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| Jamaican Caves Organisation |
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| JCO Publications | Contact: info@jamaicancaves.org |
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(Aug 4, 2006)The Jamaican Caves Organization continues to be in need of funding, with the lack of this severely hampering our activities. Accordingly, in order to further our cause (the preservation of the caves of Ja) and bring in some very necessary money, we have broken down and are offering "tours". Some are underway now, the others will be soon. Information on this will be found lower on the page. All those whom hire us should be aware that we're not trying to get rich on tourism, we're just trying to keep the JCO alive, and active, in an environment of intermittent NGO funding. If what you want is an easy visit to a show-cave, or you're the type that complains about every little scratch, don't bother contacting us - we don't do show-caves, we do caving, and that means a few bruises by the end of the day. For the hikes that we are supplying guides for, the same scenario applies - they're not strolls through manicured parks, they're real hikes through what is left of the Jamaican wilderness, and you're going to get a few bites and scratches. In short, JCO tours are generally on the not so soft side of "adventure tourism". You'll live through it, and you'll have memories that will last a very long time, but it won't be particularly easy. Please be advised that all monies collected during these activities will be paid directly to Jamaican nationals (primarily to Miss Lilly Bolt, the Secretary of the JCO), and much of it will be spent in small, rural communities that are in great need of it. Some of it will also be set aside to fund JCO expeditions, and for this input of much needed money, we are very grateful. Following the tour info, we present a list of our current equipment needs in the hope that rich and/or inspired visitors to this site will feel moved to contribute to our efforts. Used or new gear is welcome. |
| JCO Hiking and Caving Tours |
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#1 - St James-Trelawny Backroad Tour 
This outing is offered to those not keen on hiking, who would still like to have a look at the hills and valleys inland from Montego Bay. The route begins at the west end of Montego Bay, then passes through John's Hall to Maroon Town, and down the Schaw Castle road to Springvale. From here, a jaunt is made across to Adelphi via Wakefield, to then turn north to Spot Valley, and then finally take the coast road back to MoBay. The exact route will be found by clicking on the small map shown above in this item.Please note that at this time we do not supply transportation for this option, just the guide. The required transportation for this run is either an SUV (for groups up to four, this leaving the fifth seat open for the guide), or a minibus (for larger groups) - both will have the necessary clearance. Rental information will be found lower on this page*. Although this trip can be done without the assistance of the JCO, we know some very nice spots en route that can easily be passed by if you don't know about them. These include Springvale South Rising, Deeside Rising, and the Spot Valley waterfall. The schedule for the tour is this: Our guide meets you at 9:00 AM, either at your resort in MoBay, or at the car rental company. Then, a drive is made around a large interesting circle that passes through southeast St James, and western Trelawny north of Maroon Town, to eventually end with a return to MoBay (and the dropping off of our guide) at about 4:00 PM. The JCO guiding fee is 30 USD per person, up to a total of four people. For larger groups, five or more (minibus), the fee is 25 USD per person. The minimum fee is 90 USD, no matter what size the group**. Availability: Available now. |
#2 - Cockpit Country Hiking - Daytrip 
This is the easiest and cheapest of the hiking trips that we're offering. The route is from Windsor, Trelawny, along the Troy Trail south into the Cockpit Country, and then down into Bamboo Bottom, to the west. At the southern end of Bamboo Bottom, the trail passes through a saddle into Guthries. From Guthries, the trail leads back to Windsor to complete a circle of about 4 km's. Midway, in Bamboo Bottom, we stop for a fine lunch prepared that morning by Miss Lilly, of Coxheath.The Cockpit Country is the largest remnant of the Jamaican wilderness, and there is really nothing else like it on the island, or indeed in the entire Caribbean - if you like tropical forests, birds, butterflies, bromeliads, and karst topography, or have no experience with it and think you might, you'll probably find this trip to be very cool (and it will perhaps inspire you to return in the future to be more adventurous). Please be aware that this hike is not particularly difficult, but it is not for those who are terribly out of shape. If you're not used to hiking on relatively rough trails, this is not for you. Please note that at this time we do not supply transportation for this option, just the guide. The minimum transportation requirement for this trip is a Corolla, Bluebird, or similar (or bicycle if you've got one with you). Rental information will be found lower on this page*. The schedule for this trip is a 9:00 AM departure into the bush from Windsor, after having linked with our guide at Miss Lilly's (in the nearby village of Coxheath). Return to Windsor is about 3:00 PM. At certain times of the year, during the rains, Bamboo Bottom floods, and the route will change to hiking further along the Troy Trail, followed by backtracking to Windsor. The cost of this outing is 50 USD per person. Three or more is 40 USD/person. The minimum fee is 100 USD**. Please note that it includes lunch. Availability: Available now. |
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#3 - Deeside Roaring River Cave 
This is our "easiest" caving tour, although we use the word in a relative sense. Some of our guests have had no problems visiting this cave, while others have found the vertical pitch involved to be challenging. However, everyone who has gone down it on rappel has come back up later using ascenders, under their own steam, with no need for the rescue pulleys, so it's certainly not impossibly difficult. That said, for this cave, as well as the others we offer visits to, those who are seriously overweight should not contact us - we'll have a hard time getting you into a harness in the first place, and even if we do, you're going to have a rough time of it on the ascent. Those who are just a bit chunky, no problem (and we don't care if you smoke), but if you're under 180 cm (6 ft), and over 100 kg (220 lb's), forget about it (sorry to seem harsh, but there's reality involved here).Deeside Cave is quite lovely, with particularly fine formations in some areas. It has been protected over the centuries to a great degree by the 12m vertical encountered 25m inward from the entrance. Indeed, there are no known visits past this pitch other than those of the JCO for several decades now. Because of the delicacy of the speleothems found here, it is important that all visitors travel through the cave in a very careful manner. The JCO guides will direct you in what you can touch for aid on difficult ground, and what should be left alone; we must insist that all of our guests pay great heed to this during the visit. We are determined that our visits cause no damage. 
To ensure that we cause no harm to this cave, we have set limits on our activities: Firstly, the maximum number of guests we will take in at any one time is three - more than that, we can't devote enough personal attention to our guests to ensure that both they and the cave survive the visit. Secondly, we are limiting the visits to two per month, maximum. There is a minor batroost in the "Hanging Gardens" chamber, and they do not appreciate regular disturbance (we'll direct our guests on how to minimize this impact during the visit). If you think you might want to visit this cave, please contact us well ahead of time so that we can fit you into the twice-monthly schedule.Option 1: Guests will supply transport, and will pick up two of our guides in Coxheath, Trelawny, at Miss Lilly's. This is a 35 minute drive east of Deeside, and 75 minutes east of MoBay (map soon come). After the caving, our guides will be dropped off back in Coxheath. We supply helmets, headlamps, vertical gear, and ropes. The fee for the guiding services and equipment is 100 USD/person, up to a maximum of 3 people, with a minimum fee of 200 USD**. Availability: Sept 22, 2006 Option 2: Our guides (two of them) will pick you up at your hotel, and drop you off afterwards. We supply helmets, headlamps, vertical gear, and ropes. The schedule is pick-up in MoBay or Ocho Rios (Negril is not possible) at 9:00 AM, and drop-off by 4:00 PM in MoBay, or 5:00 PM in Ocho Rios. The JCO fee for the session is 150 USD/person, with a minimum of 300 USD**, and a maximum of three guests. For guests based in Ocho Rios, due to the distance involved, we must add a 30 USD surcharge to cover the extra fuel. The season for this visit is year-round. Availability: Oct 10, 2006 (our ground transport situation is dodgy until then). |
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#4 - Peterkin Cave - Rota System 
The Peterkin-Rota system is one of the most interesting sets of caves in St James. Although it is all part of one underground river, it is not possible to go straight through without surfacing at two points (the passage goes underwater between Peterkin Cave and Rota Cave, and is too tight from Rota Cave to Rota Sink). However, the two above-ground sections are short, and for those not used to being underground for long periods, it gives two convenient breaks outside in the sunshine.The verticals enountered in these caves consist mostly of scrambling, although a rope will be used in two spots as a safety. Short sections of swimming are necessary, for which life-jackets are provided. The bulk of the system is made up of large, active stream passages, with dimensions about 15 metres wide and 12 high (not claustrophobia inducing). The upper level of Peterkin, close to the east entrance, is a large dry chamber about 40m wide and 20 high. In the third of the caves, Rota Sink, the water enters from Rota Cave via fissures 5m up on the wall, creating a lovely waterfall, of sorts. |
The schedule is pick-up at the resort (Montego Bay only) at 9:00 AM and drop-off by 5:30 PM. Jamaican residents who supply their own transport can meet our guides either at Coxheath, or in Maldon, near the location of the cave system, but we cannot lower the fee if this is the case.The JCO fee for the session is 150 USD/person, with a minimum of 300 USD**, and a maximum of three guests. This system can only be visited safely in its entirety when conditions are relatively dry. Heavy rains can make the system dicey in parts (flooding). Generally, June, October, and November are out of the question. We cannot guarantee access to the entire system at any particular time, but large areas are accesible year-round by way of the five entrances involved. In fact, the rainy-season is the most interesting time to visit this underground river, when you have the chance to watch great flows of water passing by, with this seen from various, safe, subterranean perches. Availability: Oct 10, 2006. |
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#5 - The Caves of Rock Spring 
Rock Spring, in south Trelawny, has a number of caves concentrated in a relatively small area (several square km's). Several are large and complex. We offer two options for visits to these caves, beginning with a daytrip for which guests are expected to supply their own transportation.Option 1: Harties Cave-1 and Carambie Cave will be visited, with the total time spent underground about 5 hours. The JCO will supply one guide, who will meet the guests in Albert Town (several km's from Rock Spring). We supply helmets and headlamps. We do not supply ground transport. The fee for this outing is 75 USD/person, with a minimum of 150 USD, and a maximum of four guests. Availability: Available now. Option 2: This "tour" is designed to offer something approaching what the JCO would normally tackle during an expedition. It takes place over two days, with transport, accommodation, and meals supplied. The schedule is as follows: 
Day 1: Pick-up in either Montego Bay or Ocho Rios (Negril is not possible) at 8:00 AM, with arrival at Rock Spring by 11:00 (the route from MoBay will be via the very spectacular, very rough, Barbecue Bottom Road). After parking the SUV at Miss Buckle's, a 20 minute hike will be made to Harties Cave-1. This is the easiest of the caves that will be visited during the session and will serve as a training-run. Immediately after this (about 1:00 PM), there will be a quick lunch (picnic style) outside the entrances to the Harties caves. Then, the team will enter Harties Cave-2, which is somewhat more challenging than the first cave (there are two short verticals involved, and it goes much further). The team will push inwards for 1 1/2 hours, and then return via the same route to the entrance. By 5:30 PM, the team will be back at Miss Buckle's where they will spend the night. There will be an opportunity to clean up, and dinner will be at 6:00 PM. Afterwards, there are several small pubs closeby for those who would like to have cold Red Stripe. Late-night snacks will be provided for those who need to re-fuel before crashing for the night.Day 2: Breakfast will be served by 7:00 AM, with departure to the field before 8:00 (the earlier, the better). The caves visited this day will be determined by season. During Jan-Apr, and Jul-Sep, the sites will be Mouth Maze (challenging and seldom visited), and Carambie if time permits (large, easy chamber cave). During May-Jun, and Oct-Dec, the sites will be Printed Circuit (with the route being Main entrance to the Farmyard entrance - fairly challenging), and Carambie if time permits (the exact selection of targets will be dependent on the weather, no matter what the season). The caving will be completed by 3:30 PM (note that if we get an early start, it gives us over seven hours, most of it spent underground - we'll stop for a picnic lunch around noon, but this will possibly happen inside a cave), and then after a return to Miss Buckle's to clean up, the team will depart for MoBay/Ochie for arrival by 7:00 PM and drop off at the resort. The JCO fee for this outing is 300 USD/person, with a minimum of 600 USD. The maximum number of guests is four, with the fee reduced to 275 USD/person (1100 total) in this case. All ground transport, accommodation, and meals are included, as well as helmets, headlamps, vertical gear, and knee pads. To give a better understanding of the hydrology and geomorphology of the caves in this district, we will supply print copies of the 50 page work, "The Caves of Rock Spring", excerpted from our report to TNC. Complimentary rum drinks are available the evening of Day 1, although we reserve the right to cut you off if we think you're going to be too hungover the next day. We regret that we cannot supply cold beer, but this will be available nearby at the going rate. After we're done caving on Day 2, complimentary rum drinks will again be available, as well as snacks, for the drive back to your resort. Availability: Oct 10, 2006. |
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#6 - Cockpit Country Hiking - The Troy Trail 
The Cockpit Country of Jamaica, in its central region, can be traversed by only three routes: the Troy-Windsor Trail, the Quickstep Trail, and the now almost-lost Heading-Pantrepant Trail. Other than these three thin lines that offer a tenuous course through the inhospitable depths of the Cockpit Country, there are no "easy" ways across. "Easy" in this sense means that if you know what you're doing, you're almost guaranteed to not die en route. [More information on the Troy Trail can be found here.]The logistics involved in hiking across the Troy trail are not trivial. The two end-points, Tyre and Windsor, are separated by a drive of close to three hours, and because of this it is necessary to supply ground transport one way. This increases costs and time. The hike itself can be completed in as little as six hours, when done from south to north (our preferred route, because it is from higher to lower), but can take as long as 10 hours, depending on how fit everyone is. Because there are only so many hours of light in a Jamaican day, and it is difficult to hike in the Cockpit Country at night, even on a trail, it is critically important to be at the trail-head in Tyre at 8:00 AM. The best way to guarantee this is to stay there the night before. The available accommodations are rather spartan, but fine for anyone who doesn't mind "roughing it". Please be aware that the hike is not particularly easy, and the usual JCO cautions about fitness apply. The fee for this outing is higher than we would like, primarily because of the extra transport costs. We need a third member of the crew onboard to deal with this (along with the two bush-guides), and the cost of running vehicles in Ja is not cheap. We are supplying two options, the first for Ja residents who can handle their own transport arrangements, and a second for foreign visitors. Option 1: We supply two guides who will meet you in Tyre at 7:00 AM. They will take you across the trail to Windsor, where you will have your own transport waiting in the late afternoon. The guiding cost is 75 USD/person for groups up to 4, with a minimum of 250 USD**. For groups of 5 to 8, the fee is 60 USD/person. We will not take groups of more than 8 people across the trail at any one time. Availability: Oct 15, 2006. Option 2: The schedule for this tour is pick-up in MoBay to Ocho Rios on the afternoon of Day 1 (Negril is not possible), with arrival at Tyre by sunset. The JCO will supply basic accommodation for that evening, as well as dinner soon after we arrive. The next morning, before 8:00 AM, we will be on the trail. If things go well, we will arrive in Windsor by mid-late afternoon. If things lag somewhat, we should be there by sunset. Upon our arrival in Windsor, transport will be waiting to take our guests back to their resorts, although they might want to have a quick swim in the headwaters of the Martha Brae River, in Windsor, before they do. The fee is 175 USD/person for groups up to 4, with a minimum of 500 USD**. For groups of 5 to 8, the fee is 150 USD/person, and we will need at least 2 weeks advance notice. Availability: Oct 15, 2006. |
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#7 - Cockpit Country Hiking - The Quick Step Trail 
The Quick Step Trail is the other of the two routes across the Cockpit Country that we can currently supply guides for. As with the Troy Trail, logistical problems (ground transport and accommodations) are a serious factor, and actually much worse. A detailed description of the situation follows:The route begins in Windsor, near the northern trail-head, and then heads west along the Escarpment for a kilometre until a long deep valley gives access to the south; this is the track to Quick Step. Now, one journeys for 6km across the Cockpit Country until the Quick Step road is reached, 8 km's north of the actual village. This final 8 km stretch of road is very rough, has no one living on it other than one madman (who is always carrying a machete), no vehicular traffic, and requires an SUV to drive it. When the village of Quick Step itself is reached, it is still a drive of over 3 hours back to Windsor. Very basic accommodation is available in the village that would allow the group to overnight it, but unless we have a JCO SUV at Quick Step (not cheap to get it there), the group must hike back to Windsor the next day, covering the 8 km of rough road, the 6 km in the bush, and a final km along the Escarpment - this bringing the total distance hiked in two days to 30 km. We have two solutions for these logistical challenges: It can be hiked both ways from Windsor in a day (i.e. starting at, and returning to, Windsor), if one turns around at the beginning of the rough road that leads to Quick Step, and avoids the final 8 km's to where civilisation is reached on the south side. Or, we arrange to have an SUV waiting for us at the end of the Quick Step road, and then spend the night in the district (too late to make the drive back to wherever you're all going). The following two options cover our two solutions: Option 1: The schedule is: departing Windsor on foot at 7:00 AM, and then hiking as much of the trail as possible until a turn-around point is reached at noon. If good time has been made, we will have turned back at the end of the road from Quick Step, and will have done the entire actual trail. The return to Windsor will be before sunset. Accommodation is available at The Last Resort, which is very close to the start of the hike, for the nights before and/or after the hike, at 15 USD/person, not including meals. The JCO guiding fee is 60 USD/person, with a minimum of 100 USD**. We do not supply transport for this option, but rental information will be found below*. Jamaican residents who have a friend with an SUV to pick them up at the end of the Quick Step road, on the south side of the Cockpit Country, might be able to pull it off without returning to Windsor, as long as you don't mind travelling at night. Availability: Oct 15, 2006. Option 2: The JCO takes care of the transport, accommodation, and all of the meals/snacks for this one, so it bumps up the price quite a bit. The schedule for this outing is such: Day 1: We pick you up at your hotel, in Montego Bay to Ocho Rios, in the late afternoon. The evening is spent at The Last Resort, in Windsor, with dinner and rum drinks supplied. Day 2: We hit the trail by 9:00 AM. We take our time on the hike, stopping to look at various trees, flowers, birds and butterflies, and have a nice lunch in the early afternoon. By 5:00 PM, we are at the end of the trail, and the start of the Quick Step road, where an SUV is waiting with a cooler full of soft drinks, juice boxes, and Red Stripe. After stowing packs, and taking a break, we bounce southwards 8 km to Quick Step, with drinks supplied from the cooler as is necessary. Well before sunset, we will be in the village, where dinner will be waiting. The village is in a very beautiful part of the Cockpit Country, and dinner will be accompanied by a fine view across the great rifted valley that cuts across to the east. Following this, we will climb into the SUV again to drive down the winding mountain roads that eventually lead to the town of Maggotty, and the Poinciana Guesthouse, which is where the party will spend the night (this being necessary because it's a long drive to anywhere from Quick Step, and Jamaican rural roads can be very dicey at night). Day 3: After breakfast, we will get you back to your hotel/s as early as possible in the day (10-11 AM for MoBay, noon for Ochie). The JCO fee for this outing is 300 USD/person, with a minimum of 600 USD**. For groups of 4 to 8, the fee is 250 USD/person, and we will need at least 2 weeks advance notice. Availability: Oct 15, 2006. Option 3: This is our one outing for visitors to Negril. It is much the same as Option 2, but in reverse. We start in Quickstep, and finish in Windsor at The Last Resort. We take care of all the transport, and again, parts of 3 days in total are involved. The fees are the same as Option 2. Availability: Oct 15, 2006. |
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Speleo, Caver, and Rescue Services 
Members of the JCO are often available to supply assistance to visiting researchers and cavers. The specialist fee is 200 USD/day for short-term projects, with a minimum of 1000 USD. Fees for long-term projects are open to negotiation.Visiting cavers who happen to be on-island when JCO expeditions are underway are welcome to link with us, as long as they kick in some serious bucks toward expenses (50 USD/day, along with your relatively cheap field costs). Please give us as much advance notice as possible, and keep track of the News page. The JCO can assist in rescue situations, or body recovery, but we are usually not able to immediately arrive on the scene unless the expenses are taken care of up front. Email is monitored regularly, so in the event of emergency situations, please contact us at info@jamaicancaves.org, and we'll see if we can help. * For car rentals in Jamaica, we recommend Alex's Car Rental. They have the best rates in Montego Bay and are a solid bunch. ** There is a minimum amount we must charge in order to make it worthwhile for us. If we do things for any less than the quoted minimum, we might as well cut cane instead. |
| Donations |
The JCO continues to be in need of donations of gear. We present a short list of our main requirements below. 4 helmets - Edelrid ultralight or equivalent. 3 sets of rack descenders. 1 harness. 8 locking carabiners. 30 metres 25mm tubular webbing. Waterproof notebooks. Laser range-finder. Digital Camera (the one we picked up after the Maroon Town theft, the cheapest we could get, doesn't really work in a cave). Microscope, (for the Windsor field station). 2 hygrometers (must be rugged and accurate). Digital Video Camera (if anyone feels generous, we can record some fascinating video and share the results). A complete set of the digitized 1:12,500 Jamaican topo series. A registered version of Arcview 8. A four-wheel drive vehicle, preferrably a Landrover or Toyota Landcruiser. A chainsaw. We also invite monetary contributions to our transport expenses (rental cars, petrol, airfare). Donations will be acknowledged on the website and links to contributor's sites will be posted if applicable. Other than that, all we can offer in return is an opportunity to share in our efforts to preserve the underground realms of Jamaica, and if desired, an opportunity to join us in our explorations. We would like to thank: Bill Palmer, for his donations towards the June, 2004 expedition, and JCO work done in January, 2005. It has been a great help in keeping things alive. Guy van Rentergem for his continuing contributions of much needed caving and survey gear. His donations of gear and ropes has helped to shorten the above list considerably. Bless-up, man Don McFarlane, for buying maps and helping us with funding. The Windsor Research Centre, for much-needed funding. The NSS, for the grant received for the Jan 2005 Expedition. The Jamaica Constabulary Force, for paying us for the Hutchinson's Hole work. Sanjay Surana, for his donation of a harness and figure-8. Tove Jensen, for the Troy Trail crossing. Deborah Tibbs, for her monetary donation. Brian Miller, for his recent map purchase. |
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JamaicanCaves.Org is a non-profit organization that is pleased to receive the support of: | |
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The Jamaican Caves Organization |