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Marine conservation and water sports · Portland

Alligator Head Foundation, East Portland (near San San, east of Port Antonio): a local's guide

By Michael RainfordBorn and raised in JamaicaPrices & hours checked Sources
On this page
  1. My local take
  2. How to get there
  3. What to expect
  4. Local tips
  5. Before you go
  6. FAQ
  7. Sources

My local take

Portland’s fishermen will tell you the reefs east of Port Antonio were fished almost empty. The Alligator Head Foundation was set up to change that. It is a non-profit, started with support from the TBA21 arts foundation and working with the University of the West Indies, and it co-manages the East Portland Fish Sanctuary with the government’s fisheries ministry. The foundation describes the sanctuary as running from Folly in the west to Dragon Bay in the east, a no-fishing zone of coral reef, seagrass, mangroves and deep water, with endangered hawksbill and loggerhead turtles and colonies of elkhorn and staghorn coral.

For visitors, the draw is getting on the water in a protected bay with people who know it. The Tourist Board lists kayaking, paddleboarding, snorkeling and glass-bottom boat tours in the sanctuary’s calm waters, and the foundation says many of its water sports guides are former fishers retrained as certified lifeguards. My take: if you’re staying in Portland and want to snorkel or paddle, book this over an unlicensed boatman on the beach. Your money goes back into the reef and the fishing families who gave up their grounds for it.

The sanctuary takes in the waters off San San and the Blue Lagoon, and Frenchman’s Cove is right next door. At the western end of the sanctuary are the Folly Ruins and Folly Point Lighthouse. For more places to get in the water around the island, see my guide to snorkeling and boat trips in Jamaica, and for the parish, my Portland guide.

How to get there

The foundation’s headquarters are at Turtle Crawl, on the coast east of Port Antonio. The Jamaica Information Service describes the sanctuary as lying between the Blue Lagoon and the Trident Hotel, so you’re on the main coast road heading east from town toward San San. Allow roughly 10 to 15 minutes’ drive from Port Antonio; that’s an estimate, not a timed route. Confirm the meeting point when you book, since activities may start from a beach or bay rather than the office.

From Kingston, allow roughly two and a half to three hours to Port Antonio, over the hills or along the coast through St Thomas. From Ocho Rios, it’s about two and a half to three hours along the north coast. From Montego Bay it’s too far for a day trip, so plan it as part of a stay in Portland.

Without a car: From Kingston, JUTC's Route 710 runs to Port Antonio through St Thomas, Monday to Saturday. From Port Antonio, route taxis run east along the coast road toward San San, or take a licensed JUTA taxi and agree the price and pickup time first.

What to expect

The Tourist Board’s listing for the foundation names four activities: kayaking, paddleboarding, snorkeling and glass-bottom boat tours, all in the sanctuary. The foundation’s own site also lists paddle boating and says it has opened a community water sports base, with scuba diving and snorkeling in the sanctuary offered alongside Lady G’Diver, Portland’s long-established dive operator. Through its Fishers to Divers program, funded by the Tourism Enhancement Fund, some former fishers have trained as PADI divers.

Behind the tours is the science. The Alligator Head Marine Lab, the foundation’s research arm, runs coral and mangrove restoration, coral reef monitoring, lionfish control, water quality checks and a sea turtle program that monitors nesting beaches and releases hatchlings. The foundation also runs school outreach, with classroom talks and site visits, and has taken students into the mangrove forest beside its office. School and university groups interested in a visit should contact the foundation directly.

The sanctuary has rules: no fishing anywhere inside its boundaries, and no taking, keeping or moving any marine life. The foundation says breaking them can lead to fines or gear being seized. On a snorkel, that means look, don’t touch, and don’t stand on coral.

The foundation doesn’t publish a price list or schedule online. Contact it through the contact form on its website or its Facebook page before you go, and ask what’s running, the price and what’s included.

Local tips

  • Book a day or two ahead, and confirm again the day before, since activities depend on staff and boats being free.

  • Go in the morning, when the sea along this coast is usually calmer and the light is best for seeing the reef.

  • Use reef-safe sunscreen, or better, wear a rash guard, to keep chemicals off the coral.

  • If you’re a certified diver, ask about diving the sanctuary with Lady G’Diver. Bring your certification card.

  • Pair it with lunch in Boston or a swim at Frenchman’s Cove, both a few minutes along the coast.

Before you go

  • It’s a conservation group first, not a tour company. Expect a small, simple setup, not a beach club with loungers and a bar.
  • The north coast sea can turn rough, especially in winter swells. Trips may be moved or canceled at short notice.
  • Snorkeling and kayaking need some swimming confidence. Say if anyone in your group is a weak swimmer, and wear the life jacket you’re given.

Questions people ask

What is the Alligator Head Foundation?

It is a non-profit in Portland that co-manages the East Portland Fish Sanctuary with the government’s fisheries ministry. It runs reef and mangrove restoration and turtle monitoring through the Alligator Head Marine Lab, and helps fishing families find other work, including in ecotourism.

Can you snorkel at Alligator Head?

Yes. The Jamaica Tourist Board lists snorkeling, kayaking, paddleboarding and glass-bottom boat tours with the foundation in the East Portland Fish Sanctuary. Prices and times aren’t published, so contact the foundation to book.

Where is the East Portland Fish Sanctuary?

It covers the coast east of Port Antonio. The foundation describes it as running from Folly in the west to Dragon Bay in the east, and the Jamaica Information Service describes it as the coastline between the Blue Lagoon and the Trident Hotel. Fishing is banned throughout.

Where does the name Alligator Head come from?

The foundation and its marine lab share their name with Alligator Head, a headland on San San Bay east of Port Antonio, inside the stretch of coast the sanctuary protects.

Sources & updates

Update log

  • — New researched guide; status and visitor activities checked.
  • — Moved source citations out of the text
  • — Removed repeated advice
  • — Trimmed hurricane references to where they change the advice

Spotted something out of date? Tell me and I’ll check it.