Call or email for assistance planning your trip: +1 (212) 203-0064 | reservations@moonjamaica.com
Charles Swaby's Black River Safari (US$25 adult, US$12 children 3-11), run by parent company South Coast Safari, has a pontoon boat tour up the Black River for 75 minutes with a commentary by the captain. Tours run daily at 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m, 2 p.m, and 3:30 p.m Swaby started the tour in 1987.
St. Elizabeth Safari (US$16 adults, US$8 children under 12) runs on the opposite side of the river, with local businessman Dr. Bennett operating a virtually identical 75-minute tour up the Black River.
Irie Safari (8:30 a.m.\5 p.m Mon.-Sat., 9 a.m.\4 p.m Sun.) offers a narrated tour on pontoon boats lasting 75 minutes (US$17 per person, minimum charge of US$40 per boat with two people). Proprietor Lloyd Linton is a wetland biologist who leads many of the tours himself.
Lost River Kayak Adventure Tours (US$45-80 per person, depending on tour), run by Lloyd Linton from the Irie Safari location, has two three-seater, four two-seater, and two single-seat kayaks.
One of the most exceptional attractions in all of Jamaica, Pelican Bar is a ramshackle structure less than 1.5 kilometers offshore on a sandbar off Parotee Point. Run by the charismatic Denever Forbes, known by everybody as Floyde, Pelican Bar serves drinks and cooks up excellent plates of fish (US$10) and lobster (US$15) accompanied by rice, bammy, or festival.
Jake's Jamaican Off-Road Triathlon and Sunset Run organized by BREDs, sponsored by Jake's, and held the last weekend in April, consists of a 500-meter swim, a 15-kilometer mountain bike ride, and a seven-kilometer cross-country run. It draws Jamaicans from across the island as well as international competitors.
BREDS (Kingfisher Plaza, Calabash Bay, contact Sean Chedda, assistant project manager, (9 a.m.-5 p.m Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m.-1 p.m Sat.) is a community-based organization engaged in community betterment activities and staging events.
BREDS also organizes the Hook 'n' Line Canoe Tournament held at the Calabash Bay Beach on Heroes weekend in October (second weekend of the month). The popular event starts on Saturday and goes into Sunday, when all the boats come in by noon to weigh in their catch. Whoever gets the largest fish (by weight) wins. Any kind of fish is fair game.
Little Ochie Seafood Festival (tel. 876/961-4618, thelkar@cwjamaica.com), held in August, is a definite must and worth traveling from the other side of the island for the lobster, fish, oysters, and cultural activities that range from traditional dance to popular reggae acts.
The options for staying in Black River are not highly varied. Most visitors come to town just for the day from either nearby Treasure Beach or Negril.
