Negril Trip Report 1999

[lane]

lost my photos for 73 but have the ones form 82 check to see if you are at Rick's in 82 in the 40 years ago post.

[HuskerJohn]

lost my photos for 73 but have the ones form 82 check to see if you are at Rick's in 82 in the 40 years ago post.

Won't be there in any 82 shots. Our first year was 1998.

[lane]

Husker John, you are so right about the lighthouse ground and rocks. That was the place Daisy told us we could get down in the water and was very private, but was not much on comfort, plus you might meet some happy faces.

What a way to get a day started.

Sitting like King Neptune's grandson.

There is a great small cave that has a fine little tidal pool that you can get out off the hot sun and cool off for bite.

The Sun Deck was not built for comfort but Mother Nature gave you the straw and sea grass to pad your ass for sit and a strip and smoke.

If anyone has not been you there they should take a walk around, I am sure it has changed but you might get a good picture.
I think that you may even be able to get up into the Lighthouse if the caretaker is around, I think someone on here has a photo from the top.

[HuskerJohn]

Day 6 Sun. 2-21-99
Got up late this morning after a heavy night at NYC. Breakfast at Sonia's again! Hashbrowns, scrambled eggs, bread/w guava jelly, oj and coffee. $820J for both of us. Nothin’ special on the agenda, so we thought we would head to Bloody Bay. Ten minutes later we’re walking down the path to the “Office of Nature” on Bloody Bay. We walked right by and headed north up the beach. The farther we walked, the less people. Kay finally picked a nice spot under some overhanging trees. I brought my snorkel gear and already had my swimsuit on, so I took off my shoes and shirt grabbed my mask and I was ready! But wait!…..I was at Bloody Bay! I didn’t really need the suit. So I took it off and walked into the water. Naked snorkeling, it’s great! Kay was worried I would sunburn something that never sees the light of day but I said, “no I’ll be alright”. Cheeks were a little red when we got back to Charela but not too bad.
Bloody Bay is mostly sand bottom with some nice beds of sea grass. Just gliding around with a snorkel and mask is a joy. Saw a few fish but nothing like the reef. The only downer was the ski boats from the all inclusives. They damn near ran me over a couple of times. At least from the water it seemed like they came way too close. Only a few fruit vendors and the ice cream mon riding an ancient Honda motorcycle came by. A Jamaican couple pulled up in a nice Toyota, left the radio on and went in the water for a swim so we had the music goin’ too. The Jamaican couple stayed in the water for a long time and it was plain to see what they were doin’ locked in that embrace for such a long time. All in all it was an Irie day on the beach at Bloody Bay.
We didn’t bring anything to drink but a bottle of water. When that was gone we headed back to the office or Nature for some Red Stripes. The “Office of Nature” is a huge tent fly strung between the trees, with picnic tables and a rasta guy cookin’ up all kinds of great stuff. Jerk chicken, fish, lobster and served with all the trimmings. There were probably 30 people under and around the tent fly. Jamaicans talking politics, tourist families eating and quite a few just partying and enjoying a great Sunday afternoon. We sat down at one of the tables with an Italian couple from Rome and had a nice conversation. They had traveled all over the World and found Negril to be one of their favorites. After a few more Stripes a couple from California sat down and ordered the fish. The California dude was a fireman in San Francisco. Said he brought down all his own spliffs from home. “Wow” I said, “isn’t that kind of dangerous gettin’ through customs”? “Naw” he said, “I do it every trip and no problem so far”. He lit one up and passed it around. When the Jamaican who was sitting with us got hold of it he passed it to one of his friends at another table and we never saw that spliff again! The fireman said “that happens all the time, they love good old Californian”. One of his Rasta friends came up and asks for another Cal. spliff and off he goes. “See, they really do love it but I’m almost out and I’ve only been here 3 days!” We sampled the Ganga Tea and it was pretty good. Kay said she didn’t feel anything but she sure was doing a lot of talking. Hehe
It was getting close to sunset so we headed back to Charela. Thought we would take a likkle nap before watching the sunset from the porch but didn’t wake up until 9:30!! Oh well, we had another great day in paradise so we hung-out on the porch and listened to West 104 before we turned in for bed.