West End – Negril Cliffs

In the west end of Negril, somewhere between Rick’s Cafe and the lighthouse I found some of the nicest people I’ve ever met in Jamaica. It was quite by accident and at the time, a total Godsend that we found Sir D’s on the side of the road.

I was on my 6th trip and brought along a friend of mine, Debbie, who’d never been to Jamaica. We were staying in Montego Bay for Sumfest, but in an effort to show Debbie a little more of the island, we took a one-day jaunt over to Negril. After spending some time on the beach in the morning I wanted to take her up to Rick’s Cafe in the afternoon to show her the cliff diving. All that said and done, we then decided to walk to the Negril lighthouse even further into the west end.

Our time at the lighthouse was cut short by some menacing clouds rolling in and there was nowhere to hide so we thought we better get our butts back to some civilization quick! We started back down the road hoping to make it to Rick’s where we could sit under shelter, eat and drink til the storm passed. But we didn’t get so lucky. We didn’t even get half way back to Ricks before the rain started dumping like a waterfall! We were laughing so hard as we picked up the pace and looked for a place we could duck out of the rain, when we finally saw a little roadside bar with no one in it but the owner. It looks like this is where we’d be stuck til further notice.

Sir D’s, also known as Firewater Lovenest is owned by Harold and Donette, who turned into two of the most hospitable people I’ve ever met in Jamaica. I think Harold was excited that we got stuck there or he wouldn’t have had any business that evening due to the storm! He welcomed us with open arms and plenty of alcohol behind the bar, and basically all we could do was sit, drink, get to know Harold and eventually his wife and kids, and their dogs.

There came a point when drinking and chatting just weren’t cutting it so Harold pulled out the CD?s and started playing music on his sound system behind the bar. We all sang, Debbie and I danced on the road and got pelted by the downpour, posed for pictures, etc. Then out came the musical instruments! What a blast we had for two people who were supposedly stuck.

Just as the sun was going down we realized we were starving!! We’d been there for hours and hadn’t eaten since the beach that morning. Harold didn’t serve food at the bar, nor did he have a restroom. Yes, it really was a TINY roadside stop. He told us he lived right across the street behind the trees though, and we were welcome to go knock on the door at his house and ask his wife to use the toilet. Off we ran across the street to meet Donette and their children in hopes of using the toilet! She showed us around the back of the tiny wooden house to a separate structure that housed the toilet and sink.

When we went back to the little bar, Donnette came over with us, and brought their youngest boy and the dogs. She was bringing dinner over for Harold and understood that we were probably famished as well. So bless her heart, she sent for the oldest daughter to bring us some of what Harold was eating. Stew chicken with dumplings…one of the best meals I’ve ever eaten in Jamaica. The woman can cook!!! I felt so grateful for the little bit of food they were able to share and I only felt right that we compensate them for it. We noticed how small their house is and that there were 4 children sharing it with them and it was no skin off our backs to give them a little extra for making our evening fabulous!!

The storm let up and we left Sir D’s around 9pm. We walked the dark road back to Ricks and called our ride to come get us there. I didn’t go back to Negril for 2 years after that. But about a year after this night a friend of mine was going back Negril. When I heard she was going, I made up a photo album of all the pictures we took at Sir D’s that evening and asked her if she could make it up to the west end of Negril and deliver it for me. I heard they loved it! I don’t suppose they have too many photo keepsakes of their family and it was really the least I could do.