When you think of the world’s great surfing sites Oahu’s northern shore hit’s you head on. Then there are lots of great beaches in SoCal and Sydney’s famous Bondi, too. What may not immediately register is Jamaica, specifically the Caribbean island’s eastern area. Too bad, because the surfing there can be sensational.
To that end, the Jamaica Surfing Association is hosting the island’s annual international surfing competition July 20 – 22. It’s called the Makka Pro, and it’s billed as the biggest surfing contest in the English-speaking Caribbean. Jensen Calloway is the defending champ.
The site of the surfing battle is beautiful – the Makka Surfing Beach in Southaven. That’s in St. Thomas, Jamaica. Thousands of surfing aficionados are expected to descend on the area the third weekend of July.
St. Thomas isn’t exactly noted for its serene seas. That’s what’s thwarted the area from blossoming into prime tourist territory, the kind found on Jamaica’s well-known western reaches. What the eastern region does have, however, is the kind of conditions perfect for conjuring up some of the most challenging surf in the whole Caribbean. That’s the basis for the increasingly-popular Makka Pro
As a tourist spot, Jamaica is hot. It’s readily accessible nonstop from a slew of U.S. cities, and is a study in contrasts. There’s the beach, wild or mild. Then the island is crisscrossed by more than 120 rivers, many replete with outlandishly beautiful waterfalls. Mountains? Some soar to over 7,000 feet. You get the picture.
Of late, the Jamaica Tourist Board has been billing the 146-mile long island as a year-round destination. The success of the Makka Pro surfing competition can’t hurt.
(Image: Tai Gray)
