This one is so touristy it hurts, and I didn't even manage to catch the diver in mid-air, but I hope you'll pardon me the diversion in these bleak times. This is the dive-off point just below at Negril hotspot Rick's Café, one of the Jamaica's most famous tourist joints and one of several places on Negril's magical West End where folks gather to watch the sun set. I took this one in 2001, so I have no idea if Rick's still exists or if it's become so ridiculously theme-parkish that only the really uncool and unseasoned visitors would be caught dead there.
Technorati Tags: jamaica, negril, rick's+cafe, diving, sea, caribbean, ocean, cliffs, west+end
CARIBBEAN FREE PHOTO
This one is so touristy it hurts, and I didn't even manage to catch the diver in mid-air, but I hope you'll pardon me the diversion in these bleak times. This is the dive-off point just below at Negril hotspot Rick's Café, one of the Jamaica's most famous tourist joints and one of several places on Negril's magical West End where folks gather to watch the sun set. I took this one in 2001, so I have no idea if Rick's still exists or if it's become so ridiculously theme-parkish that only the really uncool and unseasoned visitors would be caught dead there.
Technorati Tags: jamaica, negril, rick's+cafe, diving, sea, caribbean, ocean, cliffs, west+end
25 comments in “Diving at Rick’s (Negril, Jamaica)”
December 6th, 2005 at 3:23 pm
My wife and I were celebrating our honeymoon at Sandals Negril and we took a booze cruise over to Rick’s. She and I are both excellent swimmers under normal circumstances but after the boat ride, lots of sun and cocktails the 100 meters swim was very challenging. In the middle of the swim, my wife said she wasn’t going to make it. We did in fact make it to the first deck just above the water. We got there only to find someone from our boat had a heart attack.
We were disgusted to find that the locals didn’t care as they stepped over the man receiving CPR from the people from the boat, NOT Rick’s. When asked, Rick’s staff had no oxygen to offer, no backboard to get this man to medical assiatance and we were told the hospital was 90 miles away so there was no need to call for an ambulance as he wouldn’t make it anyway. They did send down a 2 X 12 piece of lumber and the unresponsive man was carried up to a waiting cab.
This gentleman who was on holiday for his daughter’s wedding died in front of his daughter, wife, family & friends as the locals begged for cash from us to get them to jump.
In as much as our trip was booked through Sandals Entertainment office, we are contacting Mr. Gordon “Butch” Stewart, Chairman of Sandals Resorts directly for a refund.
My advice to any person from North America is to stay away from Rick’s. It’s very obvious that they are only interested in your American dollars.
March 25th, 2006 at 3:55 pm
My father was the man who died from a heart attack at Rick’s Cafe. First I would like to comment that my father consumed only one alcoholic drink on the catamaran prior to our swim to shore. He was only 45 years old and did not have any prior health issues that would have prevented him attempting this difficult swim. When we finally reached the shore and he was struggling to breathe we were only assisted by a few of our close friends and the goodness of a few fellow tourists (American and Canadian).
Despite being at a location that included drinking and diving from 20, 50 and 70 foot cliffs into choppy water there were no medical supplies around. In my opinion mixing alcohol with swimming and stunt diving is an accident waiting to happen, yet there was not so much as a back board available to assist in carrying my father up the side of the cliff. When we requested an ambulance be called Rick’s staff informed us they were on their way. After a considerable amount of time had passed we made the same request. It was not until our third request that we were informed there were no operating ambulances on the side of the island we were visiting.
Our experience trying to find a doctor, medical equipment or any local that was willing to assist was absolute hell. When we finally arrived at a hospital it was only to discover that there was no working equipment and no one trained to operate it.
For our family having travel and medical insurance was a false security as there is no health care available. Travel advisories only indicate that health care does not match Canadian standards. Had I realized this meant NO health care available I never would have travelled with 30 of my closest family and loved ones for what was supposed to be the happiest vacation of my life.
January 25th, 2007 at 12:15 am
What does at means the International health insurance? Travel medical insurance specialists providing affordable travel health insurance, visitor medical insurance and so on WBR LeoP
November 6th, 2007 at 3:00 pm
Everyone that jumps and or swims to ricks sings a waver maybe you all should have read this
November 14th, 2007 at 6:09 pm
Jake. Shame on you for being sub-human and for having such poor english skills. Obviously not everyone that swims to Rick’s “sings” a “waver”. Furthermore, you do not have to “sing” a “waver” to jump. Any drunken fool can stumble over.
November 16th, 2007 at 9:11 pm
No you dont “sing” a “waver” Lucky for me I was too scared to jump.
December 22nd, 2007 at 3:19 pm
Jake, Your message on Nov. 6, 2007 is the one that said “signs” a waver maybe you should have read this……did you mean sign?
I’ve been to Rick’s with a group of over 30 for a wedding and several from the group jumped including myself. They did not make us sign anything and the resort we stayed at gave us the trip on the boat for free.
I agree with Melissa on the fact that they only care about is the US dollar. The sell booz and touristy things but offer no assistance in case of an emergency and they should require a medical staff to be there for emergencies. From what I have read it sure seems enough people are injured there whether or not they have had anything to drink. You have a lack of concern for an individual you never met who suffered a heart attack. Who are you to assume he was drinking? I come from a family that doesn’t drink and we went to Rick’s for the sunset so if I had suffered a heart attack are you assuming I shouldn’t have drank. The guy didn’t even jump off the cliff only swam. He could have had the same thing happen at his resort. You are a fool. Wise up.
February 21st, 2008 at 7:57 pm
A 30 Foot Cliff is nothing, You people are all pathetic.. sorry about your father but he didnt jump the cliff.. he swam a quater mile.. shit, i cant run a quater mile but i still have jumped the tallest tourist allowed cliff at least 30 times and never once had a bruise, scrape, knick, cut, nothing.. Ricks is a beautiful place as well as all of Jamaica and for you to say the locals laughed at you when your father died is attrorcious. That lady with the web sit rickscafenegril is a freakin quack.. that web site was typed up by a lawyer looking to get a nice vacation home out a quack that jumped a 30 foot cliff, she should jump off a bridge next.. ive seen people do belly flops off it and only get a red tummy.. dont let these sites scare you.. unless you wanna be a hermit and never do anything excting in your life.. once again sorry about your father but to put down jamaica is wrong.. go jump and have fun..
February 21st, 2008 at 7:58 pm
and theres no 70 foot cliff you phony… get a life…
February 22nd, 2008 at 11:59 pm
I am very sorry about your father, but I do have to say I think you shouldnt slander Ricks for what happened! That had NOTHING to do with Ricks Cafe! That is an amazing place to go and I think any and everyone who goes to Negril should definately go there! You were not in America and they do things different in that country.. There are far far more people who jump that dont get hurt! I jumped and yeah I got some bruises on my butt, but it was sooo worth it!! I also watched many other people jump and none of them were hurt! Also it is only a 35 ft jump NOT 70 35ft is the highest cliff you can jump off of there.
March 16th, 2008 at 8:02 pm
Just got back and at 43 years old, and a 35 foot jump you CAN get bruised, my butt and thighs are black. My fault because I did not land straight out. No blame to Ricks.
March 16th, 2008 at 9:28 pm
I’ve been to Jamaica 15 times since 1989 (Mo Bay, Negril, Ocho Rios). June 2008 will be #16. During these vacations, I’ve been to Rick’s many times and have seen the dives. It’s a risk – albeit rather light, but things can go wrong, particularly given the height of the cliff. Therefore, tourists have to take this into consideration. It is called “wisdom”. Although I’ve never made the jump at Rick’s, I would consider a jump from 33 feet in Maryland (U.S.) before a similar jump in Negril. Why? No offense to Jamaica – I love the country, but the reality is the country is border-line “third-world”, which means that if I did get injured there, the chances of receiving medical attention on par with that in the U.S. is not significant. This scenario gives me little comfort, thus I’ve stayed away from the cliffs. Life is about managing the risks and a 33-foot jump from a cliff in Negril is not a good risk, particularly when you consider what could go wrong.
Roger
March 31st, 2008 at 4:43 pm
ive jumped at ricks cafe and decided to have a look at some vids on the web to show folks at home what i got up to…..unfortunately, all i can find is negative speak of the cliff jump. i am very sorry to hear of your father and to hear the other unfortunate stories posted, however i would like to add, i had one of the most exciting experiences in my life between the clifftop and the waterline. People are aware when they do dangerous things that dangerous things can happen, thats why they’re exciting. Wavers, sue culture, insurance legislation and other beurocratic red tape will deny our children the opportunity to enjoy the excitment in life. we must start to take responsibility for oureslves and the things we do, or kids wont have swings, slides and roundabouts to play on in the future. stop sueing, start living and with all due respect, the waters at ricks cafe are possibly the nicest thing to see on your way to your better place. Jamaica unlike our westernized reality still maintains some innocence, authenticity and a attachment to reality that western society is slowly dissolving. dangerous things happen when you do dangerous things, no bar owner, lifeguard, or lawyer can intervene. its simply reality. sorry and respect.
April 27th, 2008 at 7:59 pm
Melissa – If someone dies in the forest – we dont blame the trees. Ricks is innocent. I’m sorry about your father, but Ricks has no place in this story.
Mark – I’ve been to Ricks… I jumped. I dove head first.. intoxicated. I had fun. We all take risks – everyone is responsible for their own actions. Its tragic, but that is the reality. Freeloader.
Nobody owes you anything. Nobody has to help you. It is a courtesy, but not a requirement. Jamaica is not the US. It is not the same legal playground where lawsuits attempt to place blame upon someone else… when clearly, the injured party is 100% capable of making decisions of their own.
You want a refund? Why? I dont get it. You paid for a vacation – you got one.
May 3rd, 2008 at 2:46 pm
Rick’s staff first told Melissa’s family that the
‘ambulance was on its way’. After the family asked 2 more times, they were finally told there were ‘no operating ambulances on the side of the island they were visiting’. Did the staff know this from the beginning? If so, why did they mislead the family? If not, why didn’t the staff tell the family instead of making them come to them. Sure sounds suspicious to me.
June 29th, 2008 at 5:02 pm
Do not blame Rick’s Cafe because you decided to take the “risk” of swimming with your family. It is unfortunate that your father died from a heart attack but do not blame innocent people because of the lack of resources they have available in the third world country that they live in. Take responsibility for your own actions and stop your pessimistic thoughts on people who are begging for money. No matter where you go in this world (including where you live) people are going to beg and to assume that the only thing that Jamaicans care about is the US dollar is a sad realization that you have to put a culture of people down to make you feel better about your fathers death. I am most positive that there are plenty of Jamaicans who are wealthier than you and would not appreciate your comments. No one held a gun to his head and said swim. TAKE RESPONSIBILITY!!! NEXT TIME DO YOUR RESEARCH. KNOWLEDGE IS POWER!
August 21st, 2008 at 9:13 am
Hi there, i went to Rick’s Cafe Dec 1999, i dived off the 35 ft point with no problems at all, the swell wasn’t perfect but there you go. I’m no accomplished diver but a good one never the less. I was mobbed by Americans for diving, In my opinion jumping would have been more painful. Well my experience was brilliant but safe to say that i did it only the once.
September 3rd, 2008 at 5:29 am
I have to say, I’m pretty torn on this issue. I just returned from Rick’s, where my 7 year old jumped from several of the platforms, as did my husband. Had I read these comments beforehand, I’m sure I wouldn’t have allowed it. But our family and kids have been “cliff jumping” at various vacation spots for years. As far as Rick’s responsibility, the fact is that they do push and profit from the cliffs, and therefore should provide more caution as well as first aid. All their t-shirts promote the cliff jumping activity (”Rick’s Cafe – To Dive For”) and the paid jumpers are the centerpiece of the “cafe” (more like “bar.”) The place is built around the cliffs and it’s offered up as a fun activity while you’re there. You have to enter the bar to jump the cliffs, and the idea is definitely promoted, so in this case I have to agree that Rick,s owes more to its customers because in spite of its third world status, it does cater to stupid tourists and someone makes a bundle off them, although not the lowly tip-jumpers or “life guards.” But the man who died swimming from the boat was not even a Ricks customer at the time – why is the blame placed there? I do think, in general, that we are way too litigious and that’s eroding our quality and enjoyment of life. People really do need to do their homework and make their own calculations, especially in a foreign country. The continual cries of “I didn’t know” are too much. Is it our job to educate, think for, and keep everyone in a protected bubble? By the way, in all these years of my husband and 4 kids pressuring and teasing me to jump, I never once did. Look Ma, no bruises! I may, in future, insist that the kids give it up, so I’m thankful for the information, but not so much for the shifting of blame and responsibility.
November 29th, 2008 at 5:08 pm
On Nov 14, 2008 I jumped from the cliff at Rick’s Cafe. I now have a burst compression fracture of L1, and life as I knew it has changed…… completely. Prior to this accident I was very active and enjoyed many strenuous outdoor activities such as backpacking, mountain biking, running, water- and snow- skiing, rock and ice climbing, and many others. (I live in North Carolina) I obviously did not jump nor did I land correctly and the force of the water shattered my vertebra. I know many people jump, some many times without any injury, but my advice……..DON’T JUMP, just DON’T, it’s not worth the risk. It’s only about a 2 second free fall and it may be free…… but it’s not worth it. If you love a thrill, do something you can learn to do, take a lesson, practice, learn the do’s and dont’s and go for it. (Rick’s advertises their establishment for Cliff Jumping but they give you NO guidance.) Some things to consider before taking that jump…… imagine the ambulance or cab ride on Jamaican roads, while in pain….. OOOOUUCH. Know that US health insurance is not accepted by Jamaican hospitals, doctors, or ambulance companies…… do you have enough cash to pay for those services up front?, and how about the cost to change your airline ticket so you can spend a few extra days in a Jamaican hospital, and then the upgrade to 1st Class so you can fit on the plane with your body cast on? Also plan on a few extra dollars for all of the international phone calls you have to make because the 800#s you rely on don’t work when you are out of the US……. I could go on and on as I think about and deal with all of these things ‘after the fact’ , but I won’t. From Someone who didn’t think about the possible “cons” before jumping; Please, Please, Please realize, the risk you are taking is HUGE, the road to recovery is VERY long and unpleasant and there are too many wonderful things to see and do in Jamaica to risk ending your fun with a jump at Ricks. Everything you’ve read about the lack of emergency services is true, on top of which, they just don’t get in a hurry in Jamaica. So please, DON”T JUMP, and don’t let anyone you care about jump either. It’s not worth it.
January 6th, 2009 at 8:04 pm
I was at Ricks last year and had a nice time, do I think they should have medical supplies/AED on sight, yes.
People, it’s not the USA and you are in a third world country. You know that if you get hurt jumping, you are screwed, it’s called personal responsibility and you should be extra carefull.
Too many Americans look for someone else to blame, its part of the lawsuit culture. Come on, do you really think jumping off a high cliff is a good idea when in a 3rd world nation? If they had professional lifegaurds, signs saying you must be this tall to jump, etc…it’s an American theme park, not Negril.
Sorry about your father, not having an AED is messed up but too many people (not you) blame everyone else except themselves.
January 14th, 2009 at 8:12 pm
Julie.. Don’t tell people not to jump just cause YOU landed wrong.. how the hell do u land wrong on a 35 foot jump into water?? did you not watch the 100 other people jump feet first off the cliff?? it just pisses me off.. its like this. i could wake up next a.m. get in my car, drive 5 minutes down the road and get in a accedent.shatter my vert or even worse die. am i going to go on a forum and tell the world DONT DRIVE, JUST DONT DRIVE.. cars are bad, the road to recovery is LONG, VERY LONG… no, im not cause its just retarded.. you take a chance everyday by waking up and walking out your front door.. for the hundreds of people that jump the cliffs at Ricks and dont get hurt, theres always gonna be that one time that someone Fs it up and trys to ruin it for the hundreds of people that read this forum that are iffy about jumping.. its a great feeling to jump.. dont be scared and just jump.. belive me!! ive been to Jamaica many times and have jumped many many times and its great.. just use your head and be careful.. live your life!!!
February 26th, 2009 at 4:52 pm
I was born in jamaica but left at age 13 to live in america. There are alot of things i did not get to do when i lived there, jumping off the cliffs is one thing i have always wanted to do. next week i am visiting with a group of friends and i am looking foward to visiting “risk” cafe. some of these stories are scary so i want to get a little more info on these: 1) to those who got injuried, was it because u didnt enter the water foot first and straight why u got hurt or did u dive correctly and got hurt anyway?
I really want to just and i think i will but i would hate for one of my friends to get hurt if the do. I will make sure no jumps if they were drinking.
BTW to all those who were injuried, stop blaming Ricks and Jamaica for lack of certain luxuries that we enjoy here. Most if not all the really fun attractions in Jamaica are owned by American and European companies so they are the ones not providing proper safety guide lines and equipment for emergencies.
March 18th, 2009 at 1:02 pm
I jumped.
It was my first time ever.
Got bruises on my butt and both upper legs.
Loved it!
Will d it again, next time I am there.
March 27th, 2009 at 9:35 am
I jumped at Ricks 5 times, once from the platform in the tree. A man from North Dakota jumped also, i bruised my butt really bad. Ricks fault? HELL NO, MY FAULT, jump and view was amazing. The next time i go to Jamaica I’ll jump again. For all you people crying about your injuries, keep your asses in bed live in a bubble, don’t slander Ricks it is the highlight of my wife’s and my vacation. By the way my wife jumped too, and had no problems…. bunch of right wing panzies
April 22nd, 2009 at 2:27 pm
I jumped on Monday, was in Jamaica for my son’s wedding (yep, I’m 55 years old). I didn’t jump the right way and hurt my back and have some really cool bruises on my legs, but it was a blast and I wouldn’t have missed it.
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