+- Jamericans (https://jamericans.net/yellowboard)
+-- Forum: Jamaicaholics (https://jamericans.net/yellowboard/forumdisplay.php?fid=1)
+--- Forum: Message Board (https://jamericans.net/yellowboard/forumdisplay.php?fid=3)
+--- Thread: Pedro Banks (/showthread.php?tid=102974)
Pedro Banks - oldtimer - 10-17-2021
Before GPS it was Decca as the means for navigation . Very few fisherman had any of that stuff hence many fishermen lost their lives because they weren't sure where they were going . that is why I was hired by the St . Elizabeth Coop to run some nav courses . I brought down quite a few old GPS units from here that were just fine and handed them out to the small boats .The 20-25ft boats took out 2 fisherman and headed to the Pedro banks to fish . If a storm came they would leave their boats drift and all come in in one boat . When they went back out they would have to look for their boats but they would all drift within a few miles of each other so when you found one the others were around . The boats weren't big enough to take enough fuel with them so they had to buy it out there along with bait from the fish barges from Kingston and Black River . These barges also had food aboard so if you didn't sell your fish to them you had no bait no fuel no food . Sometimes these little boats would stay out for 2 weeks at a time . Not the kind of fishing life I would want to live .
The Pedro Banks are 25-40ft deep with the surrounding water 300 ft deep . A lot of the fishermen use to dive to the bottom to get conch . You would see boats from Honduras out there to.You would see Blue Marlin out there with very fancy charter boats fishing them . Boats that had USA registration You would see " mystery " boats in the nights running wide open . I wonder what they had aboard .
RE: Pedro Banks - Negril75 - 10-17-2021
OT2,
Thanks for sharing such a great story, exactly the kind I want to read about Jamaica from somebody who has been there and experienced it!!
The Ocho Rios Marlin Tournament has some boats registered from the US and Jamaica that are multi million dollar vessels. Those guys don't kid around when it comes to fishing and Jamaica South Coast must have some great fishing!!
I was in Negril in 1980 during the Mariel Boatlift and there were so many "Mystery Boats" picking up loads from the beach. Back then there was very few boats in Negril waters but during those days it was crazy.
OT2 you probably know better then most but it is my understanding that Jamaica South Coast especially Treasure Beach was a main port of the South American drug cartels especially since there was so little resistance until the US dedicated a interdiction force there in the early 80's....
RE: Pedro Banks - oldtimer - 10-18-2021
That's not a good question to be asked here . Sorry
RE: Pedro Banks - Negril75 - 10-18-2021
Yes understood, I should have known better than to ask. I know the answer as I've been told by friends in TB
RE: Pedro Banks - TAH - 10-19-2021
Whitehouse-Treasure Beach area has a lot of really nice houses, man.
RE: Pedro Banks - Negril75 - 10-19-2021
Exactly TAH!!
RE: Pedro Banks - Negril75 - 10-19-2021
Square Grouper and White Lobster goes a long way building communities!!
RE: Pedro Banks - TAH - 10-20-2021
Quiet is kept, though. If you know...