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on George Hamilton (Jamaica), 24/Oct/2010 22:47, 34 days ago
George and I took the bus to Fort Clarence Beach today with France, one of the new volunteers. As always the music was cranked up load and the air conditioning in the new yellow bus almost unbearably cold since I was wearing only a sundress on top of my bathing suit which was quite appropriate for the weather, but not for the new air conditioned buses still working in good order.We swam and sunbathed for a couple of hours before lunch. George and I had a parrotfish each and France splurged with a lobster. She's only been here one week and this was her first visit to the beach.You can see here that the Jamaican lobsters don't have claws, they're really crayfish but they taste exactly the same. Well, maybe not exactly the same, Jamaicans add lots of spice to the butter while they're cooking which makes them even more delicious.We could see Lime Cay (below) from Fort Clarence Beach and thought about the younger volunteers who all went there for the day. We could also see a storm brewing over Kingston so hope they weren't forced off the island too soon since Lime Cay is just south of the Kingston Airport and we were a bit to the west in Hellshire where we've been told it never rains and thus the reason for the name Hellshire. We know that's not true because we've been in Hellshire before in the rain.After lunch we made our way by route taxi over to Hellshire Beach which is really less than 3/4 hour walk from Fort Clarence Beach but we were advised by one local not to walk it because it would be dangerous for whiteys. Plus we could see the rain moving towards us so we didn't want to get caught in a storm half way between beaches, even though there is a lovely remote beach connecting the two.A typical beach scene above with France, one of our newest volunteers.These are the typical fish caught, sold and eaten on the beaches: parrotfish and red snapper.Fort Clarence and Hellshire Beaches are a 3/4 hour walk from each other and yet they fall into the typical contrasts of life in Jamaica. Fort Clarence has a minimal charge to get on the beach and is quiet, with only two fish cookhouses, easily accessible change rooms, very clean washrooms and beach beds and chairs for rent at a reasonable price. Hellshire, on the other hand, is bustling with vendors and the competition is tough. There must be 100 or more restuarants and tourist shacks clustered together selling everything imaginable: beach towels, conch shells, freshly caught fish and jewellery and taking pictures costs money. You have to be very careful to ask before clicking. The ambiance is so different. Fort Clarence is more what we are used to, Hellshire is truly a hustle and bustle beach with much more activity.