“Magic is the fabric of the unbelievable, woven with the thread of wonder.” — Jon Finch
It's been a while since I last explored a waterfall in Portland, so I decided to embark on a trek to a new hidden gem in the Norwich community.
I stumbled upon this waterfall on the showcasingbeautyJamaica Instagram page, and it was love at first sight. However, I had no clue where it was located. That didn’t stop me—adventure never does.
Please follow showcasingbeautyJamaica on Instagram. its a beautiful page displaying Jamaica’s hidden treasures.
As I often do, I pulled out my trusty map of Portland and traced my route to the Norwich community. My journey began with a taxi ride to Annotto Bay in St. Mary since the Portland coaster bus was empty
Once in Annotto Bay, I hopped on a mini-bus bound for Port Antonio, positioning myself at the front so I could chat with the driver about the waterfall’s whereabouts. Unfortunately, he didn’t know about the waterfall, but he was familiar with Norwich.
After about 30 minutes, we arrived in Norwich. Had I taken a taxi instead of the bus, I’d have arrived much sooner, but public transport has its quirks—stopping frequently for passengers and driving slowly to gather more. Nevertheless, we made it.
The driver kindly introduced me to the owner of a large mechanic shop near where I needed to pass. The shop owner, in turn, arranged for a local to guide me to the waterfall, which I was immensely grateful for. Our trek began by passing through someone’s property. As always, we made sure to ask permission, greeting the owner with a warm “Good morning.”
As we walked through his garden, he asked us to tread carefully around his plants and pumpkins. Seeing the pumpkins growing there filled me with such joy. Sometimes, life is so simple yet profoundly beautiful.
We continued through a small banana field and soon reached the river. From there, it was just a two-minute walk upstream before we arrived at the waterfall. But to my disappointment, the waterfall was barely flowing.
I hadn’t anticipated this, especially since Buff Bay, not far from Norwich, had been getting plenty of rain. I had envisioned a magnificent cascade, but nature had other plans.
Despite the low flow, I still appreciated the experience.
I had planned to cook a meal using my new portable stove.
But the surroundings were too dirty for my liking, and it seemed like the river was often used by locals for bathing.
So, I settled for taking a few photos and decided I would return after some good rainfall.
I could tell from the landscape that this waterfall, when in full flow, would be absolutely stunning.
As I said my goodbyes to the unnamed waterfall, I realized that I was surrounded by a magnificent garden, with towering trees providing shade and serenity.
I couldn’t resist snapping a few more photos before heading off to Frenchman’s Cove to spend the rest of my day.
This experience reminded me of previous adventures, like my trip to Cooper Hole in St. Thomas, Johnny Waterfall in St Mary, and Tacky Waterfall in St Mary, to name a few, where I found the river completely dry. These moments are part of the journey—sometimes you hit, sometimes you miss. But that’s the beauty of chasing waterfalls: they’ll always keep you coming back for more.
Have you ever discovered a hidden waterfall in Jamaica? Share your experiences in the comments, and stay tuned for the next adventure!
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Whatta Gwaan!
You've discovered my blog. I'm delighted you're here. Maybe it's destiny. I'm Doreen Lillian Scarlett welcome to Nature's Sweet Escapes where I go on the far side of Instagram to document and share my adventures.