The venezulean warship pulled up in the bay off the beach about 5 yrs ago and sent a zodiac in with some guys around marys bay somewhere?. I was sitting in canoe at the time and took pics but cant find them. Has this happened since? Are there other large ships or military vessels that has done this b4?, Im sure it was a load of fresh mango under the nets.jeje.
I think I remember Venezualan soliders in Negril after Ivan and were billeted in tents on the morass side for months as the helped in the cleanup.
Maybe that's why the ship was off the coast
Funny not so funny post Ivan story. We were in the week following Ivan but the Venezulean group had not made it in yet. Upon our return in Feb they were encamped in the park area just north of the craft market, they had a temporary chain link fence around the camp hung with camo type netting for privacey, you would see them in these troop hauler trailers during the day headed out to help rebuild schools etc.. I don't know if you have ever done it, don't know if it is still accessible but back then there was a side stairway on the building at the entrance to the craftmarket, among other things the building has housed negril tourism association and reef association over the years. If you mount the stairs you would come out on a flat roof overlooking the park area where I mentioned the Venezulean troops were encamped. As the rest of the group shopped I grabbed a beer went up to the roof to enjoy a quiet place (I always liked watching traffic from up there, sorta out of sight out of mind). Really didn't give it much thought but I was looking down into their camp, interesting, I had one of the first Canon Digitals and was snapping pictures of this and that not really focusing on the camp.
After a while I headed back around through the side of the market to use the pay toilets. That was the scene of a mash up of events that got a touch intense. As I came out of the rest rooms there was a JDF, Red Stripe and Cuban Officer blocking my way,,,, "were you taking pictures of the camp" "I was taking pictures of a lot of things" "we need your camera" and at that very moment the 2 way radio in my pocket we use to talk back and forth amongst our group goes off and it's my buddy talking in his what is usualley somewhat amuseing jargon "double o 7 this is double o odd do you copy, we have accomplished mission and are ready for contact at the rally point". I'll interpret he is saying they are finished shopping and are ready to meet at the car. What the officers interpreted I can only imagine but within minutes I have been escorted into the camp and am in the presence of a Captain, through an interpreter "we want your camera" "no it's my camera, but here let's look at the pictures and I'll delete anything you find bothersome" to which we started through the pictures and I'm manipulating the screen and blowing up this or that shot at which time I can tell the Captain is beginning to understand we are in a much to do about nothing situation. But as I close my camera and ask am I free to go, the Captain detains me, rattles off something to another soldier who runs to a tent and comes back with the same model camera as mine, seems that they had gotten the camera with no operators manual and had spent a couple weeks trying to figure out how to use it. I go from double o 7 to camera tech guy and we all part friends.
Only in Jamaica.
I have won many awards in a lifetime of competition and service. But the highest was offered without plaque or fanfare on a hilltop in post Ivan Jamaica. A true Rasta and a dear friend observed "Chet you are like a father of men, you see need and fulfill that need without being asked". Let us be travelers and not tourist.
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