Showing posts with label ocho. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ocho. Show all posts

Friday, June 21, 2013

Ocho Rios-Jamaica Beach and Waterfalls

Ocho Rios, Dunns River Falls
Ocho Rios (Spanish for "Eight Rivers") is a town in the parish of Saint Ann on the north coast of Jamaica. Although he landed in many spots along the Jamaican coast, many believe that Christopher Columbus first set foot on land in Ocho Rios. Just outside the city, travelers and residents can visit Columbus Park, where Columbus supposedly first came on land, and see maritime artifacts and Spanish colonial buildings.
Once a fishing village Ocho Rios now well known as the second of Jamaica's tourism communities. It is a port of call for cruise ships hosting several of Carnival Cruise lines and other cruises weekly as well as cargo ships loading sugar, limestone, and in the past, bauxite.
The name "Ocho Rios" is a misnomer because there are not eight rivers in the area. It is most likely a British corruption of the original Spanish name "Las Chorreras" ("the waterfalls"), a name given to the village because of the nearby Dunn's River Falls.
The north coast highway from the international airport at Montego Bay to Ocho Rios has been improved since 2000 and the journey is now an hour and forty five minutes drive. On 26 August 2011, Jamaicas government announced a $21 million revitalization plan for the resort area.
The town has restaurants, night clubs in Margaritaville and Dolphin Cove, where tourists swim and interact with dolphins. Scuba diving and other water sports are offered in the town's vicinity.
Mystic Mountain, Ocho Rios, Jamaica
The Rainforest Adventures park at Mystic Mountain in Ocho Rios is the heart and soul of the Jamaicas ecotourism and rain forest activities! You’ll have ample opportunities to put on your explorer’s hat and take your camera on a photo safari, the park take you all the way from the seashore to 700 feet above sea level at the top of the mountain, stretching over 100 acres of the Saint Ann and Jamaicas coastline. This is one rain forest tour in Jamaica that will give your memory chip a workout it won’t soon forget! The development of Mystic Mountain in Ocho Rios adds its many attractions. 

Sunday, March 24, 2013

Picante Easter Sail Around Jamaica

Follow Picante as she Sail around Jamaica, Captain Wright and crew sailed out of  (RJYC) Royal Jamaica Yacht Club Kingston on an Easter Sail around Jamaica. Without the usual winds yesterday it took 18 hours for their first stop in Bowden St Thomas arriving last night at 11:PM 3/23/2013.

Sunrise Sunday 3/24/2013 Captain Wright and crew departing Bowden for Port Antonio Errol Flynn Marina embarking on  one of the most challenging part of the sail the sea's around Morant Point on the North Easter end of Jamaica. 

Picante and her crew with Peter Wright at her helm helped by beautiful tropical winds made good time and latest update is passing the coastline of Long Bay in Portland. The Crew has a eta of 8:30 into the Errol Flynn Pier Port Antonio.Long Bay, long beautiful beach lies on the North Eastern end of Jamaica, Long Bay. The contentious ocean pounds ashore onto a wide, palm shaded sandy beach. The beach is dotted with Tiki Hut bars, restaurants and cabins. The vibe is laid back and European. 

Boston Beach is a coastal community on the north coast of the island of Jamaica, with a public beach which is one of the few beaches in Jamaica attracting surfers.It is located nine miles east of the town of Port AntonioBoston Beach is known for its "jerk" pork and "jerk chicken" stands and is known as the the birthplace of the spicy jerk seasoning made from Jamaicas allspice now used on cuisines all over the world.In Kingston, the capital of Jamaica, there is a popular local take out restaurant known as "Boston Jerk Pit" with several Boston Jerk in the Bronx New York , Atlanta Georgia, Miami Florida and elsewhere.  

At James Bond Beach Oracabessa near Ocho Rios

James Bond Beach sits on a small peninsula at Oracabessa Bay about 10 miles (16 km) from Ocho Rios on Jamaica's north coast. Located just off Main Street Oracabessa, adjacent to luxury estates Golden-eye and Golden Clouds, James Bond Beach has brightly painted changing rooms, a water sports center  a bar and a restaurant. It is surrounded by crystal clear water on three sides and an amazing backdrop; the lush mountains of St Mary reaching straight down to the sea.

Both locals and tourists come to James Bond Beach to drink, dine, sun and swim. Celebrity friends of owner Chris Blackwell, who is also a movie producer and founder of Island Records, sometimes stop by. A weekend regular is Carl Bradshaw, who appeared in such well-known Jamaica-based movies as The Harder They Come and The Mighty Quinn.

Update on Easter Sail after a few days Captain Peter Wright report Picante is about to Port in Montego Bay Yacht Club, some other news about one of the other vessel is not so satisfying. Captain wright mention lost  vessel but will give us those details later.

Montego Bay is known for its large regional hospital (Cornwall Regional Hospital), port facilities, second homes for numerous upper class Jamaicans from Kingston as well as North Americans and Europeans, fine restaurants, and shopping opportunities. The coast land near Montego Bay is occupied by numerous tourist resorts, most newly built, some occupying the grounds of old sugar cane plantations with some of the original buildings and mill-works still standing. The most famous of these are the White Witch's Rose Hall and Tryall, both of which now feature world-class golf courses.
The infrastructure of the city is going through a series of explosive modernization which once completed, aims to keep Montego Bay as a top destination in the Caribbean and the world.

Update on the Easter cruise from captain Peter Wright News on Tai Pan, it is not clear as to the difficulty she had but her crew is well.

Peter Wright, " I just got out of bed in Bloody Bay in Negril Jamaica.  It is a glorious morning on the start of the second leg of this cruise. 

It has been great for Picante so for great sailing and camaraderie.  

Yesterday we however got the bad news that Tai Pan who started the cruise with us in Kingston and followed us to Port Antonio never made it back to Kingston.  Good news Tai Pan captain and crew are all 100% fine and better off with a lot of useful experience.  Tai Pan is however in Davy Jones locker by Yallahs Jamaica.  

The best part of the cruise for me however is the fact that my big son Jared Wright who like the rest of the HATE sailing took the minibus from Kingston and joined in Montego Bay and woke up by my side this morning.  As the saying goes, somethings in life are priceless.  

We are here for today and tomorrow, leaving for Bluefields in Westmoreland on Monday morning".

Bloody Bay Beach
Picante moored at salubrious Black River for 2 days now. Rupert and Michelle Bent brought down one of their jibs last night and stayed and we all got Picante shipshape, we've done all our repairs from 011:00 hrs this morning. 

Weather just as bad as yesterday as predicted by Met office. Waiting on weather window as predicted by Met Office to be good tomorrow to make a one hop to RJYC at 05:00 hrs in morning. Cap. Peter Wright

Picante, Jamaicas Black River St Elizabeth
Word from Cap Peter Wright this morning as Picante and her crew avoided dangerous westerly winds, Peter,  "Left Black River 2 hrs in light winds, an mi nay beg fi no big breeze again. All systems fine all crew rested. Sail plan to do one hop to Kingston."

Audi I Sail Around Jamaica

Flotilla In James Bond Beach

Getting maintenance done 

Swimming at James Bond Beach 

Alongside at James Bond Beach Jamaica
The Royal Jamaica Yacht Club is very active in sailing, with races on weekends in the protected waters of Kingston Harbor  Two Regattas are held during the year, one at the end of January/early February and the other over the first weekend of August, when we celebrate our Independence. The Piper-Heidsieck Pirates Race from Port Royal to Grand Cayman is hosted by the Club the third week in October each year. The Club and its members are represented internationally by the Jamaica Yachting Association.