Sorry TLC, but “Don’t go chasing waterfalls” is advice I’ll never take! I’m fascinated by waterfalls, and am pleased to report that I’ve now visited 30 of Jamaica’s 50+ waterfalls. My thirtieth Jamaican waterfall was another hidden gem: the Crescent Falls in Geddes Town, St. Mary. Here’s how my amusing adventure to Crescent Falls went and what to expect at this off-the-beaten-path treasure.
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The best adventures are spontaneous ones. With summer coming to a close and finally having a mutual day-off with my partner, we decided that a river trip was a must. Deciding on Tapioca was easy because they answered the phone on my first try, and pleasantly confirmed that walk-ins were indeed welcome! Even better, Tapioca was super easy to find along the Junction main road (A3) in St. Mary. Here’s how this adventure went + why you should add Tapioca Getaway to your Jamaican bucket list.
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The St. Mary parish is located on Jamaica’s northeastern coast. You may know the parish for Port Maria, Annotto Bay, Oracabessa or Jamaica’s third international airport named for Ian Fleming. St. Mary has a long history and was one of the parishes inhabited by Tainos. Its parish capital, Port Maria, was the second town built by the Spanish in Jamaica. Many pieces of history lie in St. Mary such as the Rio Nuevo Battle Site which was the site of the final battle between the British and Spaniards for control of Jamaica in 1658. In 1760, Tacky led the most serious rebellion against slavery in the Caribbean at that time. You can visit the waterfalls named for Tacky and his fellow warrior Kwame today. After Emancipation, free villages were formed in St. Mary. As the price for sugar dropped, banana cultivation replaced sugarcane in the 1900s which explains why St. Mary is now known as Jamaica’s banana parish. Nonetheless, St. Mary is a very beautiful parish with several attractions and places to visit such as free rivers, beaches, historic forts, churches and even a maroon town (Scott’s Hall). Here are 16 photos to showcase the attractions and things to do in St. Mary.
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The only time it’s acceptable to combine business with pleasure is on a business trip, of course. St. Mary is home to several beaches, waterfalls, swimming holes and historic sites. I visited the parish recently for a practical reason, but stopped at the Galina Lighthouse on my way home. Jamaica is home to eleven lighthouses, nine on land and two offshore. These lighthouses are all operational, and maintained by the Port Authority of Jamaica. Lighthouses are erected close to navigable waters in order to guide incoming sea and aircraft. They serve as visual guides based on their physical characteristics in the day, then deliver characteristic flashes of light by night.
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There’s this waterfall hidden in Palmetto Grove, St. Mary called Johnny Falls which I heard of years ago on Facebook. There were no directions on how to find it anywhere, so I added it to my list of Jamaican waterfalls to visit and moved on. Last year my interest in visiting Johnny Falls piqued again with Grove Swimmers, a fearless group of youngsters who perform admirable dives into the river which runs through their district, headed by 17-year-old Nathan Douglas. They have taken to Instagram and YouTube to showcase their talent, and have even been featured in national newspapers. Thus, I happily tagged along with a group of avid explorers and friends to cross this enigmatic and twenty-second Jamaican waterfall from my list with Nathan as my unofficial tour guide.
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Adventures from Elle 