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Port Antonio is the capital of the parish of
Portland Portland most commonly refers to: * Portland, Oregon, the largest city in the state of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States * Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state of Maine, in the New England region of the northeas ...
on the northeastern coast of
Jamaica Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...
, about from Kingston. It had a population of 12,285 in 1982 and 13,246 in 1991. It is the island's third largest port, famous as a shipping point for bananas and coconuts, as well as one of its most important
tourist attraction A tourist attraction is a place of interest that tourists visit, typically for its inherent or an exhibited natural or cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, offering leisure and amusement. Types Places of natural ...
s, tourism being a major contributor to the town’s economy.


History

Port Antonio was a settlement first established in
Spanish Jamaica Santiago was a Spanish territory of the Spanish West Indies and within the Viceroyalty of New Spain, in the Caribbean region. Its location is the present-day island and nation of Jamaica. Pre-Columbian Jamaica Around 650 AD, Jamaica was co ...
, when it was known as Puerto Anton. Portland formally became a parish in 1723 by order of the
Duke of Portland Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ranke ...
, the then-Governor of Jamaica after whom it is named. The existing port was to be called Port Antonio and was slated to become a naval stronghold. To that end, by 1729, the colonial government began to build Fort George on the peninsula separating the twin East and West harbors known as the Titchfield promontory. The fort was intended to protect settlers from attacks by the Spanish from the sea, and from the
Jamaican Maroons Jamaican Maroons descend from Africans who freed themselves from slavery on the Colony of Jamaica and established communities of free black people in the island's mountainous interior, primarily in the eastern parishes. Africans who were ensl ...
who lived in the mountains. Port Antonio was a sleepy coastal town until the 1880s, when Lorenzo Dow Baker started the banana trade in Jamaica and successfully promoted Port Antonio as a destination for wealthy
American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...
travelers. "Portie" became a boom town. The banana trade and the tourists who came in the
banana boats A banana is an elongated, edible fruit – botanically a berry – produced by several kinds of large herbaceous flowering plants in the genus ''Musa''. In some countries, bananas used for cooking may be called "plantains", distingu ...
, was once so large that at one time, weekly sailing from Port Antonio was greater than weekly sailing from the great
English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...
port of
Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a popul ...
. The island was glamorized by Hollywood as a model of paradise in movies of the 1940s and 1950s, and in later movies such as ''Club Paradise'' and ''Cocktail''. This image was added to by the arrival of movie star
Errol Flynn Errol Leslie Thomson Flynn (20 June 1909 – 14 October 1959) was an Australian-American actor who achieved worldwide fame during the Golden Age of Hollywood. He was known for his romantic swashbuckler roles, frequent partnerships with Olivia ...
in 1946 when his yacht, the ''Zaca'' washed ashore in bad weather. He subsequently bought nearby
Navy Island Navy Island is a small, uninhabited island in the Niagara River in the province of Ontario, managed by Parks Canada as a National Historic Site of Canada. It is located about upstream from Horseshoe Falls, and has an area of roughly . It is acr ...
, part of historic Fort George in Port Antonio as well as hundreds of acres of farmland along the Portland coast.


Climate

Port Antonio features a trade-wind
tropical rainforest climate A tropical rainforest climate, humid tropical climate or equatorial climate is a tropical climate sub-type usually found within 10 to 15 degrees latitude of the equator. There are some other areas at higher latitudes, such as the coast of southea ...
under the
Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
. Like many areas with this climate type, average temperatures vary little throughout the course of the year, with average monthly temperatures roughly at throughout the year. The town has a noticeably drier period from February through April, however it has no true
dry season The dry season is a yearly period of low rainfall, especially in the tropics. The weather in the tropics is dominated by the tropical rain belt, which moves from the northern to the southern tropics and back over the course of the year. The te ...
month as all 12 months on average easily exceeds of precipitation. Port Antonio averages a copious of rainfall annually.


Tourist destinations

A popular sight in this area is the Blue Lagoon, Jamaica, which owes its colour to its depth of . Other sights include the secluded Frenchman's Cove Beach, the ruins of Folly Mansion and the historic DeMontevin Lodge. The Rio Grande, Boston Bay and Reach Falls are nearby. In addition there is the Bay View Eco Resort located on a former coconut plantation and Pimento Lodge in Long Bay.


Transport


Bus

Port Antonio is a hub for bus transport in the north east of the island.


Rail

Port Antonio was the terminus of the now abandoned railway from Kingston via Spanish Town and Bog Walk, which was primarily built to serve the banana export trade.


In popular culture

The 1963 drama film ''Lord of the Flies'' and the 1990 remake of the same name were both filmed at Frenchman's Cove. The 1986 comedy film '' Club Paradise'' starring
Robin Williams Robin McLaurin Williams (July 21, 1951August 11, 2014) was an American actor and comedian. Known for his improvisational skills and the wide variety of characters he created on the spur of the moment and portrayed on film, in dramas and come ...
was filmed on location mostly in and around Port Antonio as the fictitious island of St Nicholas. Local sites such as the town's courthouse, the tax office (which in the film served as the police station), Blue Lagoon, Frenchman's Cove,
Winifred Beach Winifred Beach is a locally popular public beach in Portland, Jamaica. A campaign is in progress to keep the beach public in the face of corporate efforts to privatize, develop, and enclose the surrounding area to all but paid access. See also ...
, were used as the backdrop to the story. The 1988 romantic comedy drama film ''Cocktail'' starring
Tom Cruise Thomas Cruise Mapother IV (born July 3, 1962), known professionally as Tom Cruise, is an American actor and producer. One of the world's highest-paid actors, he has received various accolades, including an Honorary Palme d'Or and three Go ...
was partially shot in Port Antonio, also with scenes of Frenchman's Cove and Blue Lagoon. The 1988 drama film ''Clara's Heart'' starring
Whoopi Goldberg Caryn Elaine Johnson (born November 13, 1955), known professionally as Whoopi Goldberg (), is an American actor, comedian, author, and television personality.Kuchwara, Michael (AP Drama Writer)"Whoopi Goldberg: A One-Woman Character Parade". ' ...
has scenes filmed in Port Antonio. The 1989 thriller film ''The Mighty Quinn'' was filmed at various locations throughout
Jamaica Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...
, with the principal outdoor scenes shot in Port Antonio. The official music video for the 1995 hit single "
Fu-Gee-La "Fu-Gee-La" is a song by American hip-hop trio, Fugees, released on December 13, 1995, as the lead single from their second and final album, '' The Score'' (1996). Produced by Salaam Remi, it contains a sample of " If Loving You Is Wrong (I Don' ...
" by the hip-hop trio
Fugees Fugees (; sometimes The Fugees) is an American hip hop group formed in the early 1990s. Deriving its name from a shortening of the word "refugees", the group consists of Wyclef Jean, Pras Michel, and Lauryn Hill. The group rose to fame with i ...
was filmed in and around Port Antonio. Notable scenes include Folly Ruins (also the backdrop for a scene in ''The Mighty Quinn'') and the town's Cenotaph Square. The 2010 action comedy film ''
Knight and Day ''Knight and Day'' is a 2010 American satirical action comedy film directed by James Mangold and starring Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz. The film was the second on-screen collaboration of Cruise and Diaz, following the 2001 film ''Vanilla Sky''. ...
'' starring Tom Cruise has scenes filmed at Frenchman's Cove. The 2021 spy film ''
No Time to Die ''No Time to Die'' is a 2021 spy film and the twenty-fifth in the ''James Bond'' series produced by Eon Productions, starring Daniel Craig in his fifth and final portrayal of fictional British MI6 agent James Bond. It was directed by Cary ...
'' starring
Daniel Craig Daniel Wroughton Craig (born 2 March 1968) is an English-American actor who gained international fame playing the secret agent James Bond in the film series, beginning with '' Casino Royale'' (2006) and in four further instalments, up to '' ...
as James Bond, was partially filmed in and around Port Antonio.


Notable residents


References


External links


Guide to attractions and sights in Port Antonio

A History of Portland
{{Authority control Populated places in Portland Parish 1723 establishments in the British Empire