We welcome comments. Please send them to Stephen and Dawn
Jamaica, February 11 - March 4, 2026
August, 2025 - Thinking about returning to Jamaica
Skip Introduction and go to the beginning of the travelogueBefore we go any further, it is important for us to state that if the the hurricane Melissa came before we made our reservations, we probably would not be going to Treasure Beach. We would have made a reservation somewhere else because there was so much devastation there. But we did make reservations so we are committed and we are looking forward to joining a great community.
We loved Forever Cottage in Strawberry Fields
but could we have a shorter, less rugged drive to and from the airport? Maybe our new destination could have a beach but still have the wonderful sense of communtity that Strawberry Fields had in Northeast Jamaica,
We found Treasure Beach and after spending a lot of time looking at Lodgings we eventually found two lovely places to stay for about ten days each.
And Katamah Beach Resort, a small, little more upscale beach resort
October 28, 2025
Melissa comes ashore
We weren't expecting that. We waited a week and then sent both places gentle inqueries about how they were doing. They both responded. Andrew's cabins, further away from the water had survived.
Katamah, being on the beach was wrecked.
We asked if they wanted us to visit this year, or would we just be in the way. We did say that we would bring work gloves and this trip would be different.
They replied.Hello Stephen . My Cabins are still standing and I presume that flights will fully resume by February , as the ports of entry are already partially reopened . Thanks so much for your concerns . One Love and blessings.
Andrew
Dear Stephen and Dawn,
Thank you so much for your kind and thoughtful offerings!
Your visit would be most welcome and appreciated. We will be announcing our reopening date, around February 1st in the next week or so. We will maintain your booking for February 21 - March 4th in the Habibi Room. Around the time of your visit we will have more information on what recovery efforts you may want to join and contribute to in late February. We will certainly have lots of gardening projects at Katamah, and we will be very happy just to have guests staying with us again, enjoying the place to help get us back to normal and maintain our team's livelihoods.
We would be very grateful for the contribution of your wonderful writing about your Treasure Beach experience and stay at Katamah on your travelogues during or after your time here.
With gratitude,
The Katamah Family
From the Jamaica Observer:
Jason Henzell, who operates Jakes hotel and Jack Sprat restaurant in the popular south coast community of Treasure Beach, is all smiles inside Jack Sprat on Sunday.
In the wake of the devastation wrought by Hurricane Melissa on October 28 in southern Jamaica, the reopening of Jack Sprat in Treasure Beach marks a critical milestone for the local community. The popular beachfront restaurant, operated by hotelier Jason Henzel, officially reopened on Tuesday (11 November) after extensive restoration following the storm's damage.
For years, Jack Sprat has been a pillar of Treasure Beach's social life, a place where locals and visitors come together over good food, music and relaxed seaside ambiance. Even before Hurricane Melissa struck, the business had already weathered damage from Hurricane Beryl, making this its "second major restoration in 16 months".
"We are going to reopen Jack Sprat on Tuesday, so that will be exactly two weeks after the hurricane. I thought it was going to take longer, but our staff are determined .It is not going to be perfect. It is not going to be the Jack Sprat that we saw before, but we figure it is better to open with it not being perfect than to wait for it to be perfect. Over time we will just keep improving, but people want to get a hot meal."
Jason Henzell points to where a tree was uprooted by Hurricane Melissa before being lodged in the bar section of Jack Sprat in Treasure Beach. (Photos: Garfield Robinson) The reopening of Jack Sprat isn't just about one business bouncing back. It reflects a broader pivot in the recovery process from immediate relief toward restoring livelihoods and economic activity. Henzell described this as moving from "Phase One" (food, water, tarpaulins) into "Phase Two" (livelihoods).
In his words:
"What we want to do by the end of this week is to move into rebuilding livelihoods. The places that are ready to go into phase two we need to make that leap… the economy is not going to come back all at once… but move with the places that are ready and let us start to build back the hope little by little, village by village, district by district, community by community, parish by parish."
In this sense, Jack Sprat acts as a "heartbeat" of the community: its reopening signals to residents and visitors alike that Treasure Beach is stirring back to life. Henzell put it this way:
"People want to hear a little music playing and come and charge their phones and get on the Wi-Fi and stuff like that so we know that Jack Sprat is one of the institutions of Treasure Beach. A bit of the heartbeat of the place"
The wind and surge of Hurricane Melissa battered the beachfront property. Henzell and his team mobilised quickly:
- Local staff, family and contractors worked intensely to clean up debris and secure the site.
- While Jack Sprat is first on the list to reopen, Henzell noted that his larger property, Jakes Hotel, will open in phases in the weeks ahead.
- Henzell also highlighted how relief efforts are being coordinated: e.g., fishing wire for local fishers and vouchers for farmers.
A tractor operator loads debris onto a truck during clean-up operations at Jack Sprat on Sunday.
Treasure Beach sits on Jamaica's south-west coast in the parish of St Elizabeth, and the storm's impact across the region has been severe. Henzell acknowledged neighbors in places like Black River have been hit far worse, saying "our hearts really go out to those persons. So much devastation across the country."
By reopening Jack Sprat, the community signals resilience. It invites locals to resume normal rhythms, having a meal, meeting friends, engaging in light commerce, and reminds visitors that the village is open for business. It also enables jobs, supply chains and livelihoods tied to the restaurant and to the tourism ecosystem more broadly.
While the reopening is a positive milestone, Henzell is realistic:
Keith Taylor was busy on Sunday cutting lumber to help restore Jack Sprat in Treasure Beach, St Elizabeth."It is going to take a few years for us to get back our national economy to where we were."
But with establishments like Jack Sprat back, the dominoes of economic activity, workers served, food purchased, tourists welcomed, can begin to fall. He emphasises the principle:
"Don't wait to get it perfect, just do what you can do and that is how we are going to get this done."
For Treasure Beach, the reopening offers more than food, it offers hope. It signals the community is getting up again, out of the relief zone into the recovery zone, ready to rebuild not just structures, but lives and futures.
So now we are inspired. The writings to us and the general enthusiasm that the community of Treasure Beach have made us excited to visit the area. We will set up the Travelogue to start off as a daily report before allowing it to wander off into thought pieces and photo essays. In truth, we do not know what it will be.
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