We awoke to the strong rays of early morning sunlight, eager to start our day. The plan was to drive to Parrottee Beach so that we could launch our kayak and paddle to Pelican Bar, situated on the water.
Breakfast was, again, a surprisingly good meal. We ordered the mackerel rundown, a local dish of fish stewed in coconut milk and served with ground provisions. It was a large meal, and we washed it down with strong, excellent Blue Mountain coffee. Then we packed our bags, checked out, and drove off to the last stop of our road trip.
Standing on the shore at Parrottee, which we reached in about half an hour, we could clearly see the Pelican Bar. To be honest, we were underwhelmed. The place looks likes a childish attempt at hut building, with crooked lines everywhere. But the novelty of it being in the middle of the water makes it unique and worth a visit just to say you’ve been there.
It only took about 10 min. to paddle out. We tied up to one of the foundational stilts and entered the bar, greeted with a local’s admiration for our method of arrival. We ordered Red Stripes and sat on the dock, watching a pair of big pufferfish swimming around. It was before lunchtime, so there was plenty of space. As the afternoon came, a crowd began to build. We snorkeled around the bar and warmed up in the sun with shots of rum, surrounded by the glittering crests of small ocean waves. It would be time to go soon, and we would be satisfied with a little more knowledge of Jamaica under our belt.
ATB 