Questions About Jamaican Beaches

[ECO]

On my last trip to Jamaica I spent a ton of time at the fisherman's beach in Salem but I never once went near the water (no bathing suit). So here's some questions about the beaches in Jamaica:

1. Do the beaches have problems with seaweed?

2. Are there crabs or other creatures in the water that have plans to eat me?

3. Can you walk out 50 yards or so without being over your head?

4. Do they have rip tides or strong currents?

5. Does any part of the island have waves large enough to surf on?

6. Are there any nude beaches in Jamaica outside of the resorts?

7. Do they have and coral reefs around the island?

[Tequila and Lime]

On my last trip to Jamaica I spent a ton of time at the fisherman's beach in Salem but I never once went near the water (no bathing suit). So here's some questions about the beaches in Jamaica:

1. Do the beaches have problems with seaweed? Some do. Some not so much

2. Are there crabs or other creatures in the water that have plans to eat me? Every sea life imaginable is out there. If you stay close to the shore, you will be fine

3. Can you walk out 50 yards or so without being over your head? In some places.

4. Do they have rip tides or strong currents? Yes there are. Usually not. You have to be smart.

5. Does any part of the island have waves large enough to surf on? I have never seen it but heard of surfing in JA

6. Are there any nude beaches in Jamaica outside of the resorts? I don't know this one. You can go bathe at a standpipe and see lots of nudity, Eco.

7. Do they have and coral reefs around the island?

Yes

[ECO]

Salt water is yummy for my tummy.

WTF!! I never wrote this!!

You wrote some crap about "beeches, do you mean beaches" instead of editing my typo so I decided to disclose your true feelings about salt water.

[On Vacation]

On my last trip to Jamaica I spent a ton of time at the fisherman's beach in Salem but I never once went near the water (no bathing suit). So here's some questions about the beaches in Jamaica:

1. Do the beaches have problems with seaweed? The public beach in Ochi does. I hate that beach. Negril has wicked beaches. But I can't really comment on beaches at all because I don't "do" the beach.

2. Are there crabs or other creatures in the water that have plans to eat me? Ash got stung by a Jellyfish at that same beach in Ochi.

3. Can you walk out 50 yards or so without being over your head? Yep.

4. Do they have rip tides or strong currents? I can't remember what beach on the east coast, but yes people have drowned there due to this kinda stuff.

5. Does any part of the island have waves large enough to surf on? Yea, once again east coast.

6. Are there any nude beaches in Jamaica outside of the resorts? LOL. Yea. People pretty much go nude where ever in Negril.

7. Do they have and coral reefs around the island?

[Wahoo]

If you're ever caught in a rip current, being pulled out to sea faster than you can swim to shore, your instinct is to panic and try to swim straight to shore against the tide--very often a fatal mistake. I, along with another dude, were caught in a rip current once near San Clemente in southern California, and we both almost died because we panicked and instinctively tried to swim in a straight line to shore against the current. Rip currents usually are only about 50 yards in width or something like like that, and it's actually very simple to get out of one, if you: (1) don't panic and stay calm and (2) calmly swim diagonally to shore out of the rip current. Simple. And you'll live to thank me for this public service announcement and buy me a Red Stripe...or maybe a flaming Bob Marley.

[Tequila and Lime]

I recently learned that same lesson from a water rescue guy here that I know.

Good advice, Wahoo.

[Wahoo]

Seaweed is tasty with a pinch of wasabe and a dip of soy sauce.

[Wahoo]

On my last trip to Jamaica I spent a ton of time at the fisherman's beach in Salem but I never once went near the water (no bathing suit). So here's some questions about the beaches in Jamaica:

1. Do the beaches have problems with seaweed? It can be thick in some places, but it also attracts a lot of strange and colorful sea creatures. I was snorkeling nude at the au naturel beach at Sunset Beach Resort in Montego Bay, where there's a lot of seaweed, and almost had a heart attack when I suddenly came face to face with a banded eel uncoiling itself in a patch of seaweed. I thought it was a poisonous sea snake and I was a goner till I reasoned that there are no sea snakes in the Caribbean and that it must be an eel. Eels can be aggressive and do bite, though, so I got out of there fast.

2. Are there crabs or other creatures in the water that have plans to eat me? The jellyfish can be a problem at times. I don't recall seeing any in Negril, but there were swarms of them in Montego Bay. Once while snorkling I must've brushed against some 'cause my back was on fire when I came out of the water. Sea urchins can be a problem in some places. Again, I didn't see any in Negril, but they're everywhere in Montego Bay, and stepping on one can sure ruin your day. If you wading in the surf and don't like to wear water shoes, it's best to slide your feet thru the sand as you walk instead of stepping down to avoid stepping on an urchin. One of my most terrifying moments was while snorkling at Sunset Beach Resort when I turned and found myself face to face with a fearsome-looking barracuda. It looked like it was 7 feet long (though it actually was only about 2 feet)! Barracuda are notoriously territorial, so I back away and got out of there real fast. Never saw any sharks. I swam with the sharks and rays in Punta Cana (Dominican Republic), but that's another story for another time.