Jamaica Jive Time

Heading to Jamaica

Good fishing along the way. Grilled Tuna for dinner!

Liquid Copper Ocean - one of our favorite times of the day. 

Montego Bay - Gloriamaris is the white catamaran with the black stripe off in the distance on the right.

We will have lunch here at the Montego Bay Yacht Club restaurant - Seahorse Grill - while we wait for Customs and Immigration officials to arrive to check us into the country.

Lunch Bill - shocked to see this total......

...... However the tab in USD $24. 

Later that day we hired a taxi driver, named Leroy. 

Leroy saw us at lunch and told us, "What you spent on lunch, a Jamaican would spend for a month of food." 

Consequently there are large denomination bills. 

A bottle of wine we imbibed had a most entertaining label. Best to heed the advice in the last sentence.

Our friends Mike and Mary, from Minnesota arrive. First task is provisioning of produce.

The following 19 pictures were taken by either Mike or Mary.

L to R - Charlie, Leroy - our taxi driver, Michael, Karen 

Street scenes

Sunsets

Heading to Negril

Charlie filleting Mary's Fish - (sadly we do not have picture of Mary with her fish)

Michael trying for a fish of his own

Prepping to launch the dinghy

Dinghy going down

On the beach in Negril - Mike on the left

Horesback rides available. However, not Mary's idea of horseback riding.

Mary and Mike ready to go snorkeling

Pretty shell 

Gray skies hung around for a few days

Bryce and Sonnet are on their way down for some island time. 

Bryce took this photo - chess set in a hotel cooutyard.

Bryce photo too. View out the porthole above the bed in the stateroom

Having snacks on the way to the falls. Michael from MN  sitting behind Charlie

Day Hike at YS Falls - posters along the path

We got to see many much of the flora and fauna depicted.

With Bryce and Sonnet

Monsoon season has started making the rivers muddy.

Not the case when we visited Dunn River falls in Ocho Rios. Very clear.

Also joining us our friends from Minnesota, Mike (not pictured) and Mary

Foreground - Karen and Mary

Rope swings for those that want to land in the pool

No takers in our party. Just a bit too muddy.  Photo by Bryce

Canopy rides too.

Slippery walk across

Photo by Bryce

Jungle Flowers

After our hike up the waterfall, Leroy drove us through the Bamboo Tunnel that runs through the Appleton Rum Estate. Beyond the bamboo were acres and acres of sugar cane.

Mike and Mary head back to chilly Minnesota and we are off to Negril with Bryce and Sonnet

Scenes in Negril with Bryce and Sonnet

Incoming weather looks ominous but brought only rain making for a delightful fresh water rinse.

Charlie working on a project. Photo by Bryce

Great snorkeling in the caves along the coast when the seas are calm.

The next 23 photos were taken by Bryce and Sonnet with a GoPro

Rick's Place is popular for those that would like to jump from the cliffs into the aquamarine water.

One can jump from 3 locations from low to very high. 

After watching the cliff jumpers it was time for some diving

Charlie

L - R Charlie & Sonnet

Charlie

Sonnet off to explore. Sonnet had not snorkeled before coming to Jamaica; yet she took right to it, as if she had been snorkeling for years.

One of our favorite pictures of Sonnet; working magic with a jellyfish

Charlie - Arrow Crab

Cow Fish, top and Squirrel Fish low and to the right.

Helmet Conch

Peacock Flounder

Ray

Pencil Urchins

Flying Gunnard - Bryce has a video of this fish.

A hermit crab trying to decide whether to come out or retreat into its shell. It opted for retreat. Photos were taken and he/she was returned to its spot on the ocean floor.

Night Sky 

Bryce and Sonnet are headed back to their jobs and I am going to see my parents for a few days.

Charlie will be fending for himself until my return.

Hanging together at the airport until we have to go our separate ways.

After my return from visiting my parents we readied for the move east.

We departed Montego Bay heading for Port Antonio and along the way we stopped at Dunn River Falls for another hike. 

The fishing boat below is our taxi ride from the anchorage in town to the mouth of the river; where the river meets the beach.

Arriving at the beach. Base of waterfall in the distance.

Our friend Michael - in the foreground with green shirt - joined us in Montego Bay and will be sailing with us to the British Virgin Islands. He along with several pods of tourist will hike up the falls.

Waiting our turn to go up to the next level.

Michael - in the green shirt - visiting with the park attendant. 

Michael

Karen

Charlie and Karen nearing the top

Michael and Karen at the summit

Charlie and Karen

We departed Dunn River Falls continuing on to Port Antonio - pictured below

The bleak gray day was not favorable for portraying the verdant lush jungle.

Sun peeking through and we are enjoying refreshments at  the Errol Flynn Bar

Red Stripe, Dragon Stout and Jamaican Jerk Wings. Pleasant repast. The Stout is especially good.

Posters around the bar.

One afternoon we made an excursion across the channel from the bar to Navy Island and the abandoned hotel which was owned by Errol Flynn. It was host to many a star in its day. Sad now.

Overgrown tumbledown cabana

The pool

Only players in the pool were two platter size land crabs. They did not want their picture taken, skittish they were. One is just above the patch of sunlight at the bottom of the stairs.

A boat ramp near the pool and Charlie and Jamaica main island in the distance

Charlie pointing out Gloriamaris in the anchorage near the Errol Flynn bar.

Jungle flora and fauna

This tree is gnarly and covered in vines.

And of course the ever pervasive plastic. 

Setting sail for the British Virgin Islands on a gray morning. We will stop several places along the way so watch for upcoming posts. The grey morning was a harbinger of things to come. Stay tuned.