If anything can define the Jamaican experience, it is resiliency – “Dust yourself off, pick yourself up, and start all over again” is the refrain that plays over and over in the lives of every Jamaican. It is also inventiveness with scant resources. The pushcart has been at the heart of daily commerce with its constant demands on strength and perseverance. Rather than grinding it out on a design handed down over generations, this vendor found that motorcycle wheels on stronger axles and a welded frame reduced the effort to one finger, bringing trays of fresh fruit and vegetables to the front gate.
Hurricanes of the Past
This large brain coral is located at the back of the tennis court , about 120′ from the edge of the seawall, and has an inscription stating:
“This stone was washed in by the sea during the storm of November 1932.”
Before hurricanes had people’s names, they were named for the places where they made landfall. In this case, it was called the 1932 Cuba Hurricane, and it passed to the south of Jamaica before swinging to the northwest, then north into Cuba where it was a Category 5 storm.
We have personally experienced at least six hurricanes since 1979, the worst being Gilbert in 1988. However, this is the first year of back-to-back hurricanes with Beryl, last year, and Melissa, this year. Negril, as a whole, was spared the wrath of the storm, and our hearts go out to our neighbors to the south of us from Treasure Beach to Savanna-la-Mar and even into Sheffield, about 10 minutes from Negril that are still without electricity.
Life with A Hammock
According to Tom Robbins in his novel Even Cowgirls Get the Blues, the Arawak Indians contributed at least four words to the English language: tobacco, canoe, barbecue, and hammock. This certainly gives us a glimpse into a much simpler life, when coconut trees were abundant along the coastline and allowed one to sling a hammock just about anywhere one pleased. I am happy that I was able to configure the hammocks on this seagrape tree, which has proven to be a respite from the demands of the property.
Out with the Old and In with the New
Despite the valiant efforts to restore the grand old Onan gasoline generator, Melissa called for a newer, more reliable diesel generator. Even with the restoration of electricity, we are happy to have it back when system demands cause outages.
Like It Never Happened
It’s hard to imagine that a devastating event took place less than two months ago, but through the dedication and hard work of our staff, contractors and tradesmen and women, we are happy to welcome back guests to the property.
Happy Holidays and all the best for the New Year.