Activities

Fishing

Put up that sign that says "GONE FISHING" and try your luck at the catch of the day: blue marlin, red snapper, barracuda, salmon, kingfish, tuna or dolphin.

Reel Sensations
Fishing & Boat Charters
Fairy Hill, Portland
Jamaica, W.I.
876 545-2384  876 993-8152

Hop aboard REEL SENSATIONS! Cast away your problems and REEL in the good times. Whether you are along for a tour, angling for that big catch, or just chillin'; the Caribbean's Deep Blue Sea beckons you to cast your senses to the wind.

Cruise aboard the comfort of a 24' AquaSport boat. Your captain, Greg, and his associates have been fishing since "their eyes were at their knees". Fish inshore, off shore, or just cruise along the shore to encounter the thrills and beauty of Port Antonio. Delight your all your senses and make it a memorable trip!

Would you like to charter REEL SENSATIONS for the 2006 Port Antonio International Marlin Tournament? The festivities begin on September 30. The tournament is October 2 - 6, 2006. Contact us for more information regarding the tournament, boat amenities, and prices.

Deep Sea Fishing:

• Half Day Excursions (4 hours)
• Night fishing excursions (after 6 PM)
• Includes fishing equipment, bait, cooler, and ice

Boat Tours & History:

• Blue Lagoon to Winifred Beach and points in between (Monkey Island, Cocktail [featured in Tom Cruise movie] Beach at Dragon Bay)
• Blue Lagoon to Errol Flynn Estate and points in between (includes points above)
• Blue Lagoon to Navy Island (includes old and new marina, the Castle, Navy Island, and Port Antonio)
• Bring your snorkel gear or notify the captain in advance of your equipment needs

Dinner, Cruise, & Bonfire:

• For a truly sensational evening, enjoy an authentic Jamaican dinner and a twilight cruise. Your captain will pick you up at the Blue Lagoon and cruise to Winifred Beach. You will be served your choice of chicken or fish and side items on the beach. Enjoy 2 Red Stripe too! A bonfire will be lit and reggae music will drift through the air as gentle as the waves. Additional drinks available for a fee. Hours: 6pm to 10pm.

Fishing Jamaican Style:

• Arm fishing: Forget the rod and reel, toss in your line, hook, and bait and wrestle in your catch. Line, hook, and bait included.
• Shooting: snorkel to dive spots and shoot your catch of snapper, jack, barracuda, etc. For an additional fee, ride on the boat to your destination. (Bring your own equipment, or notify captain at the time of booking of your equipment needs.)
• Disclaimer: Reel Sensations and its associates are not responsible for injury.

Pro Bicycle
3 Love Lane
Port Antonio, Jamaica W.I.
876 993-2341

For great fun and exercise, rent a mountain bike to see the local sites. Mountain bikes: $10/day rental

Lady G’Diver, LTD
876 844-8711
www.ladygdiver.net

Lady G’diver, located at the Marina of Port Antonio, is world renowned for freediving and scuba. The facility is licensed by the Tourist Board and insured. Jan Lee and Steven Widener are your master scuba diver trainers with years of experience under their belts. A person can get fully PADI Open Water Diver certified in 3 to 4 days. Additional certification (licenses) courses are available for the asking. David Lee, Jan’s son, the World Record Holder of the Unassisted Ballast Freedive used this area as his training site. There are over 14 beautiful dive sites with varying depths and distances from shore. In addition to scuba and freediving, sightseeing, snorkeling, glass bottom boat tours and kayaks are available.

Rafting on the Rio Grande

Forget the rubber raft and climb on board a bamboo gondola with a licensed and professional captain. With bamboo pole in hand and standing fore, your captain will take you on a 2 to 2 ½ hour scenic cruise through the deep blue pools and the rapids. Berrydale or Grants is your point of origin. There is a station at each location where tickets can be purchased. Be sure to bring some extra money, because as you float down the river to the deep blue sea, barkeepers with their floating bars will happily serve you beer, water and soft drinks. Look for Pam on the sandbar, she has a very special rum punch that really has a punch. Wear your swimsuit and take a cool dip along your journey. The captains are delightful, filling your voyage with stories, history, and pointing out items of interest along the way. Jasper Roberts, captain #67, is great. Call in advance and request your special captain or seek additional information at 876-913-5434 or 5433. Only 2 adults and a child under 10 yo / raft at $45 USD per raft. P.S. Don’t forget your sunscreen, hat, and camera. Tips please.

Reach (Reich) Falls -- Currently closed for renovations, but still accessible to the public

Reach (Reich) Falls is the most beautiful and magical place. As you travel off the main road and drive into the bush, the tropical forest prepares your senses for the pleasures that awaits. Ask your driver to take the curves slow and to watch out for the chickens crossing the road. For ease and safety, steps and a rail lead you to the pool at the base of the falls. Tour guides await your arrival at the bottom to help you to explore above, below, and even through the falls. The water is brisk but after the initial shock it's restorative. The pool at the base of the fall has varying depths for even the most novice of swimmers. If you are the adventurous and daring sort, with your guide explore the underwater caves, jump from atop the falls, climb the falls above and below to get the full experience Reach has to offer. Take as long as you like. Chill. Make a day of it and be sure to carry refreshments. Be sure to wear water shoes if climbing the rocks. Admission: 2 - 12 yo: $2 US, 13 & up: $4.

Somerset Falls -- Grounds under renovation.

Somerset Falls and Botanical Garden, located in St. Margaret’s Bay is lovely and relaxing. A guide greets you at the gate and takes you on a tour through the winding concrete path towards the falls while pointing out flowers and trees of interest. Snack bars, patios, and aviaries add to this sensational refuge. At the end of the path, a small boat awaits to take you into a rock alcove for a closer look and experience with the falls. When the boat returns you to the docking port, jump into the cool waters for a refreshing swim. Butterflies flutter, birds chirp, the sun attempts to break through the tall trees, and one realizes, that all is right with the world. Relax and enjoy. Lifejackets are provided. Admission: about $4 - $6 US.

Nonsuch Caves/Statuary Gardens

Approximately a 15 minute drive out of Port Antonio, an unusual treat exist in the tropics, stalagmites, stalactites, and fossilized sponges are found at Nonsuch cave. The cave is enveloped within the Gardens of Athenry. Beauty and intrigue abound at this stop. The panoramic view is spectacular and worth the trip even for those who are claustrophobic. Guided tour of the cave, gardens, and a refreshing drink: $15 USD.

Port Antonio

The town of Port Antonio has many places to see that offer that Kodak moment. On the outskirts of town, the Folly Oval, a sporting field that seems to constantly have a cricket game or some sporting event, lies next to the road that leads you to The Folly Lighthouse and Garden. The Folly Ruins is a favorite stop. Long ago a man built for his new bride a glorious mansion on the sea’s edge. Using the seawater to mix his mortar proved to be the ruin of his island paradise. Stroll through historic downtown with its Georgian architecture. Eighteenth century structures are still in use today. Musgrave Market with its fresh produce, craft market, and many other vendors is truly a sensory delight. Travel up the road to the peninsula of Titchfield and look at the Fort George Plaza with its unique architecture and shops within. Travel on up the hill and see the Victorian structure, DeMontevin Lodge and the remnants of the British Fort George. A small channel of water separates Titchfield and Navy Island. Take a ferry ride across the western harbor to Navy Island, once owned by Errol Flynn. Navy Island is the refuge of beautiful homes and restaurants. The view is also great from there.

The Marina of Port Antonio, completed in 2002, is a $5 million USD full service marina that melds the old with the new. This pristine 32 slip facility accommodates all watercraft up to 350 feet mega-yachts. Within the facility is a 24-hour customs and immigrations service. Amenities include: 24-hour security, a boatyard, dry storage, single- and three- phase electrical power (110/220/450 volt), (30, 50, and 100amp), 17’ of draft, fuel, freshwater, cable TV link, three telephone lines at each berth, internet access, shore storage, sewage pump-out facilities, showers, laundry facilities, and ship chandlery. The complex also sports a cruise ship terminal, white sand beach, information center, gift shop, swimming pool, restaurant, and bar. This is a private facility but upon request visitors are allowed to walk through the marina. The beach (nominal fee), bar, and restaurant are open to the public.

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Ocho Rios and Kingston

When you go to Jamaica, there are a few "must do’s". From Port Antonio the drives to Ocho Rios and Kingston are just a couple of scenic hours away. The trip itself is an adventure. There are a couple of ways to get to Kingston from Porti. I would recommend that you travel both and take in the sights along the way. Head out of town along the northern route to Buff Bay and follow the winding road into the Blue Mountains. The Blue Mountains, famous for it's gourmet coffee, reach heights greater than 7,000 feet above sea level. The curves and potholes with allow you time to witness the beauty of waterfalls, quaint villages nestled on the mountainside, rivers flowing through the valley which often serve as the local Laundromat and swimming pool, and lush foliage.

Kingston Sites:

• Blue Mountains and the coffee farms
• City Tour
• Bob Marley Museum
• Art Galleries & Museums

Ocho Rios:

The famous and beautiful Dunns River Falls awaits you. It is one of the most thrilling spots on the island. This 600-foot waterfall cascades down the sloping mountainside into the sea. Long chains of people holding hands are seen making their way up the waterway. I would suggest that you find your own private guide, (One is sure to be available; he will probably find you) to journey up this magnificent fall. Brisk shallow pools abound for your enjoyment along the way. The entry into the fall is @ $10 USD and well worth it. Please be sure to remember to tip your guide after he has delivered you safely up the falls. Also, do not forget your water shoes. If you have none, they are available for rent.

Ocho Rios offers many tourist attractions for your enjoyment. Should you want club nightlife, plan your trip to run into the evening and visit one of Ocho’s many clubs.

Portland Beaches

Portland Parish has the most plentiful and beautiful beaches on the island. Most are private beaches but are available to you for a small admission fee, usually $2 to $4 per person. My recommended list to you includes:

• The Marina Beach
• Long Bay Beach
• San San Beach
• Winnifred Beach
• Boston Beach
• Frenchman's Cove

Winnifred Beach
Winnifred Beach is a free and public beach and widely considered the most beautiful of beaches. Winnifred Beach lies within a sheltered cove. It is accessible by land or sea. The white sand beach is ideal for sun worshipers and shade dwellers. Shade trees abound on its shoreline. Do not worry about getting hungry. Many vendors are present at their stands to sell you drinks, snacks, corn on the cob, and the soup of the day. Painter & Cynthia’s restaurant offers an authentic Jamaican plate lunch at @ $5 per plate.

Several of the local craftsmen showcase their talents. Be sure to bring shopping money. You are sure to want to purchase their handcrafted jewelry, baskets and other thatch weaving, etched calabash, conch shells, bamboo varieties, and other souvenirs and crafts.  Check out some of the handmade items on our shopping page here.

There is also much to do on the beach. Bring your snorkel gear. If you do not have your own, there is some for rent. A coral reef lives several yards from the shoreline, which attracts many types of marine life for your viewing pleasure. The reef also calms the waves and makes for gentle surf. Boating, arm fishing, and fish spear shooting are a few water activities that you might enjoy. You can find people within the Jamaican Sensations Network of Providers to guide you through these activities.

How about a night on the beach? The stars shining like spotlights above? A moonlight swim? A big bonfire? Reggae music? A little Red Stripe or Rum Punch? You can be enjoying this magical event for $15 per person + bar tab. Call 875-417-2657 for reservations, or ask Little Paul while you are at the beach.

Winnifred Beach stays clean and maintains its beauty due to the efforts of several young men that make this their work. They also consider it their job to see that your day on the beach is pleasant. If you have any questions or needs, please direct it to one of them. They do not receive payment from any source other than your tips and contributions. Please tip generously.