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{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2019}}{{Use Jamaican English|date=March 2019}}

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Jamaica|subdivision_type1 = CountySurrey, Jamaica>SurreyParishes of Jamaica>ParishPortland Parish, Jamaica>Portland |population_as_of = 1991 Census|population_total = 14,400+|population_blank2_title= Portland Parish|population_blank2 = 81,000+ North American Eastern Time Zone>EST18N27region:JM|display=inline}}|utc_offset = -5}}Port Antonio () is the capital of the parish of Portland on the northeastern coast of Jamaica, about {{convert|60|mi|km|-1|abbr=in|order=flip}} from Kingston. It had a population of 12,285 in 1982 and 13,246 in 1991. It is the island's third largest port, famous as a shipping point for bananas and coconuts, as well as one of its most important tourist attractions, tourism being a major contributor to the town's economy.

History

{{Moresources|section|date=December 2021}}(File:Review of reviews and world's work (1890) (14597502509).jpg|thumb|left|Port Antonio, {{circa|1903}})(File:Blue lagoon1.JPG|thumb|right|Blue Lagoon)Port Antonio was a settlement first established in Spanish Jamaica, when it was known as Puerto Anton.BOOK, Black, Clinton V., A History of Jamaica, London, Collins, 1975, 38, 0003293459, Portland formally became a parish in 1723 by order of the Duke of Portland, the then-Governor of Jamaica after whom it is named. The existing port was to be called Port Antonio and was slated to become a naval stronghold. To that end, by 1729, the colonial government began to build Fort George on the peninsula separating the twin East and West harbors known as the Titchfield promontory. The fort was intended to protect settlers from attacks by the Spanish from the sea, and from the Jamaican Maroons who lived in the mountains.WEB,weblink Jamaica Port Antonio History, jamaicaportantonio.com, 2016-04-04, In the 1880s, Lorenzo Dow Baker started the banana trade in Jamaica and successfully promoted Port Antonio as a destination for wealthy American travelers. "Portie" became a boom town. The banana trade and the tourists who came in the banana boats, was once so large that at one time, weekly sailing from Port Antonio was greater than weekly sailing from the English port of Liverpool.{{citation needed|date=July 2017}}WEB, History and information about Port Antonio,weblink The island was glamorized by Hollywood as a model of paradise in movies of the 1940s and 1950s,{{citation needed|date=February 2017}} and in later movies such as Club Paradise and Cocktail. This image was added to by the arrival of movie star Errol Flynn in 1946 when his yacht, the Zaca washed ashore in bad weather. He subsequently bought nearby Navy Island, part of historic Fort George in Port Antonio as well as hundreds of acres of farmland along the Portland coast.{{cn|date=December 2021}}

Climate

Port Antonio features a trade-wind tropical rainforest climate under the Köppen climate classification. Like many areas with this climate type, average temperatures vary little throughout the course of the year, with average monthly temperatures roughly at {{convert|24|C}} throughout the year. The town has a noticeably drier period from February through April, however it has no true dry season month as all 12 months on average easily exceeds {{convert|60|mm}} of precipitation. Port Antonio averages a copious {{convert|3,000|mm}} of rainfall annually.{{Weather box|location = Port Antonio|single line = Yes|metric first = Yes|Jan high C = 28.1|Feb high C = 27.6|Mar high C = 28.6|Apr high C = 29.3|May high C = 29.5|Jun high C = 30.7|Jul high C = 30.7|Aug high C = 30.7|Sep high C = 30.5|Oct high C = 29.8|Nov high C = 29.2|Dec high C = 28.5|year high C = 29.4|Jan low C = 19.2|Feb low C = 18.9|Mar low C = 19.4|Apr low C = 20.1|May low C = 21.1|Jun low C = 21.6|Jul low C = 21.8|Aug low C = 21.8|Sep low C = 21.8|Oct low C = 21.7|Nov low C = 20.8|Dec low C = 20.6|year low C = 20.7|precipitation colour = green|Jan precipitation mm = 224|Feb precipitation mm = 144|Mar precipitation mm = 113|Apr precipitation mm = 170|May precipitation mm = 299|Jun precipitation mm = 339|Jul precipitation mm = 257|Aug precipitation mm = 250|Sep precipitation mm = 277|Oct precipitation mm = 352|Nov precipitation mm = 359|Dec precipitation mm = 298|year precipitation mm = 3082|time day = 13:00|Jan humidity = 78|Feb humidity = 77|Mar humidity = 77|Apr humidity = 77|May humidity = 76|Jun humidity = 78|Jul humidity = 75|Aug humidity = 75|Sep humidity = 77|Oct humidity = 80|Nov humidity = 81|Dec humidity = 81|year humidity = 78|Jan sun = 189.1|Feb sun = 178.0|Mar sun = 210.8|Apr sun = 222.0|May sun = 223.2|Jun sun = 210.0|Jul sun = 235.6|Aug sun = 235.6|Sep sun = 216.0|Oct sun = 213.9|Nov sun = 195.0|Dec sun = 189.1|year sun = 2518.3|Jand sun = 6.1|Febd sun = 6.3|Mard sun = 6.8|Aprd sun = 7.4|Mayd sun = 7.2|Jund sun = 7.0|Juld sun = 7.6|Augd sun = 7.6|Sepd sun = 7.2|Octd sun = 6.9|Novd sun = 6.5|Decd sun = 6.1|yeard sun = 6.9|source 1 = Meteorological Service (Jamaica)WEB , }}

Tourist destinations

{{Unsourced|section|date=December 2021}}(File:Frenchman's cove1.JPG|thumb|Frenchman's Cove)A popular sight in this area is the Blue Lagoon, Jamaica, which owes its colour to its depth of {{convert|200|ft|m|-1|abbr=in|order=flip}}. Other sights include the secluded Frenchman's Cove Beach, the ruins of Folly Mansion and the historic DeMontevin Lodge. The Rio Grande, Boston Bay and Reach Falls are nearby. In addition there is the Bay View Eco Resort located on a former coconut plantation and Pimento Lodge in Long Bay.

Transport

Bus

Port Antonio is a hub for bus transport in the north-eastern part of the island.

Rail

Port Antonio was the terminus of the now abandoned (Railways of Jamaica: Bog Walk to Port Antonio|railway from Kingston via Spanish Town and Bog Walk), which was primarily built to serve the banana export trade.

In popular culture

The 1963 drama film Lord of the Flies and the 1990 remake of the same name were both filmed at Frenchman's Cove.BOOK, Peter, Polack, Jamaica, the Land of Film, 2017, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 93, 94, 1443889911, The 1986 comedy film Club Paradise starring Robin Williams was filmed on location mostly in and around Port Antonio as the fictitious island of St Nicholas. Local sites such as the town's courthouse, the tax office (which in the film served as the police station), Blue Lagoon, Frenchman's Cove, Winifred Beach, were used as the backdrop to the story. The 1988 romantic comedy drama film Cocktail starring Tom Cruise was partially shot in Port Antonio, also with scenes of Frenchman's Cove and Blue Lagoon. The 1988 drama film Clara's Heart starring Whoopi Goldberg has scenes filmed in Port Antonio. The 1989 thriller film The Mighty Quinn was filmed at various locations throughout Jamaica, with the principal outdoor scenes shot in Port Antonio.BOOK, Franklin J., Schaffner, Scarecrow Filmmakers Series, 1995, Lanham, Maryland, Scarecrow Publishing, 277, 0810817993, The official music video for the 1995 hit single "Fu-Gee-La" by the hip-hop trio Fugees was filmed in and around Port Antonio.WEB,weblink Lauryn Hill: 'I'm not afraid to be the person I am', August 21, 2013, The Guardian, en, January 28, 2022, Notable scenes include Folly Ruins (also the backdrop for a scene in The Mighty Quinn) and the town's Cenotaph Square. The 2010 action comedy film Knight and Day starring Tom Cruise has scenes filmed at Frenchman's Cove.The 2021 spy film No Time to Die starring Daniel Craig as James Bond, was partially filmed in and around Port Antonio.

Notable residents

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

{{Commons category|Port Antonio}}{{Wikivoyage}}

• Guide to attractions and sights in Port Antonio
• A History of Portland

{{coord|18.175701|N|76.450253|W|region:JM_type:city|display=title}}{{Settlements in Jamaica}}{{Authority control}}