35 Sunsets Slices of Salt Life from the Capital of Cool

[marley9808]

Yay!!! Thanks so much for the photos and video of the Donkey Races! I look forward to those every year

One of these years I will make it there in person to witness it

Looks like a fun time!

[justchuck]

I'd like to see the donkey races, maybe one of these years. Thanks for the pics and report, always interesting!

[butch]

Here's a small bonfire in front of Firefly. There was an old dude there roasting his nuts - at 8:30pm. WTF?

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lmao....that crazy dude was running everywhere as free as the day is long, then finally passed out like a baby next to the fire! I have never seen anything like it, and hope I never see it again!! Great report Kahuna

[Kahuna3]

Hey butch - thanks for the feedback, Yah - the old dude at FireFly was something special.
I have much to write about, but the time seems to evaporate around here.


Here is another Donkey Races video. It’s a hoot – a man powered Ferris Wheel. The kids go berserk over this!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwGWRPEiiPQ

It rained a lot on the beach yesterday afternoon. I guess people drink (or toke or whatever) more when it rains, because the garden side of White Sands was a rockin’ from about 5:00pm on. People singing and calling out to each other – and, while the rain pounded down, the villa pool was the scene of a raucous party that sounded like it might have been fungi-fuelled.

Today it's clear and warm and everything has a fresh washed look to it after the torrents of rain we had. This morning the ocean swim was wonderful, splendid, glorious, stunning (pick one – I can’t) the water was even clearer than a couple of days ago and it felt like silk sliding over my skin. The eagle ray, I think it’s the same one, visited me again, this time swimming diagonally across my path. Later, Bea and I had toast and coffee on the patio at Charela. We saw a doctor bird flitting between the red blossoms of the bush nearby. All in all, an auspicious start to another day on da beach. No big plans for the day, other than giving Dude (the baby macaw) his daily vocal lessons - which I'll discuss later. But something always comes up

The Music Video at White Sands:
Two nights ago we watched a music video being filmed in front of a big bonfire at White Sands. The group was ‘Makeshift Innocence’ – they’ve been in Negril all week working on this video, I think the bonfire scene was the final taping. I’m sure it will be a great promo for Negril.

The lead singer is Jesse James Cameron, from out west in Canada. He lived and went to school in Negril and it shows- their music is an infusion of rock, reggae, pop and roots, with a solid Jamaican foundation. Jesse is a natural entertainer. Check them out on You Tube. He and his female bassist/accompanist put on an acoustic show after the videotaping, and it was very, very good. While I was watching him he reminded me of another musician – but I couldn’t place it. Then this morning, while I was lounging next to the pool at the CSA sports complex, it hit me – Zavier Rudd. I think Jesse James is the Canadian Zavier Rudd. (If you haven’t seen Zavier Rudd, you must check out his version of ‘No Woman, No Cry’ on YouTube – it is hauntingly beautiful.)

So, Makeshift Innocence is going to put on another show tonight after sunset at White Sands. If you are around, do yourself a favour and catch them.

Yesterday J.T. and some others of our company arrived. I wonder what sort of trouble JT will get into this trip.
Here’s a photo of the bonfire gathering:




Here’s a vid of the bonfire:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VI19A1gM28E

[butch]

Kahuna great read! Have you seen the really big ray out with the spotted ones yet? On one occasion there was a real dark ray about 3 times the size of the two spotted rays seen in front of Sun Beach. I didn't have a camera at the time but it was an imposing figure out there in the water!

[yetta]

So enjoying your report! Thanks for all the links too! Just checked out You Tube and watched the official video "Your Body" by Makeshift Innocence.....Sweet indeed!!!

[jan24]

Thanks for sharing all the great vibes and happenings going on all around you.

[poolguywindsor]

OK so in spite of eveyone advising me to get while I can, I spent the afternoon/evening hangin with JT!
It was just a lot of fun and words if you can get a few in cant describe,lol
I have pictures and memories to recolect from this memorable day!
So i am thinkin your crew could chip in and I could hang with Johnny the rest of your stay?

[Kahuna3]

PGW - that is a very good offer - should've suggested it sooner!
Saw PGW on the beach yesterday afternoon, he was making his last stroll. He’s gone today – but get this – he’ll be back on March 5th, the day before I leave!

Today is Ash Wednesday, so things are cut back a pace here in Negril, traffic on the road is down and it feels a bit like a Sunday. One of our group (a 2nd year Newbie) got really excited for a while last night when she mis-heard that today was ‘Hash’ Wednesday.

Tonight is the ‘Repeat Guest Appreciation Dinner’ at White Sands. Put on by the Moo-Youngs, who own and operate White Sands, it is an annual event consisting of a scrumptious buffet and potent rum punch. A very high percentage of the guests at White Sands are long-time repeat customers. Tonight, as an added bonus, ‘Mistaken Innocence’ will be performing a gig at poolside. It’s gonna be hot, hot, hot. Photos and video later.

I mentioned Dude, Francis’s baby Macaw. We visit with Dude everyday – he’s a character, only three months old, he has another 80 years to live (unfortunately, probably in a cage). Francis tells me he’s going to name the next baby – who we can already hear peeping in the hutch - after Bob Marley. Dude is tame, having been taken from his parents when very young and hand-fed for a month. I feed him a banana and rub him under his wing. Even though Dude is not that big yet, he can eat a whole banana – he stores it in his food pouch at the base of his throat.

I call Dude a ‘him’, but we don’t know if he’s male or female – you need a DNA test to sex a macaw. I look forward to my visits with Dude, it’s hard to believe that a three month old baby parrot could be so cute and already developing a personality.

Francis is a big fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs; he watches Leafs games on his computer and he is up on all the stats and the players. Me, I’m an Ottawa Senators fan. As I feed Dude the banana, I repeat slowly and clearly, “Leafs Suck! Leafs Suck!” Dude tilts his head and says, “uuck, uuck.” Maybe his vocal chords are not yet developed enough to make the ‘S’ sound, but I figure, in a few weeks, he’ll have it down pat.

Here’s a video from the Boat Bar on Friday (late – I know, but I got so much things to do). The long-haired dude in the video is my buddy Shrek and the guy leaning against the tree is Hugh, who hangs out at White Sands, but went to New York on Sunday to pursue the love of his life (she bought the ticket). Good luck Hugh.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4FpAvpvk2M

The place was packed. There was a good party vibe going on there and a tight Reggae band provided the vibes.



Yah, just another crummy day in paradise

[JaJodi]

"Hash Wednesday" LOL!