Take a dip under the Black Bridge Waterfall

In our quest to find another gem in Jamaica, we decided to take our hunt to the beautiful, lush parish of Portland in order to find the Cascade Falls. We took the scenic route through the Blue Mountains, where with each turn, we climbed higher, and the views got more beautiful along the way.

At certain points, I could see all of Kingston spread out at the foot of the mountain and as we got further up, the scenery changed to show the rise and fall of the terrain. By this time, the windows were down and the drop in temperature could be felt, and then the fog started rolling in, creating a beautiful contrast with the sun and the blue skies. Birds could be heard singing and chirping along the way, and a feeling of peace washed over me.

Soon we started our decent, and I knew we were much closer as I could see different water sources. Some were dry because this is the dry season, while others had a little water flowing through. Over an hour later, we got to Cascade Falls, which could be seen from the road flowing from high in the mountains, like a beacon telling us to come and take a dip. However, we did not get three feet into the hike before we were stopped by a no-trespassing sign. The falls was now private property and there was no one around to ask permission.

With the bitter taste of disappointment, we were back on our quest to find another waterfall. Along the way, the little streams got more frequent and one became a small waterfall that ran under the road. We stopped for a minute before continuing on our journey and soon we were taking the left turn at a sign welcoming us to Avocat Primary and Junior High School. This road led us right to a smaller waterfall that was just as beautiful. However, there was another ‘Private Property’ sign.

When we were ready to give up, a woman came out saying that she was the caretaker for the place and that it was family land. There, Sanya McLean gave us a bit of history and explained that it was privatised as she has a contract with the Blue Mountain tour, where tourists come to visit. The name of the waterfall is Black Bridge/Fish Dun Falls and as soon as you enter through the gate, the sprays from the fall were felt. She went on to explain that this was not the full power of the waterfall as there has not been much rain in the area.

The waterfall flows into a river of very clear, crisp water, which continues to flow under a bridge and through the community. One passerby, Kevin White, offered to jump off the waterfall, and explained that the water is deeper than it looks, as such, care should be taken when visiting. It was nice to sit on the rocks and have my feet in the cool water, relaxing. The water was inviting, but since I cannot swim, I stayed to the safer parts of the river.

After a day at the Black Bridge/Fish Dun Waterfall, we descended and turned left through the Belcarres community, following the road through Charles Town into Buff Bay, where we decided to take the right turn to see more of the lush parish of Portland.

Points to note:

1. If the scenic route through the Blue Mountains is taken, extra care should be taken as the roads are winding and narrow; some points are wide enough to fit only one car. Also keep blowing your horns to signal other drivers that may be coming.

2. Have a camera ready as there are treasures that can be captured along the way, to make the trip even more memorable.

3. When you get to Black Bridge/Fish Dun Falls, water shoes will be needed as the rocks are slippery so take extra care.

4. Repellent will also be needed

5. Keep music and radio low so that you can hear the call of nature and of the small springs and waterfalls that flow from the mountain along the way.

vanessa.james@gleanerjm.com