73. Red Stripe Reggae Sumfest

Montego Bay town square

The annual reggae music festival in Montego Bay, Sumfest started on the 12th. The stage is just across from where I’m anchored, so I can hear all the bands.

http://reggaesumfest.com/main/

Anchored off the Yacht Club

Jack from the Yacht club took me to happy hour on the HouseBoat – a floating bar in Bogue Lagoon. There’s a tiny little ferry, with a bell and a ferry man, that takes you from land to the boat – about 15 feet away. The boat listed to port slightly, because the smoking section was on the port side.

RMBYC pool

Today I went for a sail around Montego Bay in a 31ft trimaran called Skedaddle. A very fast boat – we did 15 knots in only slight wind. I sailed with Peter the owner, and some other people from the yacht club. We docked off Doctor’s Cave Beach for late lunch and a swim. My neighbor in a catamaran came, she’s going back to the states for a couple of weeks; I said I’d keep an eye on her boat.

S/Y Skedaddle

72. Montego Bay

Sunset Beach

Just over the road from the Yacht Club there’s Sunset beach – with a pool, restaurant and showers, available to YC members. It’s my favorite beach to spend the day on.

The Yacht Club members get together on Friday evenings for food and drinks around the pool. As a visiting yacht I’m an honorary member, so I was invited to their table and met some very interesting expats and sailors, who have been here for years. Irish, Canadian and English, there seems to be a fairly tight-knit expat community in Jamaica.

Doctor's Cave Beach

I took a shared taxi from the Yacht Club to downtown Montego Bay for two hundred dollars (US$2). There are a couple of really beautiful beaches in small coves, near Gloucester Avenue. This is also where the bars and clubs are – all night parties at Pier 1 and Magaritaville.

Dump Up Beach

71. Jammin'

The beach at the Roundhill Hotel

I spent a very relaxing couple of days lounging by the pool at The Roundhill Hotel with Ben and Paul before they flew away back to London. It’s sad to see them go, we had a real adventure together, they were heroes. Both are now planning to buy sailing boats and go cruising. The hotel is lovely; dark polished wood villas set in beautiful tropical gardens, everything Ralph Lauren – furniture and fabrics, staff uniforms. He has a house right next door, and apparently often visits.

Abby

Back on my own, I plan to stay in Jamaica for the next few weeks and explore the island a bit more. Firstly, I’ll check out Montego Bay. I want to see Negril as well. I’m tuned in to IrieFM; listening to reggae in Jamaica – it gives me goose bumps. I’ll keep my eyes open for any work opportunities, then I could stay longer.

Sunset at the Roundhill Hotel