The Longboarder - Surfer's Paradise

Boom!

Another week another adventure!

Check out the newest episode of #DownDiRoad below, but please stay for the full story & photo gallery of our adventure.

When last have you been somewhere new? Are you living your best life?I think I've been doing pretty well at new things, but there is so much room for more. At one point in my life I used to make New Year's resolutions, but these days I like to make LIFE resolutions. I mean, why wait when you know what you want? One of my recent life resolutions is to simply, 'do more.' I don't pride myself on material objects. I have nice things but I'd much rather to spend my money on new experiences.

If you've been following this website & my #DownDiRoad web-series, you might realize that I have a very close knit group of friends. There's one friend who's been missing, the 'sellest-of-outs' who migrated almost two years ago. You either hate her or love her there is no in-between, but I hold her very close to my heart & when Sasha is in town road ofto take on! So Sasha has been here for the holidays & we took on the streets, so get ready for a series of new interesting places & experiences for the next few pieces on downdiroad.

The Longboarder Bar & Grill

The Longboarder Bar & Grill just turned two years old this past October. Located off Coast Road in Rozelle, St. Thomas, the Longboarder describes themselves as "your Eastern Outpost for good food, cold drinks, good waves, good music & good vibes !" If you're familiar with St. Thomas, it's a little past Yallahs, and the drive is about 40 minutes from Harbour View, which in the grand scheme of things isn't too far at all. What it is essentially, is a bar & grill which specializes in seafood, but the difference is that based on their location the twist in the establishment is the surfing aspect.

Set on a picturesque cliff side, the Longboader property offers an ideal surfing spot for potential surfers to catch a few waves. When you enter the property you are greeted by a big pick-up truck sitting in a lush green parking lot. The natural mystic of this place is next to none. Benches set in their courtyard under a huge tree, is the perfect place for chill out vibes with a group of friends. The food is great and being by the beachside, you will find that a lot their menu is seafood based. When you finish your meal you can walk down and hangout by the beachside; guaranteed peak spot for dope IG pics. The Longboarder even offers weekly bonfires, and the place just oozes all around good vibes reminiscent of surf culture perpetuated by western culture.

History

If you don't know, a longboard is a type of surfboard, and founders/co-owners Adam Miller & Peter Silvera could not have chosen a better name for their establishment.  When speaking with Peter Silvera, I got a bit of insight on the business and it's inception. Basically Peter grew up between Jamaica & Trinidad, and has been surfing in Jamaica for quite some time. He moved back to Jamaica after school & operated a scrap metal yard, but a few years ago he acquired this property in St. Thomas with Adam, and the Longboarder was born. Initially it was just a bar, and mostly Peter was just selling beers from a cooler to his surfer friends who would come by. After a while his friends started asking about food, and that's when the food aspect came into play. Slowly an infrastructure started to manifest, and later on he met another Adam ironically, who he has partnered with to build a small hotel on the property. Peter's dream is to have his establishment marketed as an eco-tourism destination which caters to surfers, bag-packers, musicians and basically just anyone who would like to experience this unique surfing culture and experience in Jamaica.

The Future

The Longboarder isn't new and has slowly been making a name for itself, but the potential for growth is huge! Surfing lessons are being offered on site by Ronley Senior Lewis, and the work on their small hotel continues to progress. With eco & community tourism becoming increasingly popular in Jamaica, the Longboarder is offering way more than food and drinks, as a space for both locals & tourists to experience a different side of Jamaican culture. There are several surf-spots in St. Thomas, and if the right cards are played there is potential for the parish to tap into a new market of tourism. I implore you to take the trip & experience this place for yourself. People say St. Thomas doesn't have much, but the Longboarder is testament that St. Thomas has much more than meets the eye.

Until the next one. Gwaahn big up yuself, and keep on following me #downdiroad!

-Doofy

You can check out the Longboarder Bar & Grill opened Tuesday - Fridays 12-8pm, & on weekends 12-9pm.

Check out the Longboarder on Social Media

Facebook - thelongboarderbar

Instagram - thelongboarderbar

Contact - 876.427.0408

Check out [Captain] Wonglee Senior Lewis to schedule surfing lessons at the Longboarder Instagram -@captain_wonglee

Contact - 876.356.9410