By Mel Cooke, Freelance WriterWESTERN BUREAU:
BEFORE THE party people boarded the Caribbean Queen and it sailed off into the well-charted waters of Kingston Harbour on Saturday night, Wayne Wonder's Joyride pulsed from the speakers set up at dockside.
It was an apt send-off for the first of Heineken Startime's 'Fourplay' series of harbour cruises, which continued on Sunday night and concludes this weekend with another pair of back to back cruises on Friday and Saturday.
SAFETY NEWS
With almost all on board, Morgan Heritage's Down By The River provided a watery - if not salty - musical note and the captain gave some very reassuring safety news. The Caribbean Queen is equipped with life-jackets for 550 persons (certainly more than enough for those on board for Friday's party), as well as solid and inflatable life rafts for 450 people. In addition, there were two lifeguards among the crew of 10.
And, to top it off, the captain pointed out that the Caribbean Queen would not be more than three minutes from shore at any point.
With that, as well as the posted notices to 'drink responsibly' on the all-inclusive trip, safety was well taken care of and Mr. Wong at the controls (of the turntables) set the party off with Shaving Cream as the Queen eased off sideways from the dock - and a JUTC bus steamed full speed ahead towards Marcus Garvey Drive on the upper section of Port Royal Street.
Out in the calm waters of the world's seventh largest natural harbour, Smokey Robinson's Cruisin' was the gentle send-off to the UDC building and Ocean Towers on the starboard (that's left, for you landlubbers) and the distant lights of Port Royal on the port side. Rockin' Soul and Rock The Boat and Rock On had those on the choice of three party spots - outside on the deck to the rear, covered cabin on lower level and upper level outside - swaying not only to the gentle swell of the water.
ACCOMMODATION
In the covered cabin on the upper level, upholstered seats accommodated those who preferred to take it easy.
The Caribbean Queen sailed into the glow of the full moon on the harbour waters, the night masking its putrid pollution and the muted light creating romance where the uncompromising light of day would have shown a commercial harbour.
The lights of Manley Boulevard went by with Oh What A Night ringing from Peter Phillips Disco; the smoke from the Jamaica Private Power Company and the Flour Mills rose against the darkness of Wareika Hills on Part-Time Lover. Dinner was served.
Suddenly, land was closer on the port side and Morgan's Harbour Hotel was near on I'm So Excited, the tempo changing with David Rudder's High Praise. Soca ended with Ship Ahoy, reggae began with No No No and continued with the classic Tribal War as the lights of the Palisadoes strip went gently by. The Caribbean Queen turned gently near the Harbour View roundabout and it was more reggae with Up Park Camp.
SERIOUS PURSUITS
A ship from the Unicorn Line was anchored off the Carib Cement Company, a sign indicating 'dangerous cargo' indicating that more serious pursuits do take place in the Kingston Harbour.
By design or coincidence, the disco beat had returned with Second Time Around when the boat passed its berthing, but not before there had been a lovely tilt of the turntable rudder into the soul of Guilty and Rock With Me Tonight.
The lights of the never sleeping Newport West fell away and a winking semi-circle of green lit buoys indicated that some sort of limit had been reached. And a special surprise moment had been reached as well, as the Caribbean Queen was anchored off Port Royal it was showtime.
CROONED
It was the St. Ann crew which provided the live show, as the upper level party area became a stage. Seymour Green crooned I Can't Help Falling In Love With You, the all black clad Enforcer did Unchained Melody and Reasons, while Junior Cole brought the voice of his spiritual older brother Nat to the party with Unforgettable.
Green and CVM presenter Candace Buchanan teamed up to do Always, while the real surprise of Keisha Patterson moved harbour and land with At Last.
Then it was party with Marley, soca and disco back to land, the Caribbean Queen coming back to dock with its signature track Cruisin'. However, with the moon glowing on another Sunday morning, MKB's Mikey Barnett would not let the party end without acknowledgement to the Almighty, the partygoers holding hands, heads bowed, as the Grace Thrillers sang Can't Even Walk to end the first of Heineken Startime's 'Fourplay'.
