The Island In Negril

[Sublimebrad]

Who has been? What is out there?

My mom grew up there and said my grandpa used to swim to it back in the day. I rode by it on the parasail boat but couldn't see anything. Is it empty? Can you even go there now?

[Chris]

As far as I know, its uninhabited. Its called Booby Cay, I believe, but it was once known as Sandals' Island, because they had a lease or some kind of special access to it for years. They had their nude beach there for some time, if I'm not mistaken.

Now it is home to Booby's for part of the year (the bird, dirty minds). It also had been used long ago as a tropical set for Disney's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

Don't know if you can go there now... don't know anything about ownership, etc.

Might be an interesting thing to do, though.

[rhallva]

Booby Cay used to be used for 'island picnics' and such by other resorts. The island became filled with trash, bottles, cans, etc... several years ago. It was closed (though still used at times) by the Urban Development authorities for a time. I have heard that it has been cleaned up to a large extent but am not sure it if officially 'open' yet. It is a good hard swim from the former Point Village, or a decent kayak trip from CN. I have been there several times. If you do swim or kayak out there be very careful of the currents and boat traffic at the point! Also be sure not to be without footware because the last time I was on the island (maybe two years ago) there was a lot of broken glass all around.

[me]

I saw some boats pull up in it when we were at CN. We were told that they didn't want Couples guest going out there since it was not owned by Couples. This was told by Couples staff on the boat if I recall correctly. I think the island is "anything goes".

[Sublimebrad]

So I talked to a friend who was able to go out there by boat through another resort a few years ago. Said there wasn't much there but some guys cooking lobster and tons of cats. I really don't want to know how cats get there.

[ElainePoole]

Someone ( a member of staff) at Couples Sweptaway told me that the cats at CSA came from the island?

[rhallva]

In the past some of the resorts that were getting overrun with too many feral and near-feral cats. One solution (a bad one IMO) was to drop the cats over on Booby Cay. Hence... cats on Booby Cay!

[Sublimebrad]

Which is why some refer to it as Cat Island.

[mandith]

Is this the island, when facing the ocean from CN (or CSA really) it's up to the "right"? If so, when I took the glass bottom boat in August 2009 the wild and wacky guide (really bad with names...can't belive I forgot his though-he is a hoot!) said it is called MJB island. This stands for: Makin' Jamaican Babies

Super funny! He did describe it without humor as basically a place where you go just to relax and "get away" from regular life, fish, picnic, etc. Just basic fun like any of us would go to our local park and chill by a pond or something like that.

If it's not the same island then nevermind

[Sublimebrad]

There is only one island right there so it's the same one. We went by on our boat to go parasailing and didn't see anyone on the beach there. I guess not many people go anymore.