Daily Archives: February 29, 2020

In a significant achievement for a destination hit hard by the storms of 2017, St Maarten was the fastest-growing tourism destination in the Caribbean last year.

The destinations growth rate of 80 percent was the biggest improvement of any destination in the region, according to data released Wednesday by the Caribbean Tourism Organization.

The British Virgin Islands was the next-fastest-growing destination, with 57.3 percent growth, followed by Dominica at 51.7 percent all three destinations marking strong recoveries since Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017.

In all, St Maarten reported 319,696 stayover visitors in 2019, along with a total of 1.63 million cruise passengers.

The latter represented 2.2 percent year-over-year growth for what is one of the most-visited cruise stops in the wider Caribbean region.

St Maartens growth was driven by the all-important United States market which accounted for 165,743 visitors, representing an improvement of a whopping 145 percent compared to 2018.

The Canadian market sent 27,736 visitors to St Maarten, a jump of 202.7 percent, while Europe sent 91,814 visitors, a 22.4 percent increase.

While the increase is of course tied to the lull in visitation in the months following the storms of 2017, St Maartens chart-topping increase is a major sign for one of the destination, more impressive given that St Maarten has been working with a provisional version of the Princess Juliana International Airport.

On that front, airport officials say the rebuilding of the permanent terminal will begin this year, following the signing of a $72 grant reconstruction agreement with the World Bank at the end of 2019.

St Maarten is positioned to continue strong growth in 2020, with major European carriers returning strong airlift for the season, and a bustling hotel pipeline.

That includes the transformed Sonesta Maho and Sonesta Ocean Point resorts, both of which have been open again for some time, and newer properties like the highly-anticipated 124-room Morgan resort in Simpson Bay, set to open in the second half of 2020.

Another new property, the Adonis hotel in Cupecoy, just opened its doors at the beginning of this year.

Next month, the French side of the island will get a huge injection of energy with the debut of AMResorts first-ever property in the French Caribbean, the new Secrets St Martin on Anse Marcel, one that will add to a reinvigorated hotel product led by the sparkling rebuild of the Grand Case Beach Club.

CJ

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St Maarten Is the Caribbean's Fastest-Growing Destination Right Now - Caribbean Journal

Featured Photo by Jaemi Loeb

A group of 30, most from Metro Detroit, escaped winter for a week and had the thrill of stepping on a sand-covered synagogue floor among other interesting Jewish sites during the Jewish Community Center of Metropolitan Detroits inaugural Jews of the Caribbean cruise.

Leaders were Jaemi B. Loeb, senior director of cultural arts at the JCC, and Dr. Rabbi Mitch Parker, spiritual leader of Bnai Israel Synagogue in West Bloomfield. Together, they escorted the Jewish voyagers aboard Holland America Lines Nieuw Statendam ship and to ports in Amber Cove, Dominican Republic; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI).

Parker led daily minyan, Shabbat services and Torah study on board, and he lectured about Jewish pirates and other historical topics. Loebs many contributions included teaching sea chanties. The travelers enjoyed Shabbat dinner together and had kosher food available.

The idea for the cruise was developed about a year ago. Parker asked Loeb whether the JCCs Seminars for Adult Jewish Enrichment (SAJE) program offered educational trips. Hed led trips for his synagogue and wanted to explore ways of expanding such travel to a wider audience. Sparking her interest, Loeb went down the hall at the JCC and asked Marilyn Wolfe, director of JTravel, to join their discussion.

Luckily, she was available and is always ready to think up fun trips, Loeb said.They brainstormed and the result was a collaboration between SAJE and JTravel for a cruise exploring the Jewish history and communities of the Caribbean.

After a day at sea, the tours first stop was Museo Judio de Sosua in the Dominican Republic. Jews escaping the Holocaust founded the small museum and synagogue.

By Esther Allweiss Ingber

On the next island, the itinerary included seeing the outdoor San Juan Holocaust Memorial, In the Shadows of Their Absence; having lunch at Chabad of Puerto Rico; and Rabbi Diego Mendelbaum of JCC/Shaare Zedek Synagogue addressing the visitors before their drive into the rainforest.

Rabbi Michael Feshbach, formerly of Maryland, discussed his St. Thomas Synagogue in Charlotte Amalie, USVI. The sand floor is a reminder of when the Jews of Spain, seeking to keep their religion, were forced to pray in unfinished basements.

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Faces & Places: Jews of the Caribbean Detroit Jewish News - The Jewish News

Kimberly Miller, Palm Beach Post Published 8:32 a.m. ET Feb. 28, 2020

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They come from West Africa and experts are concerned because theyre drowning turtles and smashing coral reefs. But they keep showing up on Palm Beach County beaches.

Makeshift contraptions for catching sea life off west Africa are landing on Florida beaches like hobo fishermen, drowning turtles and bashing coral heads in a current-driven journey across the tropical Atlantic.

Called detached fish aggregating devices, or FADS, the sometimes raft-like structures can get sucked into the North Equatorial Current and travel as far as the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico and Florida. One was found on Palm Beach this month.

Often made from refuse oil jugs or bamboo sticks lashed together curtains of netting dangle beneath them with a reach that can be more than 300 feet deep. They attract fish that gather for shelter or to feed on whatever grows in the artificially created ecosystem.

The bump of Palm Beach Countys coastline makes it a hot spot for FADs if they get caught in the Gulf Stream, said Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission biologist Thomas Pitchford.

The presence of these things around the Caribbean is starting to get more attention, said David Kerstetter, an associate professor with Nova Southeastern Universitys Department of Marine and Environmental Sciences. Things like sea turtles can get entangled in them and the other concern when they break free is all that netting and other material smashes into coral reefs.

Wayward FADS have been an issue for years as their use grows with better tracking technology. More sophisticated devices have solar-powered beacons and sonar systems so fishermen can see if there are fish underneath them before making a trek to where the device is floating.

The Caribben FAD Tracking Project is on Facebook @fadtrackers, or you can email fadtracker@gmail.com.

Fish under the device are gathered by a purse seine a large wall of netting that encircles an entire area or school of fish with a line that can close the net at the bottom.

Adult tuna, billfish and dolphinfish are the target catch for the FADS, but juvenile fish, sharks and other species also can get caught up in the catch.

The Pew Charitable Trust estimated that 81,000 to 121,000 FADS were deployed in 2013.

Legal ownership is often unclear, in part because vessels fish on any FAD they find, whether they deployed it or encountered it by chance, a Pew report notes. As a result, fishermen often treat FADs as disposable, so they wash up on beaches and coral reefs and contribute to plastic pollution.

Diane Buhler, founder of Friends of Palm Beach, said her beach cleaners have found pieces of the devices for years but didnt know what they were until 2019 when a large, intact plastic FAD was found.

If they get degraded or if theyve already cracked into a couple of reefs, it just looks like a pile of trash, said Kerstetter.

The recent device, which was made of bamboo, was spotted on the north end of Palm Beach on Feb. 22 and posted to social media by WPTV Channel 5 meteorologist James Wieland.

Kerstetter and graduate student Erin Kimak are collecting information on where lost FADS are landing as part of the Caribbean FAD Tracking Project.

Through reports of strandings and online searches, 191 FADs have been reported in the northwestern Atlantic, with outliers in the Azores, Brazil, Ireland and Scotland. The first report dates back to 1999.

Ten FADS have been reported on Palm Beach since 2013. Statewide, 63 devices have been reported, with the first in Jensen Beach in 1999.

Kerstetter said he hopes to identify which fisheries are losing the most devices.

If we can figure out who is deploying them we can try to get them to stop putting so much garbage and plastic out in the ocean, he said. Its a complex problem.

The Caribbean FAD Tracking Project is on Facebook @fadtrackers, or you can email fadtracker@gmail.com.

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What in the world are those things washing up on Floridas beaches? - TCPalm

sourceRobert Curley for Business Insider

As a professional travel writer, Ive visited the Caribbean hundreds of times and stayed at some of the most beautiful resorts on the planet.

Jade Mountain in St. Lucia is the only one where my wife and I spent an entire day without leaving the room. We werent sick, and the weather was absolutely perfect.

So what makes the rooms at Jade so alluring that youd forego the tropical beauty of St. Lucia an island of tall mountains covered in lush foliage, surrounded by the shimmering Caribbean Sea for the confines of four walls?

To start with, its only three walls. Each Sanctuary is open to the air on one side, with postcard-pretty views of St. Lucias famous twin Piton mountains rising up from the waters of the Caribbean. Uninterrupted by windows or doors, the vistas are simply stunning. Friends will think the colors are Photoshopped or filtered. But its all real and all yours for the length of your stay.

The elevated perch of Jade Mountain adds to the drama while also ensuring that the open-sided villas capture cooling breezes day and night. Mornings are announced by the rising sun and the songs of tropical birds; we had no issues with insects, but the beds in the Sanctuaries are protected by an interwoven canopy of mosquito netting, just in case.

You might figure that wed at least venture out occasionally to cool off with a dip in the water. No need. Lots of resorts in the Caribbean boast of rooms with private plunge pools. But at Jade, the Sanctuaries come with swimming pools our Moon Sanctuary pool was 900 square feet, big enough to swim perhaps a half-dozen strokes in from end to end.

Floating for hours in the pool, or reading a book on its edge, is certainly an option when you are escaping to the Caribbean and looking for refuge from everyday life. But even the most lavish hotel room can start feeling a bit confining after a while. Not so at Jade Mountain, where the bi-level Sanctuaries have between 1,400 and 2,000 square feet of living space devoted to sleeping, eating, and bathing. The absolute privacy means you can spend your days in a robe, bathing suit or wearing nothing at all.

At some point, of course, you will get hungry. Food and drink are just a call away using your private cell phone, monitored 24/7 by the resorts butler staff. We began each day with a breakfast on our poolside patio and took full advantage of the service by ordering in cocktails made with local Chairmans Reserve rum and snacks and meals throughout the day.

Spa treatments can be arranged in rooms, as well, although that was one indulgence we didnt partake in we preferred to have our day go uninterrupted even by the most pleasurable of intrusions.

Our decision to hole up in our Sanctuary wasnt all that unusual. One couple stayed in their room for five straight days, showing their faces only to answer the door when their Majordomo arrived with food or drinks.

When we did eventually emerge from our Sanctuary to explore the rest of the resort, we were thrilled to discover that as a Jade guest, you get two resorts for the price of one: the high-altitude luxury of Jade Mountain and the beach-resort vibe at Anse Chastanet, just downhill.

The Jade facilities, including dining at the Jade Mountain Club and cocktails on the resorts roof deck, are reserved exclusively for Sanctuary guests. But as Jade guests, we had the full run of Anse Chastanets six restaurants, bars, beach toys, and other amenities. Included among those were classes on making sweet treats at the resorts Chocolate Lab using cocoa beans grown on the property and jungle biking on 12 miles of trails through the Anse Mamin plantation.

We spent time lounging on both of Anse Chastanets beaches, including the broad stretch of sand in front of the resort and the secluded shore of Anse Mamin, located in a private cove a short walk or boat ride away.

We chose to explore St. Lucia on our own, but some Jade Mountain guests get so attached to their majordomos that they take them along on guided hikes to local attractions like the Enbas Saut Waterfall, the Tet Paul Nature Trail, or bird-watching at Anse Mamin. And with Jade Mountain always in high demand, the resort is planning to add another 24 Sanctuaries when a new sister property, Jade Sea, opens later this year.

Originally posted here:

I spent a day on the most beautiful island in the Caribbean and never left my room. It was incredible. - Business Insider

Warm Butter Bean Salad with Roasted Bell Peppers

1 pound dried large white lima beans, soaked in water and 3 tablespoons kosher salt overnight

1 bay leaf

1 large yellow onion: half diced, half left intact

5 garlic cloves: 3 cut in half, 2 minced

1 dried red chile

1 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed

2 large red bell peppers

2 large yellow bell peppers

2 large orange bell peppers

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons Pili Pili Oil (recipe follows), plus more for drizzling

Freshly ground white pepper

8 ounces baby arugula (about 12 loosely packed cups), washed and spun dry

1 lemon, halved, for garnish

Flaky sea salt, for finishing

Drain the beans, put them into a large saucepan, and add water to cover by 2 inches. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Skim off any foam and decrease the heat to medium-low. Add the bay leaf, onion half, halved garlic cloves, and dried chile. Partially cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until just tender, adding water as needed to keep the beans covered, 1 to 1 1/2 hours (the cooking time will greatly depend on the freshness of the beans). Once the beans are just tender, add 1 teaspoon of the salt and simmer for 10 more minutes. Drain the beans. Remove the bay leaf, onion, garlic, and chile and discard them. Set the beans aside. While the beans are cooking, roast the bell peppers using one of the methods below. Seed and thinly slice the bell peppers. Set aside.

In a large saucepan, warm the oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and just starting to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, until it smells fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the lima beans, bell peppers, and pili pili oil to the pan. Raise the heat to high and cook for 1 minute, gently stirring to combine and warm the ingredients through. Turn off the heat and season aggressively with white pepper. Taste and season with salt. Divide the lima bean mixture evenly among four plates. Add the arugula and 2 tablespoons water to the same pan. Set the pan over low heat, cover, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the arugula wilts. Place a handful of arugula over each serving, then drizzle with more pili pili oil and a squeeze of lemon. Finish with a sprinkle of flaky salt and serve.

Makes about 1 cup

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

2 (2-inch) thyme sprigs

2 (2-inch) rosemary sprigs

9 small fresh birds-eye or Thai chiles

1 cup olive oil

In a small saucepan, combine all the ingredients on low heat, stirring occasionally until the olive oil starts to sizzle and the paprika has completely dissolved. Immediately remove from the heat and set aside to cool. Transfer to a small jar or bottle, seal, and refrigerate for a few days before using. Refrigerate up to 2 weeks.

Reprinted with permission from Vegetable Kingdom: The Abundant World of Vegan Recipes by Bryant Terry

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Cooks from parts of Africa, the US, and the Caribbean share their heritage recipes - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Silver Airways has applied to the US Department of Transportation (DOT) for permission to operate flights using larger-gauge aircraft between the United States and both the Dominican Republic and St Maarten.

In two filings dated 25 February, the Fort-Lauderdale-based regional carrier asked for authority to provide additional scheduled air transportation for passengers and cargo beginning in spring 2020. It currently has authority to operate small aircraft only and is looking for a broader exemption from the DOT.

To maximise its operational flexibility to introduce new service to the Dominican Republic, Silver asks that its requested exemption encompass a broader exemption to cover US-Dominican Republic service than its current operations to Santiago, Dominican Republic, the carrier says. The same sentence appears in the application for the flights to the island of St. Maarten.

Currently, Silver serves the two Caribbean destinations from San Juan, Puerto Rico with Saab 340 turboprops, according to Cirium routes data. It is likely looking to expand its service from the island after acquiring Puerto Rico-based Seaborne Airlines in April 2018, when Seaborne was operating under bankruptcy court protection.

In November, Silver was the first US airline to fly the 70-seat ATR 72-600 turboprop. The aircraft entered revenue service with a first flight from Tampa to Pensacola in Florida on 23 November. At the time, Silver said the aircraft would initially be used to connect destinations in Florida and the Bahamas before entering service to Caribbean markets in 2020.

Silver had started flying the smaller ATR 42-600 aircraft in April 2019, as it replaces its fleet of 20 Saab 340 turboprops. The carrier currently has seven of these in service with nine more on order. It has taken delivery of three ATR 72-600s so far and has one more on order, according to Cirium fleets data.

The aircraft are configured in a 2-2 layout with up to a 32in pitch in a bid to offer regional flights with more cabin space and legroom than some older-generation regional aircraft.

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Silver Airways applies to fly larger aircraft to Caribbean - Flightglobal

Several entities managed to enhance the conservation of coral reefs in theDominican Republicby using cutting-edge technology to develop maps that allow visualization of coastal marine habitats.

These are The Nature Conservancy(TNC)environmental conservation organizationand theGlobal Airborne Observatory(GAO), in collaboration withFundacin Grupo Puntacana(FGPC), the Dominican Foundation for Marine Studies (Fundemar ) and the Dominican Reef Network (RAD ), who presented the new maps, composed of high-resolution images and three-dimensional models of the seafloor.

They reveal in detail the location and condition of coral reefs and seagrass beds, which are oases of life under the waves.

With the information available to guide conservation efforts, the Dominican Republic became the first country in the Caribbean to use this type of technology, with maps that are guiding coral restoration activities on the southeast coast.

The maps used are composed of images captured by the GAO plane, which flew over the coast capturing hyperspectral images.This type of image reveals more information than a traditional photograph.

The sensors equipped on the GAO plane capture hundreds of bands of light more than a common camera, and reveal details that cannot be seen from the sea surface.With these images, the depth in the sea can be measured and analyzed up to a maximum of 15 meters, coverage of live corals, suitable habitats for fish, presence of algae, and more attributes.

The images that make up this series of maps cover near-shore habitats within the approximately 7,500 square kilometers of the Southeast Reef Marine Sanctuary area.This information will serve as a baseline to monitor the survival of transplanted corals, observe how they can be affected by climate change and measure the impact of hurricanes.

According toFrancisco Nez Henrquez, director of TNC for the Central Caribbean, there are few countries that have studies of this size, which allow documenting the condition of large-scale coral reefs and promoting their conservation.

This mapping effort was produced within the work program of the RAD, an institution chaired byRosa Margarita Bonetti de Santanaand its board of directors.

With this work together we produce and make available to Dominicans the results that reveal both the great ecological value found in marine areas and the urgency to protect them, he said.

He added that This empowerment guides and inspires conservation efforts, knowing that we can identify priority areas and have a great impact. It is a contribution to conservation, communities and all industries that depend on healthy coastal habitats.

Meanwhile, the vice president of the Puntacana Group Foundation,Jake Kheel, explained the importance of these maps as a tool for effective coastal management, according to a statement.

High-resolution maps are an essential tool in coastal management decisions, coral restoration efforts, and tourism activity management. The maps represent an important resource for sustainable tourism in the Dominican Republic, he said.

On his side,Rita Sellares, executive director of Fundemar, indicated that this non-governmental organization will use the maps to select three new coral rehabilitation sites in the southern area of the Marine Reef Sanctuary of the Southeast while using them as a tool educational and awareness for users in the area.

As an NGO dedicated to marine conservation, these maps will be a key tool for the implementation of actions for the protection and rehabilitation of marine ecosystems, while facilitating their visualization on a physical platform.This offers a solid base when it comes to zoning, establishing vulnerable sites, finding new potential dive sites, and transmitting this information to the public, he said.

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Dominican Republic: first in the Caribbean to use technology for maps of coastal marine habitats - Dominican Today

The Caribbean is a top destination for private jet travelers, thanks to its mix of sun, sand and nightlife. Whether its famous St. Maarten, Turks & Caicos or The Bahamas, this region delivers its promise of paradise. And the best part is that these islands are very close to South Florida, the natural private aviation hub that serves as the gateway for anyone traveling to this region. Just one-hour separates some of these island-nations from Miami, a fact that explains the high demand of private flights throughout the year.

The private aviation experience is usually connected with jet planes and, although the quickest option, a turboprop aircraft is more efficient for shorter routes thanks to design and overall operational costs. Especially for trips of under two hours like the ones from Miami or Fort Lauderdale to any island, turboprops should be considered as a top option.

Whats the most common destination in the region? For Monarch Air Group, a private jet provider based in Fort Lauderdale International Airport, The Bahamas accounts for most of private flights departing from South Florida, totaling almost 50%. There are 27 other nations in the Caribbean, but the variables that support The Bahamas as the top destination from the South Florida hub is its modern business aviation infrastructure, on one side, and the top-notch hospitality industry that awaits the traveler.

Overall, the Caribbean offers the exclusivity that many travelers seek while providing the first-rate holiday all visitors deserve. Commercial aviation is indeed the most popular means of transportation for millions each year, but the proximity of the Caribbean to South Florida allows private aviation to thrive within both regions. The following are the top airports from a private aviation perspective when accounting for its infrastructure and vicinity to destination.

Top private jet airports1) V. C. Bird International, Antigua and Barbuda (ANU), is the only airport on the island of Antigua and has a solar power plant that provides almost enough energy to power the entire operation.This destination, with exclusive retreats and luxury resorts, offers an ideal location very popular with private jet travelers.2) Luis Munoz Marin International Airport, San Juan, Puerto Rico (SJU), is one of the busiest terminals in the Caribbean for airline flights and private jet charter operations. It is a popular gateway between the Caribbean and US, while also served by various big-name airlines around the globe.3) Lynden Pindling International Airport, Nassau, The Bahamas (NAS), formerly known as Nassau International Airport, is the busiest business airport in the region with over 4,000 flights annually, largely thanks to the proximity to South Florida.4) Leonard M. Thompson International Airport, Abaco Islands, The Bahamas (MHH), is located in the northern Bahamas and is the second busiest private jet airport in the nation. It lies 180 miles east from South Florida.5) Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw International Airport, St. Kitts (SKB), receives various regional flights from within the Caribbean area. The RLB international terminal also provides facilities for cargo planes, private jets and various other types of aircraft.6) North Eleuthera Airport, The Bahamas (ELH), is known for its pink sand beaches and coral reefs. The small airport serves visitors to the northern stretch of the long thin island (just a mile wide in some places), as well as others nearby in the country such as Harbor Island and Spanish Wells.7) Princess Juliana International Airport, St. Maarten (SXM), is famous for offering one of the worlds most stunning landings, with aircraft coming in low over the beach. The airport serves an important hub in the Caribbean, connecting commercial flights and those in larger private aircraft, with smaller planes headed towards more remote islands.8) Providenciales International Airport in Turks & Caicos (PLS) accommodates private jet flights of all sizes, with travelers attracted to the world-renowned beaches and luxury resorts, plus the attractive conditions for offshore finance.

Established in 2006, Monarch Air Group is a leading provider of on demand private jet charter, aircraft management and long-term aircraft lease. Among Monarchs customers are Fortune 500 corporations, leading entrepreneurs, Government agencies and world leading NGOs.

* Article by MOnarch Air Group

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Top airports for private aviation in the Caribbean* - Travel Daily News International

Davy Jones is one of the most exciting and memorable characters from the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. First appearing in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Mans Chest, and then returning for Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, working as one of the biggest villains that sails the seas.

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Played excellently by Bill Nighy, Davy Jones has a brilliant mix of his personality and body language, as well as the incredible aesthetic of his tentacles. With the dangerous crew of the Flying Dutchman behind him and the ability to summon a Kraken, Davy Jones is quite the pirate force to be reckoned with.

He became the sort of villain that fans love to hate, simply because of how charismatic the character was, as well as the emotional storyline that his past had. Despite being heavily featured in both movies, there are moments people missed from this character, and in this list, we will reveal 10 of them.

Ever wondered why a creature like Davy Jones randomly has baby blue eyes? The reason for that is because that is the natural eye color of Bill Nighy, who is the man behind the tentacles. However, that actually wasn't the original plan for the character.

As was revealed by Pirates of the Caribbean: The Complete Visual Guide,the character was going to have "black eyes as soulless as a shark's." While that would have certainly increased things in the fear department, having the blue eyes really did add a lot of personality and a real human touch to the character.

Something that many fans might have missed about Davy Jones was that he appears to like snakes. There are numerous different examples of the animal, such as the fact that they are on the cuffs of his coat, and even the chest where his heart lives inside has a snake on it.

The snake connection goes further than that though, as his ship, the Flying Dutchman also has a painting of the skeleton of a sea serpent on it. It isn't clear why this connection is made, perhaps just for aesthetic purposes or as a link to his face, but there are certainly plenty of them around.

Something people might not know about the original Pirates of the Caribbean movie, in general, is that it was actually based on a theme park ride. The original attraction in the Disney parks served as the inspiration for the story and some of the characters in the first film.

RELATED:10 Things The Pirates Of The Caribbean Reboot Needs

However, Davy Jones' inclusion in the sequel was a departure from that idea. He was never part of the attraction and was just created for the sake of the film. However, he was later added into the ride as a way of tying it together with the later movies for guests.

While Davy Jones himself wasn't originally part of the ride, his character did pay tribute to the classic Disney attraction in Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End. Even though it wasn't Davy himself, but the movie, the moment came when Hai Peng ended up going into Davy Jones' locker.

When itreaches World's End and plummets down a waterfall, music from the ride begins to play in the background. It's a subtle nod to the attraction and one that only fans of the ride would ever know, but if you listen out for it then it can be heard.

Many people will not know what color Davy Jones is truly supposed to be, as it actually takes inspiration from quite a random idea. After spending such a long time underwater, the sea has clearly taken its toll on the ship and those which live upon it.

RELATED:Pirates Of The Caribbean: The 10 Most Terrifying Moments

That's why Davy Jones has a brownish tint to him, with the inspiration for his skin color coming from a coffee-stained Styrofoam cup, of all things! That was the color that got scanned for the digital renderings so that the computers could create the same color repeatedly.

One of the most memorable scenes that Davy Jones is involved in, comes when he plays a game of Liar's Dice with Will Turner and Bootstrap Bill onboard the Flying Dutchman. It's an iconic moment, with people betting souls on board the ship to pass the time.

But this isn't just a random game that was created for the fun of the film. Liar's Dice actually comes from South America originally and has also been played across Europe and Asia as well. While the game was tweaked slightly for the movie, it is something that many people have played.

The character of Davy Jones has tons of detail placed into it, which is why it's so easy to miss small things. One detail that many missed was in regards to the pipe that Davy has. It's not shown too frequently, but when it pops up the detail is astonishing.

RELATED:Pirates Of The Caribbean: 5 Reasons There Should Be A 6th Movie (5 There Should Be A Reboot)

The pipe is actually made up of coral that has grown through the Flying Dutchman as the ship has slowly decayed. It's a smart detail to continue the feeling that everything to do with the crew is part of the ship, not just their bodies and clothes.

Davy Jones is, visually, one of the most impressive characters in the entire Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. Everything about him looks incredibly realistic, almost like it was achieved with make-up or practical effects because of the detail.

However, this character is actually just a perfect example of how far visual effects and digital transformations had reached by this point. The vast majority of his look was done via motion capture, with lots of dots being stuck to Bill Nighy's face, which is incredibly impressive.

While the vast majority of Davy Jones was done through motion capture and computer technology, there was one specific scene where Bill Nighy had to wear prosthetics. The scene came when Will Turner had to steal the key to the Dead Man's Chest from inside Davy Jones' tentacles.

RELATED:The Net Worth Of The Pirates Of The Caribbean Cast, Ranked

Jones hid the key inside his own 'beard' as a method of keeping them safe, but Will manages to sneak through while he is asleep to grab them quickly. Obviously, because Orlando Bloom was putting his hand into something, prosthetics were used to make it look as realistic as possible.

While it seemed pretty concrete that Davy Jones was dead, that might not be the case. In a post-credits scene after Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, it appeared that he was back, potentially teasing a return in any future projects.

He didn't appear in the flesh, but instead, his shadow was shown, as well as his claw hand. The moment ended up being just a nightmare for Will Turner, or so he thought. The floor next to the bed just so happened to be wet and had a few shells, leaving a tease that it might have been more than just a dream.

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Pirates Of The Caribbean: 10 Things Everyone Missed About Davy Jones - Screen Rant

KINGSTON, Jamaica Weve often heard that as a region (West Indies or the Caribbean) we possess a lot of young natural talent in the field of sports.

However, the stark reality is that this perceived natural talent does not always translate to success on the field of play.

In fact, most times that young natural talent fails to even transition to the senior level with any degree of consistency or success, leaving many asking why.

And this situation mostly affects our boys.

Our history is replete with boys who appeared to be world-beaters at the youth level but virtually disappear into obscurity or fail to make the required transition to the senior level.

And it goes across the whole gamut of sport. But why is this so?

It is my humble view that immaturity plays a huge role in this phenomenon.

Some close to sports, especially at the international level, have said many times that the regions boys have failed to truly fulfil their potential because of a lack of maturity in the wider scheme of things, which ultimately inhibits their potential for growth.

Conversely, we have many examples of our boys finally making the step up in their late 20s or early 30s, instead of as late teenagers or shortly thereafter.

This phenomenon brings into sharp focus the ever-increasing need for a proper support mechanism in a young athletes life, as often times they are thrust into situations in which they are mentally unprepared, and sooner rather than later they lose it all.

I had an off-the-record chat with a senior international professional football player a few months back who was asked to room with a talented junior schoolboy player on an away assignment. The senior fellow informed me that he tried his best to mentor the youngster, encouraging him while at the same time warning him of the pitfalls which lay ahead. He found the young player enthused and interested in the lecture, but somehow throughout their stay together he found him easily distracted, even as the international game drew closer.

He advised me that this was a common scenario at the professional level as well, thus highlighting the absolute need for the youngsters of today to arm themselves with the proper support staff if they really wish to transition to the very top of their chosen field.

And their talent means so much to these super-rich clubs that many times they help in facilitating the support they deem fit for the players continued development.

For those who might have forgotten, the great Usain Bolt has said that he has found a lot of the youngsters of present-day Jamaican athletics achieving a lot financially too early, by way of endorsements etc, without putting in the hard work at training trying to improve themselves. So they become lackadaisical and too easily satisfied, and in many ways hinder their own progress.

We have seen cricketers and footballers end up stagnating their careers precisely because of immaturity early on in their career. Some made amends as late bloomers, while others simply vanished.

Guyanese cricketer Shimron Hetmyer is seen in some quarters as the finest batting talent since the great Brian Lara, and while showing flashes of brilliance at times, he has been far too inconsistent and immature in his reading and execution of play over time.

He was dropped for a few games and was recently axed all together from the on-going One-Day International Series away to Sri Lanka because of unfitness.

He earned a big-money contract to last seasons Indian Premier League but failed to spark, again because he did not approach games in the right manner.

We remember young Reggae Boy Peter-Lee Vassell, who was contracted by Los Angeles Football Club in Major League Soccer, only to be loaned out to the lower leagues after he failed to transition into the first team.

Though they are young in age, they need to understand that they are competing in a mans world and as such, they should put away the childish things and act and behave like grown men.

It has been done before and it is being done right now in all leagues across the world.

It is a great opportunity for those agents out there to pay special attention to, especially when dealing with boys from the Caribbean, for if the athletes succeed, then the agents benefit.

Excerpt from:

More Work Needs to be Done to Develop Caribbean Sports Talent - caribbeannationalweekly.com