We be Rolling

The carefree days of summer are basically over and while the warmth will continue in Jamaica, there is definitely a feeling that we associate with summer days, such as  holidays and the fact that many of us take vacations during these months.

I’m no different and I experienced one of my most spontaneous adventures in my homeland recently. It was simple, uncomplicated but a memorable day spent with friends that I’ll never forget.

What was supposed to be a pretty straight forward drive to the country to see two known attractions turned into an epic road trip and an adventure that I will forever cherish.

On the move

I aim to be very deliberate about how I interact with Jamaica because I don’t ever want to make the mistake of not realizing what a gem this country is, if and when I am someplace else.

That said, there are so many unspoiled, nooks and crannies all over Jamaica, you could choose to go on an adventure every weekend and never be bored.

I see the term ‘self care’ bandied about a lot, and I appreciate the focus on all of us taking better care of ourselves, in every way that matters. Like everything else in life, self care is something that must be deliberately pursued and done, therefore, discovering my country and relaxing is a big part of my regimen.

So in the name of self care and just going on an adventure, I decided that St Elizabeth would be the location for this jaunt.

The Mission

The mission was simple I, along with two of my friends, would leave Kingston for a day of fun and relaxation at a body of water in St Elizabeth, specifically, YS Falls. The idea was to spend the day enjoying the cool waters of YS Falls, which is fed by the YS river.

Glen (center) and Jaevion (right) are the best roadies ever!

Getting to St Elizabeth was a breeze, thanks to the highway and our first photo stop was Holland Bamboo, which despite some wear and tear still has an unmistakable allure. The long and busy stretch of road is surprisingly good for photo ops, which we took advantage of. Just be careful when standing in the middle of the road for those awesome shots, because… road safety.

We made our way to the road leading to the YS Falls attraction, which at a point is surrounded by rolling green pastures that are home to cows and horses. When we finally arrive at the YS reception center however, we were advised that due to rains the previous day the waters at the falls were muddy and brown.

Unexpected Turns – It’s an Adventure

Here began the unexpected day, because this was not part of the plan. We decided to skip YS Falls and head to Little Ochi seafood restaurant in Alligator Pond, Manchester. There was time, so instead of simply turning around, we took a route that I had never been attempted before and went into the hills of St Elizabeth using a curvy country road, leading to Maggotty.

We drove through Maggotty with hope of finding a body of water, specifically, Breadnut Valley Falls, which is just outside the town.

Unfortunately, it was closed and not accessible, so we continued on our journey to Little Ochi, which is actually located on the coast of Manchester.  The restaurant is so close to the border with St Elizabeth, it’s often misplaced by some people as part of the parish.

I never realized that the southerly road to little ochi was so long. It took about 30 minutes to drive down to the restaurant, which sits on the coast, from the foot of Spur Tree Hill.

The quintessential meal order from Little Ochi – Escoveitch Fish

Little Ochi on any given day is either a hit or a miss and on this day it was a hit! It wasn’t crowded and the service was quick and pleasant. They had a good selection of nice sized fish to choose from and cooked them up to our delight.

Parts Unknown

This is the part of the journey where the real adventure begins. As we were approaching Little Ochi, we came upon an intersection, with a sign that pointed to a road to the left that led to Milk River in Clarendon. So we decided pretty early that we would make our way back to Kingston using that route.

Now, even though Jamaica is an island, many of us (myself included) prefer to think that the parish of Manchester has no coast. In fact, I’ve just always assumed that the coast of Manchester was inaccessible because it was all cliffs and ridges, well, I learned different.

Once we were done grubbing at Little Ochi, we made our way along this road that was flanked by   hills to the left and untouched beaches to the right. Pretty soon however, it became clear that this roadway wasn’t one that was frequently used. We figured this out as we noticed ‘macca trees’ that flanked the road on both sides start to get closer the further we went.

What started out as a relatively wide road, became more and more deserted, winding and smaller the further we went. I actively considered turning back at points until at a particularly narrow section we encountered our first and only other motorist. It was a bit of a challenge allowing him to pass. By this time, we could no longer see the coast because we were surrounding by bush on all sides! We started referring to the span as “The Road that Shouldn’t be There.”

Gut River

We were making our way down the winding, uneven and almost completely covered roadway when we came upon a clearing and saw a group of people emerging from bushes on the left side of the road. When we looked to the right, we saw a gate and a sign, welcoming us to the Gut River Beach Village.

Before that day I had never really known about this place but the sign said it all, River and Beach, we had found our water. We were also pleasantly surprised to see a number of other vehicles at the location that had brought campers to the site, apparently for the weekend.

The beach village has seen better days but the natural beauty cannot be denied. The gateway opened into a yard and just beyond it a small stream that is a breakaway from the river cuts a path through the property, with its crystal clear waters.

This stream gave us a small taste of Gut River

Beyond that was the warm waters of the Caribbean Sea, crashing against the south coast of Manchester.

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Gut River is a revelation! The water is cold but clear and at the roadway where the river emerges, is a deep ‘blue hole’ where water bubbles up from the hills and flows to the ocean – perfect for swimming and diving.

              The cold, crystal clear waters of the Gut River… so refreshing!

We were able to spend a good chunk of time enjoying the warm water and the particularly flat beach and black sand before we emerged once again and dipped in the cool waters of Gut River (Gut is a shortened version of the german word for Good, apropos I think).

When we eventually left and made our way back on the road, the winding continued through what seemed like never ending wilderness until we  reached Canoe Valley, and it’s major attraction the Alligator Hole  River and its accompanying game sanctuary, which is home to manatees and crocodiles.

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Part of the Alligator hole protected area

That was the last major point of interest before we eventually re-emerged into civilization in Clarendon. We discovered, later that the roadway we used to get to Gut River was called the South Coast Road.

Doing New Things

What has made me so smitten with this journey was the fact that I felt like a foreigner in my own homeland. Jamaica is so beautiful and there is so much for us to see and experience, but access is important. The fact that the road to this pristine location on a seemingly remote coastal region of Jamaica is in disrepair, is something to ponder about. Not many people know Gut River or the wonders of this portion of Jamaica’s South Coast.

I’m glad that I am able to take trips like this and have friends to enjoy it with but I am also cognizant of others who for whatever reason, don’t have the same luxury.

If you are able, find those places across your homeland that you have left undiscovered and live!

Share with me some of the hidden gems in Jamaica that you are familiar with in the comments section.

Be inspired, Be informed, Be Glorious!

Kevin

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