday (Negril and a trip)

This was the day we'd arranged to go swim with the manatees at Alligator Hole. However, just the day before I'd learned that Nyabinghi drummers would be at Home Sweet Home tonight and we all really wanted to do that, it was at 6PM, so I called Carolyn Barrett (our guide for this trip) and we decided to do YS Falls instead. I hired Carolyn because she is the only guide I know that does the manatee trip, also I have spoken to her online for years and thought it would be nice to meet in person. Three of our group were to play golf at Negril Hills today, the rest of us plus that couple (so nine) hopped in Carolyn's new van and headed southeast. Carolyn is very knowledgeable about Jamaica, especially history. I sat up front with her and learned a lot that I didn't know.

Some of our group are smokers and Carolyn's van is new so we planned to stop as people wanted to, we couldn't smoke in the van. If you're a non-smoker I'm sure this is a plus. We made our first stop at Bluefields Beach. A lot of sand was lost this winter and now the beach is made of rocks but the water is still amazingly clear and on a Friday, apparently empty. We spent a nice 15-20 minutes or so there and climbed back in the van. On the way through "pepper swim" (crayfish with HOT seasoning sold in the shell in little baggies) land we had to grab a few bags…everyone had one while we drove.

We arrived at YS much faster than I remember that trip taking, 1 1/2 hours, maybe less. As you approach YS from the coast the scenery gets quite pretty. You don't really go far into the mountains but enough to get a different feel than in Negril and Bluefields. We pulled up to the gift shop/restaurant/bar/office at the parking area and hopped out. We were hot but we were hungrier so we ordered some chicken and patties and such at the restaurant and enjoyed the view. The food was not bad and considering they could, a la Disney, really overcharge for the food, very reasonably priced. I hadn't been to YS for 4 years or so and even at the parking area, things have changed. Grass is cut, there is nice landscaping, a trolley stop with a shelter in case of rain. We hopped on the tractor-pulled jitney-trolley thing and took the 10 minute or so ride to the falls. The ride is very pretty, through the YS ranch…we saw cattle, but also racehorses. Seems they run a stud farm here in addition to raising the cattle.

When we pulled up to the "Big Tree" at the foot of the falls, everything looked different, and the same. There is now a lovely river-fed freshwater pool, complete with adirondack chairs set around it on a deck for lounging. I like pools but hate chlorine…this was very refreshing and nice for the older/younger crowd who aren't quite up to falls climbing. There were still the large grassy areas I remembered picnicking on years ago, and the changing rooms, but the big tree has a building built around it's feet and there is a small bar there.

We headed up to the main pool so the adventurous ones could swing off the rope swing into the water. I climbed around and swam a little, I'm not into ropes much [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] The water was nice, not too cold and fairly clear, though there had been a little rain. In fact it was a little cloudy now.

We walked back down after a bit to meet Carolyn who had arranged something at YS that's very new, only a month or so at that time. She told me about it when I called to say we didn't have time to do the manatees. YS Falls now has TUBING! I'd so wanted to go tubing on the White River near Ochi but we'd run out of time so I was thrilled to learn we could do it at YS. Everyone else was into it too. We put on lifevests, got paddles and were led to a launch by the pool where we were helped into our tubes (thoughtfully not open on the bottom but with vinyl lattice stuff to protect from the rocks in shallow spots [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] ). We had two guides with us, not that we needed to know where to go but they did help us with a couple of rapids on the way down.

This trip is mainly floating slowly, nothing big rapids-wise at all, but it was nice to be shown where to tube down one or two of the steeper ones, once or twice they had us get out and climb down a rock. Somewhere along the river (which feeds into the Black River, by the way), it started to rain. We were in jungly-tree cover and were in swimsuits and wet anyway so it was a great way to pass the rain time. The whole trip too kabout 40 minutes, before we knew it, we were out.

We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. We go tubing in the US sometimes and it's very similar…except of course you're in clear Jamaican water with Jamaican jungle around you.

We needed to head back to Negril and had one more stop so we cleaned up and hopped the trolly-thing again. At the parking area a few people shopped, I got my first Anthony Winkler book there - "Going Home to Teach" and I've since bought two more, they're great. They have a nice shop there, again not too expensive.

Our stop along the way was the Peter Tosh Mausoleum/Monument. It's in Belmont, across from a lovely bay, and is pretty easy to miss if you aren't looking hard. There were a few people around, looked like family mainly. We walked into the mausoleum….when one of our group noticed the huge cement "box" in the room I realized I'd forgotten to say he is actually buried here [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] . There is a small table with cds (I bought one) and t-shirts and similar stuff, and a table with photos and a little sign about the museum they hope to build here. No hassle or hustle at all. I spoke with one ofhte guys there as I'd brought down some live Peter Tosh cds from US shows and wanted to drop them off here but forgot them in Negril. I explained we'd stop back Monday on our way to Treasure Beach and wee headed back.

This ought to end the day, it really should, because we were beat. But we'd come back early for a reason…we had Nyabinghi drummers to see tonight at 6 and it's now about 4:30…..

[ohliz]

Re: The 2003 ohliz-all-over-Jamaica trip report (NOW FINISHED)

Day Ten, Friday NIGHT (Negril)

We met up with the golfers - they'd had a great day, apparently, congrats to big winner Tommy - and took a rest and shower and swim and whatnot and finally grabbed a bus (yep, a whole bus) to Home Sweet Home on the cliffs. When we arrive I immediately spot Pirate. After maybe 5 years of speaking online, we finally meet. About time, he was very sweet. They found some tables from somewhere for us (it was crowded, all tables were full) and we ordered some drinks and food and enjoyed the drums. The group has maybe 4 drummers and a dancer. They sounded great and I listened, chatted a bit with Pirate and waved to the live internet videocam. Thanks, Pirate, for letting me e-mail my parents and kids to check in [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

HSH was great but there were some kids around at that time, and it seemed once I got into my Nyabinghi groove-mood, the drummers were finished playing.

Lloydie had come down to join us for a drink, he knew a couple of the drummers from school or somewhere. I got to thinking about the nice cozy cliff at 3 Dives. I don't remember who had the idea but it was decided that since the drummers were finished here, we should ask them to come up to 3 Dives where we could have a bonfire and relax awhile. We elected Mace to offer them something to come and play up the road and they agreed.

We finished up at HSH and walked up. Lloydie started up his signature cliffside bonfire and pretty soon the drummers arrived. We settled in around the fire to listen. I was thoroughly enjoying myself and wished I had a couch or something….my body was tired from the day. Lloydie heard me say that and grabbed a chaise he keeps behind the bar and brought it down by the fire for me. Yessss…….this is living.

I'd brought a few copies of a Wailers show down from 1973 to give people, and we'd been playing it a lot at the villa. The first tune on it is Rastaman Chant, a song I love. Lloydie asked the drummers for a rasta chant and it so happened that's the one they chose. I can't really describe the feeling I had at that point. The stars were so bright that night…each star was not only visible but you know how the big dipper has this cloud-looking star stuff around it? ALL the stars had that cloud this night. I've never seen stars so bright and clear. A few people had wandered down to the cliff side…at one point I talked with a rasta that appeared from nowhere…he said he was walking on the road and heard the drums and had to come down. Quite a few people followed the drums to join our group down by the cliff that night. We stayed there for a long time, just enjoying the music, mood, fire, stars.

Ahhh….Heaven. It lasted about 20 minutes before my friend NeNe grabbed me up out of the chair announcing that she had even gotten Paula down here to dance and why was I sitting down?? This is supposed to meditative drumming, I tell her, doesn't she know that? NO, she says, she has just dragged Paula out of the kitchen and how often do we go to Jamaica together anyway? OK, OK, I'll give up my cozy spot and dance just a MINUTE.

When the drummers finally stopped, we thanked them and Lloydie put some hookah on his stereo. I think I explained about ekoostik hookah before but they are a band we love and see a lot at home, and Lloydie and Paula love them too, saw their shows in '99 and '01 in Negril. We always bring them down some live hookah shows to listen to. The one Paula put on that night has a song on it by Ed McGee called "Pass the Cider, Pass the Rum". It's a song I always took to be about growing up, and wanting things to stay the same but knowing they can't and maybe it's ultimately OK. Our experience in Jamaica made me think of it and we all started playing with the lyrics to the song that night. I finished it in my head after I'd been home reflecting on the experience for a few days.

Here is that song, slightly rewritten (humor me, Ed):

Pass the kaya, pass the rum.
Stoke the fire, my mind's getting numb,
but I'm gonna stay here all night long.
This spot on the clifftop's as good as my home.
We sit 'round the bonfire and our circle's so strong.
We'll still be singing come the light, come the dawn.

I'm down in Jamaica again,
I'm out the cliff with drums and some friends.
But it's all in my mind--
I'd like to go back, it's been a long time,

But I think it's better we stayed.
Those are songs that we've already played.
We'll keep the memories pure as gold,
and let the stories always be told.

We used to climb the Beach House,
we could see for miles, we'd stay there for hours.
We could climb it again--
the view hasn't changed, but it won't be the same.

You know, I think it's better we stayed.
Those are songs that we've already played.
We'll keep the memories pure as gold,
and let the stories always be told.

We were high as the moon
and Paula was laughing with us, she says, "we needed the fire to come soon."
But that was Lloydie and me,
and now we are gone. I guess it's time to move on.

You know, I really wish we had stayed.
There are still a few songs we could play.
Maybe it's all just as well,
but I've got so many stories to tell.
I've got so many stories to tell.

So pass the cider, pass the rum.
Stoke the fire, my fingers are numb,
but I'm gonna stay here all night long.
This field on this hilltop is really my home.
We sit 'round the bonfire and our circle's so strong.
We'll still be singing come the light, come the dawn.

(The real lyrics are at http://www.dubba.com/hookah/lyrics/p...passtherum.htm and you can hear the song here: http://www.ekoostik.com/musicfiles/0...he%20Cider.mp3 )

While I'm sharing my lyrical inspiration, this is Rastaman Chant. I later discovered that much of this song was read and played at Bob Marley's funeral during his eulogy. Fly away home to Zion, Bob.

Rastaman Chant (Bob Marley and the Wailers)

I hear the words of the Rasta Man say
Babylon you throne gone down, gone down
Babylon you throne gone down

Said, I hear the words of the Higher Man say
Babylon you throne gone down, gone down
Babylon you throne gone down

And I hear the angel with the seven seals
Babylon your throne's gone down, gone down
Babylon you throne gone down

I say fly away home to Zion
Fly away home
I say fly away to Zion
Fly away home

One bright morning when my work is over
Man will fly away home
One bright morning when my work is over
Man will fly away home
One bright morning when my work is over
Man will fly away home
One bright morning when my work is over
Man will fly away home
One bright morning when my work is over
Man will fly away home

I'll end this night right here.

[ohliz]

Re: The 2003 ohliz-all-over-Jamaica trip report (NOW FINISHED)

Day Eleven, Saturday (Negril)

After last night, we took it easy this day. Our beach was by now nice and free of seaweed so we stayed close to home for the most part, swimming, eating, chatting and relaxing.

If I haven't mentioned the roof at Beach House Villas, I should now. No one was in the beach house unit and it's 3 stories high and the entire roof is a deck. So in effect you are 4 stories up on Negril beach and can see really far up and down. It was great to hang out up there as our noise just floated away and we could stealthily watch passer-by taking their night walks on the beach. That's the "Beach House" from the song I sort of rewrote.

We were hungry that night and somehow wound up at 3 Dives again that night. Lloydie's brother Eddie was around at closing time, and we'd been telling him about the view from the Beach House roof. He seemed interested in it so we asked him if he'd like to come up, he agreed to ride his bike down and meet us in a bit.

Security walked him in (I'd told him we were expecting a friend, not a "new beach friend" but an old friend, one that owns a successful local business for pete's sake, but I guess security gets paid to be a little paranoid). Our security guy actually hung out with us for a little while, getting a feel I guess. Everyone was friendly so it was all good.

After he left we headed up to the roof. Eddie said in all his years living near Negril, he'd never seen a view like that. I was glad it was special for him too. We spent quite awhile up there just reasoning, and awhile on our porch watching Eddie try to master that toy we'd bought at Reach Falls. Next time we go, I buy all the toys that rasta has, everyone loved that thing.

[ohliz]

Re: The 2003 ohliz-all-over-Jamaica trip report (NOW FINISHED)

Day Twelve, Sunday (Negril)

This is our friends' last full day in Negril, they leave tomorrow. They've been busy this trip (compared to the hookah trip last year). Some have scuba-dived a couple of times, we did the YS trip and they played golf (at Negril Hills…expensive compared to the $15 courses we have at home but awfully pretty), we've done everything but a boat ride.

We've run into a party boat rep a few times on the beach and the group decides they'd like to do that tonight. It's an all-you-can-drink, snacks, 4 hours to the cliffs and back thing. The pontoon boat comes to take us to the big boat around 4. I'm a little hung over but I get on anyway. About a minute out, the engine quits. They mess with it. It looks suspiciously like rain. Though I did want to spend this last evening with my friends. I realize this is my chance to not add fish food to the west end waters. I don't mind being a wussy so I hop off the boat, tell the others to enjoy the ride and head back to the room to read my Winkler book. I've cruised to the cliffs before, I'm surely not drinking "unlimited rum punch", I'm glad to be in my room.

About 15 minutes later as I lay in bed reading, the sky opens up and it POURS. I can hear the rain on the roof, the patio, the concrete paths, it's just torrential. 15 more minutes and everyone's back. No cruise tonight, oh well. P and I take a nap, the others head to Kuyaba for dinner. We meant to join them but before we awoke, they were back. P and I went alone and had a not-bad meal. Seems kind of hit or miss there, always kind of expensive and service is good, but the food was just OK. I've been there before when the food has been fabulous so it's worth trying, and as I said the atmosphere is very nice.

We did make a run up to 3 Dives with everyone (last night in Negril, gotta do it) and picked up our friends' orders of granny sauce, and marinade (that stuff is GREAT - ask for it, he'll bottle it, it seasons the chicken perfectly for the sauce and it's not so spicy that kids can't eat it). Lloydie ran out so we made plans to meet the next day on the way out of town to get our own sauces.

We had another great night hanging out…the place feels like my backyard by now, I am not as comfortable anywhere in Negril. This place, and the people here, have gradually become the best part of spending time in this town.

[ohliz]

Re: The 2003 ohliz-all-over-Jamaica trip report (NOW FINISHED)

Day Thirteen, Monday (Negril to Treasure Beach)

We had a slow morning on the beach, eating at our own restaurant, packing here and there, getting in those last swims. When Sala and Dave came to pick up our friends, I was glad to see him, sad to see them go. We'd had a great week together…but at least I know I'll see them all again soon, at Hookahville if not before [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Here's where I'm really glad WE aren't leaving Jamaica just yet. I knew we'd want a couple of days after everyone left to get "back to Jamaica" and wind down. Accordingly, We'd chosen to spend the last couple of days in Treasure Beach on the south coast. I've been wanting to go there for several trips now but we just got sucked into the black hole that is Negril and never made it out. This trip I'd booked a room and everything, so we couldn't back out.

We picked up another car from Vernon's, a Suzuki Something with AC and power locks and whatnot, it was fine. We checked out of BHV and thanked them for a nice week and headed up to 3 Dives one last time to get our stuff and see Lloydie. Paula was not there, she was auditing a computer class somewhere so we'd said our goodbyes to her last night.

Lloydie needed to go to Sav, and we wanted to stop at Eddie's bar in Orange Hill, so we followed him out of town. Eddie's bar is just down the road from Jamaica Jurassic Park, a really cool place where the resident artist makes huge metal sculptures of dinosaurs and plants, as well as most of the fancier gates and grilles around Westmoreland. Stop by anytime, it's a great place.

Eddie's bar is a friendly open place. A group of guys played something like checkers (but they had another name for it, I forget what) under a tree, we sat at the bar and got a couple of cold drinks while we chatted with Eddie and Lloydie. The bar is right in front of the house Eddie, Lloydie and his brothers and sisters grew up in..and everyone honks and waves at these two, I feel like we're sitting with the mayor or something [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] . It was very hard to leave but we wanted to get to Treasure Beach in time to have some light so we reluctantly said goodbye to Eddie and left. In Sav, Lloydie stopped at his turnoff and we hugged goodbye there. He and Paula are good friends to us. I hated to leave, next time seems too far away.

We drove along the lovely south coast again (again for me as I'd been to YS, first time this trip for P) to the Peter Tosh Memorial so I could drop off my cds. P hadn't been before so we hung around a little while and I gave my shows to the guy I'd promised last Friday.

With map in hand, we continued west, coming to Black River and looking for our turn south. After a mis-turn or two (we just pulled over and asked whenever we weren't sure…if we were wrong we turned around, I don't think we went more than a kilometer out of our way, just had to ask a couple of times). Again, this trip was faster than I thought, before I realized where we were we'd pulled up to Calabash Bay. Not sure if we should go left or right we went right (turned out to be left but as we discover, nothing in TB is a big deal, there's basically one road that hugs the bays along the coast) we wound up taking a little tour of TB. When we saw Billy's Bay and Irie Rest, I knew we'd come too far so we turned around and shortly pulled into Mar Blue, our home for the next two nights.

We knew we could stay in TB for $35 or so if we wanted, but as this was the end of our trip, I'd decided we should have a pool (in case the swimming wasn't great…we didn't know), a nice sea view, AC, TV, the whole bit. This we got, and much much more, for $99 a night. There were even robes for us to use. The hotel, it's not really…I guess it's a guest house, or a B&B, has 4 rooms with private entrances in addition to the owner's home. Each room has a balcony, Satellite TV, AC, fan, bathroom with hot water and shower, the most comfortable bed I've ever slept on and I don't only mean hotels, I mean ever…down comforters even. The structure was designed by the owner and has a unique design that allows air to flow through a breezeway in between the two room units. The breezeway has the kitchen, with a nice large bar with bar stools, and a large dinner table with chairs, cushions here and there. You can sit and stare at the sea , sunset, and never get hot….the breeze was constant. In fact they lowered a canvas curtain on the road side during dinner, it was almost too breezy.

The owners are German, they moved to TB about a year ago and built this place. Axel and Andrea are very kind, we wanted for nothing at all, ever. Andrea's sister was visiting that week, as were a couple from Florida. They were a nice group and we enjoyed our time with them. We were asked if we wanted to stay for dinner and gladly accepted.

(Now here is where I should say P had never stayed at a B&B before, in fact I don't think I had either, and we weren't quite sure of the protocol. There were drinks and snacks in the mini-fridge in our room, with a price list we checked off if we took anything, so I knew dinner would not be free, but I just didn't care much at this point. P stressed a little but didn't want to ask….so we just went with the flow. It turned out breakfast was free, dinner was $15 a person and they kept a bar bill for us behind the bar, announcing when they were buying us a drink (which they did about as often as we bought one). It was all good, just thought I'd mention that in case anyone else isn't familiar with a B&B sort of setup.)

In the meantime, we took a walk on the beach. Absolutely no one else around, it's great. There are places with big waves, and calm spots, tidal pools, cliffs…lots of variety and you can walk a long way without having to go to the street (which is very quiet in any case). Mar Blue is right on the beach, you just walk past the swimming pool through a little gate and you're there.

After our little exploration, it was sunset cocktail hour back at Mar Blue. It's really a lovely place to watch the sun go from. Shortly, Dennis Abrahams arrived, who A&A had invited to join us for dinner. He's a fisherman/tour guide and a really nice guy. We thoroughly enjoyed our dinner with everyone, the group was very laid back but the conversation never stopped [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] . The food was AMAZING. Axel is a chef, a real one, and he made the best lobster bisque I've ever had….I tasted some kind of brandy or something in there, even P was impressed (and he doesn't impress easy). After the soup came a beautiful salad with homemade dressing. The main course turned out to be a kingfish Axel had caught. It was grilled and tasted pretty good just like that but then two sauces came out…a peppercorn sort of cream sauce and a tomato-based salsa kind of sauce. They were both delicious.

After coffee we went back to cocktails and everyone sat under the stars facing the sea for several hours, just chatting and enjoying. We arranged to go boating with Dennis the next day, to Black River and up…I was really excited, I've been wanting to do this for a long time. Dennis told us to just walk over to the fishermans' beach (less than a minute away) around 9 and we'd go.

We fell into that very comfortable bed, already wishing we had more time in Treasure Beach.

[ohliz]

Re: The 2003 ohliz-all-over-Jamaica trip report (NOW FINISHED)

So should I keep writing or no...?

[dollybaby74]

Re: The 2003 ohliz-all-over-Jamaica trip report (NOW FINISHED)

I'm enjoying your trip report, please go on!!!

[tivertonhouse]

Re: The 2003 ohliz-all-over-Jamaica trip report (NOW FINISHED)

YES,MORE,FASTER,LIZ [img]/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]
(arrive island this sat and it makes the remaining days disappear even quicker)
Best-Sash

[Tami]

Re: The 2003 ohliz-all-over-Jamaica trip report (NOW FINISHED)

great report Liz, I have not had much time since we returned to read the boards but you will be happy to know that I just blew off a meeting to finish your trip report [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[sammy]

Re: The 2003 ohliz-all-over-Jamaica trip report (NOW FINISHED)

i'm just catching up to your report...and YES keep writing my dear [img]/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

enjoying the details!

[dr. bones]

Re: The 2003 ohliz-all-over-Jamaica trip report (NOW FINISHED)

Please keep writing. I have never stayed in Treasure Beach, but have read about it often on this board. Would love to hear more of your experience there.

The food does sound good, but poor P. Mr. I don't like fish sure had to eat a lot of fish on this trip. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[fuzzyone]

Re: The 2003 ohliz-all-over-Jamaica trip report (NOW FINISHED)

Keep going Liz. Very descriptive and enjoyable. We only saw a little of TB last year when George
stayed there.

[ohliz]

Re: The 2003 ohliz-all-over-Jamaica trip report (NOW FINISHED)

Thanks y'all, just checking [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

As today marks one month since we returned, I guess I'd better wrap this up. To that end, another installment:

Day Fourteen, Tuesday (Treasure beach/Black River)

We were supposed to get to Dennis at the fisherman's beach at nine but we overslept a little. When we saw Dennis cruise by Mar Blue on his boat, we figured it was time to head over [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] . We walked over, hopped in his boat and headed out to sea. The boat is locally called a canoe because it has that sort of shape I guess, but Dennis has a powerful motor and seat cushions, life vests for kids and non-swimmers, lots of extras - it was very comfortable.

We passed all of TB, then Fort Charles, where Dennis pointed out new electric lines that are allowing development there. Fortunately (Dennis' words) the development is taking the form of private homes and villas, not mega-resorts. Mega-resorts in TB…that will be a sad day indeed, but luckily one that most residents will fight tooth and nail. They like their peaceful, drug-dealer and crime-free paradise and have seen what has happened to the north coast and do not want a repeat in their part of Jamaica. Bravo.

We were about 10 minutes into our trip when we saw our first dolphins. There were 2 that we could see and they swam along with the boat for quite awhile. I was really impressed to be so close to them. This has to blow away the captive-dolphin experience at Dolphin Cove in Ochi, even if we didn't jump in and swim with them…at least they're free and happy.

Dennis also, like most Jamaicans seem to, has a cell phone. It rang. Seems another couple was heading up the river but their boatman's motor quit and they were stuck. We offered to share our trip, no problem. We turned and headed back to the Calabash fishing co-op and rested there awhile as yet another phone call came in, this from Jason Henzell, owner of Jake's and cheerleader-in-charge for community tourism in Treasure Beach. He had another couple that hoped to go up the river today. "The more the merrier", we felt, so waited a few more minutes for the other couple.

Now with 6 of us plus Dennis and his helper, we head back out on the open sea towards Black River. The other couples are very nice, one quite young and one a bit older. Everyone is cool, though, and we laugh as we bump up and down on the waves. Occasionally Dennis slows down to point out a sight or explain something about what we are passing but pretty soon Black River's bay comes into view and the water calms noticeably. We chug in and head up the river. At the mouth of the river there are a lot of boats at the docks, loading tourists. Most get on pontoon boats - nice party sort of boat that holds maybe 20 people. A few get on fishing boats like ours. The difference between the two will be apparent in a bit.

As we head up, the river gives way to open morass (swamp or wetland, in the US) and the views are stunning. There is absolutely no way to see this without getting on a boat, we are surrounded by water, reeds, mangroves and far off, mountains. We see some sea birds nesting along the edge of the water and before too long, Dennis slows down and pulls over to an edge of the river. There, relaxing in the sun, is Jamaican crocodile number 1. This is the "safari" aspect of the trip, what most people head up the river to see. It was pretty cool, we were able to get quite close.

We saw several more and pretty soon, we came to a low bridge. This is where the pontoon boats have to turn around, they can't go any further as they don't fit under the bridge. Our group, however, merely duck our heads and we're heading up into the country, with a lot less boat traffic now. "See ya suckers", I recall saying to myself with an evil smile [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] . I have friends who have been here before and so knew to get a fishing boat and not a pontoon tour boat. (If you book a Black River trip through a tour company or hotel, you will almost certainly be on a pontoon boat so beware).

After a bit, Dennis pulls over to a dock on the river and we hop out for a drink at a little hut. We haven't seen a croc lately and Dennis says in 20 years he's never seen one in this area, this is a swim stop. Okaaaayyyy….I'm pretty hot by now and ready to swim and when I see a couple of area residents swimming, I say to heck with it and go in too. The Black River is called what it is because there is peat at the bottom that makes the water appear black. The water itself is beautiful - cool, crystal clear, refreshing. Some of the others on the boat aren't too sure about a swim but once Dennis, P and I are all in, a few people swing off a rope swing set up on a tree and after a few minutes, we're all in the water splashing, laughing, making crocodile jokes. And getting hungry.

Dennis asked us earlier if we'd like to eat crab on the river or at Pelican Bar on the way back…we opted for the crab and a drink at Pelican. So pretty soon we head downriver a bit and pull off at a crab shack. We settle ourselves and order - crab is what's on the menu, and drinks. The crabs are fairly small but the restaurant cleans then, adds spices and stuffs the crabmeat back in the shell so it's very easy to eat, fresh and delicious. An order is two crabs ($100J - $2US) and we eat a couple of orders each.

Full and cooled off, we head back towards the sea. Coming out of the river we turn towards our next stop, Pelican Bar. This place is amazing, less than a year old when we were there. There is a sandbar out in the bay at Black River where the water is only a foot or so deep. On this sandbar an enterprising businessman has built a bar on stilts - the whole thing looks like bamboo. You cannot get here by land, you must arrive by boat. Dennis had called ahead so we were met by the owner and he had plenty of cold drinks for us. He could have cooked too but since we'd had the crab we were full. Some of the group snorkeled a little, some sunbathed, others headed for the shade of the bar and relaxed inside. I wish I could have spent longer there, what a setting.

Finally we are ready to head back. Returning to TB from Black River puts us against the current, or wind or something, because the ride back is BOUNCY. I love riding waves in boats so thought it was a lot of fun, older people might not enjoy the bouncing as much. Still, compared to ocean water on the US east coast, this was nothing. We bounced and smiled and laughed for about 20 minutes and Dennis began dropping us all off at one of the 4 fishing beaches in TB. We got off at Calabash and walked the 30 feet or so to Mar Blue and jumped in the pool. I love having a pool for just this sort of occasion.

It's about 3PM now, naptime, we decide. It's hard to take a nap today since it's our last day but I haven't looked at a watch or calendar for 2 weeks and I'm not about to start now when I really don't want to know what either one says. So we nap.

We intended to go to Jake's for sunset, this is a ritual of sorts in TB, but we were tired enough to sleep until about 8. At 8 we did head over to Jake's to eat. The meal was fine - nothing like what we'd had at Mar Blue the night before though, we're spoiled now. The rain let up after dinner so we could walk around and get an idea of what Jake's looks like (in the dark). It's set on cliffs, not unlike the west end of Negril, and everything is very artsy and funky. I'd not stay there, I don't think, as the cottages are pretty pricey for the amenities provided, but it's a fun place to hang out for awhile. The people there seemed to be a mix of US tourists, locals, and Europeans, interesting people to sit at a bar with for sure.

Heading back to Mar Blue, we enjoy a couple of glasses of wine with Axel, Andrea and Andrea's sister (who is also leaving tomorrow), then collapse into that really cozy bed in our room. Next time we come to TB we will stay a LOT longer, there was so much more to see that we didn't get to.