Return To The Blue Lagoon

Today’s agenda was classic Port Antonio: Leaving my base camp at Great Huts, we visited the idyllic beach at Frenchman’s Cove, where we bathed in its bracing river-fed waters; feasted on jerk chicken and roast breadfruit at Boston Beach; and strolled the windswept sands of Long Bay to the east. But the highlight of the day turned out to be something completely unplanned: an impromptu boat tour around the Blue Lagoon, also known as Blue Hole.

I remember going there once as a young child on a day trip with my parents. We dined on the deck of the restaurant at the water’s edge, and I longed to swim in the limpid waters that seemed to change color throughout the day, depending on the light. But everyone said the lagoon was bottomless and I recall being afraid that I might be sucked down into its depths, so I kept my little feet firmly planted on the jetty.

Now the once-elegant restaurant is shuttered and dilapidated, and the entire property is officially closed for redevelopment. According to a sign I saw, its scheduled to reopen later this year, but if you venture down the narrow road to the water, there’s no shortage of unofficial guides eager to take you on a boat tour of the stunning location where the 1980 Brooke Shields classic The Blue Lagoon was filmed.

The water is just as beautiful as I remember it (although my happy snaps don’t do it justice). And now that the attraction is closed to the public, the entire area is eerily quiet and seems even more mysterious than it did all those years ago. As for the legend of it being bottomless? My intrepid guide Leroy Brown told me that the lagoon’s deepest point has been confirmed at 180 feet below the surface of the limestone pool.

Erroneous legends aside, the Blue Lagoon is one of Jamaica’s most beautiful spots, and you can’t help but be enchanted by its natural beauty. Here’s hoping that the planned development will preserve its mystique and that the lagoon will reopen soon. Until then, if you’re in the area, ask for Leroy Brown (876-864-7855) and tell him Sarah sent you.

Return To The Blue Lagoon