It’s Monday, the sky is overcast and it’s muggy here in the Midwest, while my friends and family in Florida battle rains and winds because of Hurricane Isaac. I figured let’s all get a break! Let me share a little piece of the steamy novella I’ve been working on for the past few days. It’s set in Jamaica and since it’s fiction, the weather is always picture-perfect. Enjoy!
As I look at the cobalt ocean and the lush green hills I can not help but feel inspired. Jamaica is all that I thought it would be-and more. I close my eyes and revel in the sensations, the catamaran I am on swings and sways to a rhythm that only it knows.
I open my eyes again and gaze at the breathtaking horizon, I tilt my head down and peer into the ocean. I can see clear to the bottom of its cerulean depths. I turn my head when, briefly, the calypso music stops and the captain announces we’ve almost reached our destination in a lilting island accent.
Ocho Rios. We’re almost there. As an artist I’ve spent the last ten years dreaming about coming here, to all of Jamaica actually. Seeing this popular tourist destination has been one of my deepest desires. The town is home to so much natural beauty.
The boat is en route to Dunn’s River Falls, and I can’t wait to experience the rush of the water, the absolute freedom of being one with nature as I explore this natural wonder. As I step off the boat dock and touch down in the soft sand, I’m already seeing a hundred possible paintings flash in my mind. The landscape set before me becomes my canvas. This beach at sunset with hues of orange, red, turquoise and purple. The beach at dawn as the sun kisses the shore good morning, the beach on a rainy day, with the turbulent churning of a navy blue sea against an angry, dark sky.
As I step a little closer to the falls, I feel my heart pound. It’s gorgeous. The rushing water is so loud, I can barely hear my own thoughts. I stop to stare at the unique rock formation, nature is so amazing. Nestled in the cliff just off the beach are the falls. The water cascades down through large boulders, which resemble a jagged staircase.
I step forward reverently, somewhat timidly, and dip my head under the spray that empties out into the sea. I pull back instantly. Despite the tropical weather, the water, which is spring-fed, is frigid. Groups of American tourists shriek and splash around on the beach, while running back and forth between the waters of the deep blue Caribbean Sea and the crisp clear water from the falls.
