By Tanya Batson, Staff Reporter
Above: Patrons boarding The Caribbean Queen, now dubbed 'a party boat', which provides an interesting getaway for the young and young at heart. At Right: These young ladies seem to be enjoying the scene at 'Seaesta' held aboard the vessel last Sunday. - Michael Sloley /Freelance Photographer
SUNDAY AFTERNOON is always a great time to go to the beach and the 'Seaesta' cruises help to broaden the options of how to get there. The cruise takes place aboard the Caribbean Queen. The Caribbean Queen, no longer a cruise ship, now makes its way through the Caribbean waters as a party boat. 'Seaesta' is one of those parties.
'Seaesta' is produced by Obelisk Entertainment and Concept Entertainment and last Sunday's party was the last in their current season of cruises to Lime Cay.
The almost all-day event, running from early afternoon to late evening, provides an interesting getaway for the young and young at heart. There was a time when cruising (or some other water-based activity) in Kingston Harbour, the seventh largest natural harbour in the world, was not a particularly rare event. However, as crime in the area and pollution in those once beautiful waters grew, the water-based fun declined. These days, only pelicans think of cruising Kingston's waters.
On occasion over the past few years, there have been attempts to re-energise interest in taking a cruise, usually to the still popular Lime Cay, which is just outside the harbour.
Lime Cay provides a nice island of sand, a few bushes, snorkelling possibilities at the nearby reefs, and the ever-seductive possibility of simply splashing about in the restive Caribbean sea.
Boarding of the Caribbean Queen began at 11 a.m. However, the Caribbean Queen left the dry dock in Kingston Harbour after two in the afternoon. Since most of the patrons had just arrived, and the others had been busy simply lazily lolling around, no one seemed to mind.
As the anchor was hoisted, the music switched gears and moved from roots rock reggae to dancehall and hip-hop. Although most persons had simply lounged around before the ship cast off, The Caribbean Queen's movement seemed to be the signal that the party was about to begin.
Shortly after the slow journey to the cay began, a few patrons began dancing and, of course, drinking. When the ship dropped anchor off Lime Cay, the approximately 250 patrons were in high spirits (some of which was Courvoisier- induced).
As such, not everyone was willing to abandon the party to board the small boats and go ashore. This option is part of what makes Seaesta's offering an interesting one. You can simply decide to stay on the boat and just relax or dance, since the music never stops; or you can sail over to the cay and have a fun day at the beach. Both options provide a great way to waste a perfectly good day.
By 4 p.m. most of the patrons decided to abandon ship for the more sandy possibilities of frolicking on the shore. As most of the patrons departed, the music was again adjusted, this time to old school dancehall. What followed was something of a timeline, though not a very straight one, through dancehall history.
Razz and Biggie, the selectors for the day, moved through hits dating as far back as those of Yellow Man and Michigan and Smiley in the early '80s. They then played songs such as Naa Go Love It and Mud Up It A Lick and Papa San's version of I Will Survive.
Those who remained on-board seemed to have a grand time going down memory lane. Coming closer to the present, the music was then switched to the early 1990s with songs such as Action, Stamina Daddy, Big Up and Trust, Gyal A Tear Off Mi Garment and My Experience.
The end of this segment of the music was heralded by a beautiful orange sunset, which signalled the return of the patrons from the cay. Having had their fill of sun and sand they were ready for the real party to begin.
The tempo was changed to '80s pop with Footloose and Wake Me Up (Before You Go). This segment also featured such pop classics as Madonna's Like A Virgin and Michael Jackson's Billie Jean. Of course, the playing of the latter had at least one patron doing a gloved wonder impersonation, complete with crotch grabbing and yelling.
However, nature would not be outdone by the noise of the party. The horizon, festooned in reds, oranges and pink, provided a wonderful backdrop to the party as the slow glide back to Kingstons Harbour began.
There was now no stopping the party. Razz and Biggie had the crowd under complete control when they again returned the late 1980s early 1990s dancehall era. For this visit they delved into the 'slackness' catalogue of the likes of Lady Saw, Buju Banton and Shabba Ranks.
Although the ride from Kingston to Lime Cay is a rather short one, it took the Caribbean Queen until 9 p.m. to reach the dock, but the party faithful were having a great time not watching their watches. For some it had been a long day, but for most it was a fun day.
