The parish is situated at latitude 18°10' N and longitude 75°27'W. It extends from the highest peaks of the Blue Mountains, 2,256 metres (7,402 ft) above sea level, down to the north coast, and is noted for its fertile soil, scenery, and beaches.[citation needed] The parish lies in the direct path of the northeast trade winds, and the Blue Mountain ridge to its south traps the moisture. This parish has the highest rainfall in the island. Port Antonio, its chief town and capital, has two harbours, the western one being sheltered by a small islet, Navy Island. Portland covers an area of 814 square kilometers, making it Jamaica's seventh-largest parish.
The parish has a variety of complex landforms; the entire coastline is dotted with caves, bays, rivers, waterfalls and hills. There are fourteen caves, which include those at Buff Bay, Orange Bay, Hope Bay, Port Antonio, Boston Bay, Long Bay, Innis Bay and Nonsuch. There are also 17 rivers which form a network throughout the parish. The largest are the Rio Grande, Buff Bay and Hectors rivers.
Dive Date: November 17 2022
Depth: 50-??ft / 15-m
Temperature: 84.2F / 29C
This was a completely new spot located at the border of Portland and St. Mary. The visibility was roughly 30ft / 10m. Coral was fairly healthy with some algae as we are seeing in most places around the island. We saw a spotted eagle ray, a huge barracuda, several lobsters, and a couple large King crabs. The drop off starts at approximately 13m and had a feel of large boulders stacked side by side with a vertical drop off to....some place deep.
Dive Date: April 13 2023
Depth: 15-55ft / 5-15-m
Temperature: 85F / 29.4C
Frenchman's cove beach is located 15 minutes to the east of Port Antonio. This site is best accessed by boat but can also be accessed by shore dive directly from Frenchman's Cove beach. However, keep in mind that the swell and current can be quite rough to deal with. Best to access from shore when the sea is calm. This spot is showing signs of excessive algae and dead coral. You will find the odd barracuda, turtle, and schools of Dr. Fish on this reef and it's great for macro photography.
