For decades, Jamaicans swore this lagoon had no bottom. They called it the 'Blue Hole' and told how one diver after another had tried to touch the bed without success, swallowed up by a blue that turned black as it went down. Science eventually deflated the myth —it does have a bottom, though at one point it's around 60 meters deep—, but by then the cinema had already made it eternal. This is the story of how a blue hole in Portland went from local legend to worldwide postcard.
The Blue Lagoon lies in Portland, the parish at the northeastern tip of Jamaica, considered by many the most beautiful and certainly one of the greenest and most lush on the island. Its geography is spectacular: the imposing Blue Mountains and John Crow Mountains descend toward a coast indented with coves, rivers and beaches, all covered by dense tropical jungle. That lushness has an explanation: Portland is the rainiest area in Jamaica.
The region's mountains intercept the humid northeasterly winds (the trade winds), which unload abundant rain during much of the year. That's why Portland is always green, its rivers carry water all year and its vegetation is so lush. That same water feeds natural wonders like the Blue Lagoon itself, Reach Falls and the mighty Rio Grande, famous for bamboo raft rafting.
Unlike the north coast, with its big resorts and mass tourism, Portland kept a quiet, authentic and little-touched character. It is the Jamaica of small towns, villas hidden in the jungle, an unhurried pace and nature in the leading role. Getting to know the Blue Lagoon is a glimpse into this region, considered by many the island's secret gem.
The Blue Lagoon is, above all, a geological curiosity. It is a coastal lagoon where a singular meeting takes place between two types of water. From the bottom bubble up freshwater springs, cold, coming from rain filtered through the limestone rock of the mountains; at the same time, the lagoon is connected to the Caribbean Sea by a mouth, through which salt water, warmer, enters. The mixing of the two creates layers of different density and temperature.
That phenomenon explains two of the lagoon's most notable features. On one hand, the thermal contrast felt by those who swim in it: as they move, the body passes from cold areas (the springs) to warm areas (the sea input). On the other, the shifting color of the water, which goes from deep blue in the deep parts to emerald green and turquoise toward the edges, depending on the depth, the minerals and the incidence of sunlight.
The depth of the lagoon is considerable in some spots, which gave rise to its old name, 'Blue Hole', and to the legend that it was 'bottomless'. Although it does have a bottom, its depth and its intensely blue water fueled stories of unfathomable depths for generations. That aura of mystery, together with its beauty, made the lagoon a legendary place long before the cinema made it world-famous.
The history of the Blue Lagoon is bound up with that of Port Antonio, the nearby capital of Portland, which was nothing less than the cradle of tourism in Jamaica. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Port Antonio was a prosperous banana port: from here large cargoes of bananas were shipped to the United States and Europe, in a business dominated by companies like the United Fruit Company.
The banana boats, which went full to the north, began to bring passengers on the return trip: the first tourists, curious to see the exotic tropical island. Thus, almost by accident, Jamaican tourism was born, with Port Antonio as a pioneer. The town filled with elegant hotels and became a fashionable destination. Throughout the 20th century, Portland attracted millionaires and celebrities —from Hollywood stars to tycoons—, seduced by its beauty, its climate and its exclusivity.
Figures like the actor Errol Flynn became forever associated with Portland; Flynn bought land in the area and popularized bamboo raft rafting on the Rio Grande, originally used to transport bananas. That golden age left as its legacy a collection of charming villas and hotels hidden in the jungle, and a sophisticated, bohemian atmosphere that can still be felt in the region, far from the later mass tourism.
The lagoon's current name and much of its worldwide fame come from the cinema. For generations, the place was known locally as the 'Blue Hole', for its blue, deep water. But the beauty of Portland attracted filmmakers, and the area became a location for several films throughout the 20th century, making use of its paradisiacal landscapes of jungle, sea and crystal-clear water.
The decisive milestone was the film 'The Blue Lagoon', released in 1980, starring Brooke Shields and shot on locations in Jamaica and Fiji. Although not all of the film was shot at this lagoon, the film's success and reach popularized the name 'Blue Lagoon' for this corner of Portland, which ended up adopting it definitively, displacing the old 'Blue Hole'. Other film productions also passed through the area over the years.
Thus, the cinema did for the lagoon what the banana had done for Port Antonio: project it to the world. The image of its blue and green waters hemmed in by the jungle became associated with the idea of a tropical paradise, and the lagoon became one of Jamaica's tourist icons. It is a good example of how the popular imagination and the names of places can be transformed by culture and the media.
Today the Blue Lagoon is one of Jamaica's natural icons and the most famous attraction in Portland, a symbol of the serene, green beauty of the east of the island. Unlike the big attractions of the north coast, it keeps a calmer, more natural character, in tune with the low-key spirit of the region. Those who visit it usually combine it with the neighboring beaches of Frenchman's Cove and San San, and with other wonders of Portland like Reach Falls and Rio Grande rafting.
The management of the lagoon's access and services has, over time, been more informal than at other attractions on the island, with local boatmen who offer bamboo raft or boat trips and fares that are best agreed in advance. That local character is part of its authenticity, though it also makes it advisable to be well informed and to use common sense regarding prices and access.
For the traveler, the Blue Lagoon sums up the best of eastern Jamaica: lush nature, waters of impossible colors, history tied to the origins of tourism on the island and an unhurried pace far from the bustle. Swimming in its waters, feeling the contrast between the cold of the springs and the warmth of the sea, or drifting on a bamboo raft while a boatman tells its legends, is to experience the most magical and genuine face of Jamaica.