Not to boast, but ….

Where would you rather be?

OR

Nuh worry yourself. Ya soon come!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

Island Picnic, Anyone?

Who doesn't love a picnic without the ants? Especially a picnic where you can be served fresh caught lobster and fish right off the grill while sitting on a white sand beach overlooking the Negril coastline. I don't know about you, but I had me at lobster. The Island Picnic is one of our best-selling tours and there is no wonder why. The cruise over to the island is very scenic and relaxing. You can stop by the coral reef for snorkeling if you wish, then continue on to your destination. Once you arrive, you can spend time on the beach or exploring the "jungle" as your food is being prepared for you. The back side of the island is very picturesque so be sure to bring your camera. You'll kick yourself if you miss these photo ops! If you are not the exploring type, then you have the option of doing some small shopping or just enjoying the banter and antics of the local fishermen and your crew, which is always a favorite pastime of mine!

Here are a few pics. If they seem food-focused, it's because they are!

Other Stuff Post #1: The Blue Hole Mineral Spring

Most visitors to Negril have heard of jumping into the sea from the cliffs at Rick's Cafe, but are surprised to hear about jumping into a hole in the ground… nowhere near the sea…without being pushed (Crazy, right?). Absolutely! It's crazy fun! I am speaking of the Blue Hole Mineral Spring located about 20-30 minutes outside of Negril. It is very easily accessible and we can arrange transportation for you with one of our trusted drivers. (FYI-- there are several mineral springs/rivers in the area, and actually another named the Blue Hole located at Roaring River. I will write another post about that one later.) This place has something for everyone. For the more adventurous (anyone, anyone… am I the only one raising my hand?), you can take the plunge into the attractions' namesake- a  20 foot drop into 20 feet of crystal clear, mineral spring water. BTW, you will have to look out for other jumpers falling from the sky as you make your way to the side of the pool or the ladder. Yes, I said ladder, for it is a hole you jumped into and now you must get yourself out. For the more laid back (cough, cough "fraidycats"), there is a lovely pool filled with the same mineral water from the spring. There you can get all of the benefits of the spring without doing any of the work. (Really, what are you on, a vacation?) There is also a bar that serves food, a DJ, a volleyball net and a brand new hotel. I haven't stayed overnight, so I cannot speak to the hotel. There is a fee ($10 US) to jump into the hole for as many times as you can manage. There are also "professional" divers there who do all kinds of crazy stunts for your adoration and tips. So when you're in Negril and you have time to kill and want to see something off the beaten path, consider The Blue Hole Mineral Spring. You'll have a blast!

Well I'm here... now what?

So you've come to Negril. WELCOME! People come for all sorts of reasons. Recommendations from friends or co-workers, Groupon or Living Social deals, or like me, as refugees from a storm (literal or otherwise). Like the tourism advertisement for Jamaica says, "Once you go, you know."

Once you've seen that the beaches really do live up to the hype and you've overloaded on the awesomeness of riding our jet skis (Insert shameless plug here--well, not so shameless, I am providing valuable info after all. Yeah, let's go with that.) you may be wondering, what else is there to do? Glad that you asked. To answer that question, I'm going to do a series of posts on other activities in the surrounding area. I'll even let you know which ones I have done personally. I'll title the series "Other Stuff," mostly because that's what it is. Stay tuned!

Here's a random pic just because I think blog posts need pics. Look carefully and notice that the sign IS the store, well the side of it anyway. You can just make out the steering wheel of the cart at the top (right) and the wheel at the bottom. I love these things! These carts are very popular in Jamaica (their version of a food truck) and like food trucks, usually have some of THE BEST food. I eat from them regularly. Don't be afraid to try one when you come, unless of course, you get sick. If that happens, I never told you to do it. Just sayin'.

Perfect Endings

"When I admire the wonders of a sunset or the beauty of the moon, my soul expands in the worship of the creator."

Mahatma Gandhi

Well, not that it matters, but I couldn't agree more MG! Here in Negril, Jamaica we have sunsets to rival those anywhere in the world. Being located on the western end of the island affords us unobstructed views of the sun slipping down into the sea... a show that even the most unaffected among us has to take pause and pay homage to more times than not. Think about it...a beautiful sunset is the perfect ending to any day, good or bad. It is a reminder of the constant nature of the universe and that for every end there is a beginning. I consider myself abundantly blessed to be able to share these moments with loved ones and our guests. And if you've never witnessed such a phenomenon, while floating out at sea on a jet ski or a boat with the engine turned off and nothing but the sound of the waves lapping against the hull, then you should definitely add it to your bucket list. 

Here are a few of my favorites.

Newbies vs. Vets

A few months into this season have left me with some observations.

Newbies want to know where the life jacket is and they put it on before they can listen to anything else.
Vets want to forget the life jacket and have to be reminded to put it on before taking off :)

Newbies want to make sure that we can see them wherever they go and they go slow enough to keep an eye on us too!
Vets disappear into the horizon and have to be waved back in when the time is up.

Newbies do what I call the "hop-stop". They increase the throttle to where they are hopping over the waves, then they let go when the up and down motion becomes too much.
Vets ease on and off the throttle for a continuous, smooth ride.

Newbies slow all the way down when making a turn so that the circumference could encompass a small island.
Vets make tight turns and shred the waves, leaving really cool patterns on the sea.

Which one is better? They're both awesome and we love them all!

Which type of rider are you?

Morning Rides

We LOVE our early morning customers. They come ready and excited to start the day. They don't need no stinkin' coffee... they've got ADRENALINE ! 

In my opinion, they also get the best ride of the day. The bay is almost flat like a tabletop and there aren't many other people or vehicles out in the water so they have the place to themselves.

Here's a few pics of the beach in the early AM.

Check out two of our early morning customers getting in a ride before breakfast.

What time of day do you prefer?

There is rest for the weary.

It's hard to believe that it has been almost one year since I first stepped foot onto the beach in Negril. Well actually more like off the local bus from Ochie to Mo Bay, then off the bus from MoBay to Sav, then out of the taxi from Sav to Negril. Marooned in Ocho Rios by hurricane Sandy, now with five days of unplanned vacation time, it seemed as if Providence had smiled on me and said Go Forth and explore! And who am I to argue with Providence? So having only heard of a few places in Jamaica at the time, Negril seemed the safe and logical choice.
Having just been de-virginized to local travel in Jamaica (imagine sardine cans with wheels and no AC) I arrived no worse for wear and probably would have been thrilled with any establishment that had AC and running water with which to wash off the double layers of sweat (one from me and one from whomever was mashed against either side of me---#notsofreshorsoclean). But being led by Providence has its perks and I wound up at a gem of a place.
Once the layers of grime had been removed and the AC reversed the wilting that had occurred from the stifling heat on the bus, I was off to see the beach. It was about an hour before sunset when I walked past the bar onto the deck that extended onto the beach, leaned on the railing under cover of tree shade and really got my first glimpse of the ocean view. I remember taking a deep sigh and letting my body collapse down on itself, starting from my shoulders and working its way down. (Like one of those cleansing breaths in Bikram yoga, but without the humidity and funk.) The stress of not knowing what condition my home would be in when I returned, of experiencing an entire day of local Jamaican transportation, of having to go way over budget to spend essentially a whole other vacation abroad just evaporated away. It was breathtaking...beautiful...restorative...I was at peace.
I did not know at the time that I would continue to experience that same feeling for the remainder of that trip nor did I know that the feeling would return with each subsequent trip to Negril. It is mainly for this reason that I have decided to put down some roots and see what life will bring me in this little town by the sea.

Welcome to the site! Feel free to say hello or leave a comment, we love to make new friends.

Respek