What I witnessed at Dunn's Falls

[Finflapper]

Just got back from my cruise and I have to write about this as I hope never to see anything like it again.

 

A young couple climbing the falls were also carrying their 2 year old child up the falls with them! My heart was pounding as I watched....not the kind of thing I want to see while on vacation.

 

It was dangerous and other people had to grab the baby to help them out. The kid had a look of shear panic, and I was left wondering what the heck is wrong with couples who do that?

 

Please, if you want to climb the falls, arrange for someone to care for your baby and don't put your child at risk.

 

I hope everyone who plans to climb the falls reads this message.

[Host Caroline]

Whew! I am surprised and then also not surprised that the folks there would even allow that!!!:confused: We've been to the falls 3 times (climbed x 2) and never saw any children younger than about 6-8 and that's almost too young IMHO only.. but carrying a toddler???:eek:

[BlueHerons]

Whew! I am surprised and then also not surprised that the folks there would even allow that!!!:confused: We've been to the falls 3 times (climbed x 2) and never saw any children younger than about 6-8 and that's almost too young IMHO only.. but carrying a toddler???:eek:

 

Because we are such a litigious society, we place age restrictions on the above sort of activity because as Americans we cannot be relied on to use common sense and not try and carry a toddler up a waterfall.

[Host Caroline]

I'm in the legal field and tend to agree with you re litigious society... but you know with the falls being in Jamaica if there was an accident... heaven forbid.. but it would be a difficult case...

[Mjasp]

I know this may sound stupid, but here goes. Is climbing the Dunn's River Falls dangerous? I never read about people getting hurt climbing them, I personally would like to see it BUT do not want to climb them as I have read they are slippery, why would they allow this excursion?

 

Am hoping that Costa Cruise Line docks by Mararitaville.

[Dolphins]

Would like to go snorkeling in Ocho Rios but every snorkeling excursion offered by NCL, goes to crowded Dunn's River Falls (5 ships will be there when we are). Any suggestions on snorkeling elsewhere?

[jcs56]

The falls are not dangerous for adults. But they are a difficult climb...I cannot imagine having to drag a child up them. Some of the steps are very high.....like equal to 3 or more normal steps. Not to mention it is slippery at times and the water is rushing and some of the areas would be easy to get your foot stuck!!!! Definitely not a place for a child under 6 or 8 for sure!! I have read on here of people slipping and breaking an ankle though.

[TheWog]

I know this may sound stupid, but here goes. Is climbing the Dunn's River Falls dangerous? I never read about people getting hurt climbing them, I personally would like to see it BUT do not want to climb them as I have read they are slippery, why would they allow this excursion?

 

Am hoping that Costa Cruise Line docks by Mararitaville.

 

You can climb the stairs that run up next to the falls. Its not as bad as some might say, but everyone has different experiences. I climbed it and loved it.

[scooter123]

We just climbed the Dunn's River Falls and I thought my husband was going to say "forget this" at the bottom. You climb 600 vertical feet in only 1,000 feet. So it's a challenging climb. There is rushing water that adds to the excitement. Each group climbs the falls with two guides. I did what I always do -- got right next to the guide. By the time we made it to the top, I was tickled. Best advice, get yourself a good pair of water shoes and listen to the guide. Don't step anywhere he doesn't tell you to step. It looks daunting at the bottom, but YOU CAN DO IT. Have a great time.

[scooter123]

I forgot -- they scrub the rocks regularly. We didn't find any slippery patches. This I couldn't believe, but it' true.

[Coolmama_1]

Because we are such a litigious society, we place age restrictions on the above sort of activity because as Americans we cannot be relied on to use common sense and not try and carry a toddler up a waterfall.

 

Sad but true!

[Ripley]

My daughters (13 and11) and I were just talking about this today. Unless you are a confident climber, fairly strong and have decently long legs, the climb up the falls can be daunting! We are glad we saw the falls and felt some sense of accomplishment, but can't say we truly enjoyed the climb...it was too scary! The water flow is strong, it's steep in spots, and too crowded to get much help from the guides. You might want to just choose a nice beach and listen to some reggae instead!

[wrp96]

The day I climbed Dunn's River Falls I was one of three people from my ship alone to get hurt and require medical attention, so you certainly can get hurt climbing them. I only gashed open my face, one lady dislocated her shoulder, and another person broke his hip. I could never imagine taking a young child up the falls. And even though I got hurt, if you are in good shape I still encourage others to climb the falls as they are beautiful. After I got hurt, I was taken out of the water by a guide, given medical attention, and I rejoined my group to finish climbing the falls.

[TheWog]

Wrona -

 

Are you alright? What happened? Do you have a report posted yet? - nevermind. this looks like it was from a previous cruise and not the one you just returned from. Sorry.

[dyslexic pirate]

If you are physically fit and confident climb right up the middle of the falls on your own. My husband and son did this (and can't wait to do it again in a few weeks!). My daughter and I preferred to watch and photograph everything from the boardwalk.

 

Saw several people slipping and losing their balance as the hand in hand method tended to pull people off balance.

 

Last time we booked the falls as part of an excursion package. This time want to do it on our own. Any ideas on the cab fare and just the cost of the park admission?

[margaritagal]

Would like to go snorkeling in Ocho Rios but every snorkeling excursion offered by NCL, goes to crowded Dunn's River Falls (5 ships will be there when we are). Any suggestions on snorkeling elsewhere?

I'm not trying to be a 'wet blanket' and rain on your parade (honest!) but I've been to Jamaica 3 times and I don't think there are ANY good places to snorkel. We've taken snorkeling excursions each time we were there & each time we were disappointed. Gee, you'd think we'd have learned after the first 2 times, huh??!! We MIGHT be spoiled since our very first snorkel experience was at the Palancar Reef when our ship was docked in Cozumel. We just don't think snorkeling in Jamaica is very good.

[Nebr.cruiser]

We climbed the falls a couple of years ago and though it was fun it is challenging and can be dangerous. We were mid-fifties and in decent shape and didn't have much trouble, however it is steep and when we were there had many very slippery spots. We saw several people who had gotten hurt--bruises, scrapes, cuts, on the ship afterwards. Our guide told us that usually one or more people break a bone each day. So yeah, you can get hurt, but we would do it again.

 

I would NOT take young children !!! When we went last year with 4 young grandchildren we took them to the nearby beach and let their parents climb. The kids were 5, 5, 4 & 3 and had a much better time at the beach; can't imagine they would have enjoyed the climb or being hauled up the rocks at all.

[NboroGirl]

Gee, this was the one MUST DO activity I planned on doing as a family (me & hubby, both 45, and 2 teenaged boys) while in Jamaica, and now you've gotten me all worried! It would totally suck to have someone break a bone on this trip!:eek:

[cherie b]

Dunn's River Falls can be very dangerous! My husband and I did it, and I suggested it to my mother and father. Well my mother fell because the lady in front of her let go of her hand and she smashed her wrist against a rock and she has had to have several surgeries including fusing together the bones in her wrist, putting a metal bar there for support, and then three months later having it removed because it was getting infected! She can't write correctly now and she was always a knitter and she can't do any of that anymore! I always tell everyone to becareful because it's very easy to get seriously hurt on slippery rocks!!!

[nanner10]

We made the climb last year. I was surprised at how steep and high the first "steps" were. It became less steep as you reached the middle, but, there was more algae on the rocks there, so it was slippery.

 

Everyone holds hands in a chain. I am short, in my fifties and a bit overweight. For me, the fact that I am short had the most impact. Longer legs would have made it easier to step up on the steepest steps and longer arms would have been an asset for the chain on that section as well.

 

I had a younger, tiny, fit, short woman in front of me. It was difficult to hold hands because our arms were too short to connect easily during the steepest part, so, I felt like I was pulling her back. I felt for me (and the woman in front of me) it would have easier and safer to have our hands free to balance and grab hold of the rocks.

 

My suggestion, especially if you are short, is to try to get tall people in front and back of you and avoid getting me in back of you!!

 

I am happy to be able to put it on my list of things I have done, but, I don't see any reason to do it again!

[craftsnvines]

The falls aren't that dangerous on the left side , although I did climb on the right side, not the left ,

Steps , come on now, lets be a little daring!

Why hold hands with strangers, use your muscles! You only need assistance when you fall, which for me was only 3 or 4 times, There are a few places on the falls you "really" need assistance.

Boy was that climb exhilerating!

Falls were fun!

[nanner10]

We climbed the left side as you go up. We were instructed by our guide to hold hands. I believed the reason to be one of safety issues not in making it a less taxing climb. In fact, I believe, for me, it made it more taxing since all you were using was your legs, not pulling yourself up at all. I was trying (with varying sucess) not to pull back on the person ahead of me.

 

Once you discovered the issues with this, it would not seem to be fair to the other people involved to just let go (see post above by Cherie B). The age range of the people in our long line was from about 10 to about 70.

 

Lesson learned. If I were to do it again and if it is allowed, I would prefer to climb it alone, or as I said earlier, with tall people! It was still fun ... just trying to share my personal perspective for consideration.

[kenandlaura06]

Last year I was mountain climbing in New Hampshire (Mt. Monadnock) and a man was climbing with an infant thrown over his shoulders and he was wearing loafers! Mt. Monadnock is rocky and slippery and requires you to use your upper body to pull you up in places--he was lucky he didn't drop the child---point of the story....some people are not very smart!

 

We would love to go to Dunns River Falls...but don't think we want the long bus ride from Montego Bay.

[LoveTheDeepBlue]

Unfortunately some people would do just about anything to drag their babies with them and lable it an "experience" for the baby.

 

Why someone would put their childs life in danger for the sake of the memory is beyond me. As if a baby is going to ever remember such an event anyway!

 

I guess the same goes for those parents that insist on letting their children into the hot tub and risk them dying of heat stroke or something.

[Imoutatym]

[We would love to go to Dunns River Falls...but don't think we want the long bus ride from Montego Bay.

 

I have taken that bus trip.......much scarier than climbing the falls.....

meeting traffic at breakneck speed on a road that seems no wider than 15 feet with no shoulders....and a rest stop/beer break that everybody on the island stops at....

 

 

 

try booking a cruise that goes to ocho rios and you virtually eliminate the bus ride ordeal