Love fuh de Locals: Thunder Bay Beach Bar

If you are heading north along the West Coast and have passed Holetown, you may want to make a stop at Thunder Bay Beach Bar. This summer, we paid a visit to this local business which sits on Thunder Bay itself. Now, you may be wondering where exactly that is. After rounding the corner by St. Alban’s Primary School in St. James, you will pass some pretty identifiable landmarks: the fire station, the Millie Ifill Fish Market and St. Alban’s Anglican Church. Next to the church is a window to the sea: Thunder Bay. The ambiance here was like none other; a sense of serenity washes over you almost immediately. Pleasant music from the bar adds a little extra touch while the multiple shades of blue of the crystal water are a sight to behold. 

As for the bar itself, it was recently built in the last couple of years. Since then, it not only offers a menu of different drinks and snacks but hosts karaoke on evenings. The workers there were all extremely pleasant but we were encouraged to have some conversation with the friendly locals who frequent the area. 

The first local we spoke to explained that he grew up in Weston and visited the beach often “from de time [he] did small”. He said that over time, the most significant change that has occurred was the growing presence of tourists but for the most part, the beach is just the same. He benefits from this boost in tourist activity as he services them daily with beach chairs and umbrellas.

When it comes to the drinks, however, this gentleman avoids straight liquor and instead opts for a nice fruit mix concocted by the bartender. He closed by emphasizing that Thunder Bay Beach Bar has,

“A nice vibe, you get people to come here and relax and drink dem drinks and enjoy themselves.”

Another local, who had been visiting the beach for about 20 years, was kind enough to speak to us. Unlike his counterpart, he was very specific about his drink. With a bottle in his hand and a chuckle, he stressed,

“I drink Rude Boy every day and this is my favorite drink”. 

However, he did echo the previous gentleman’s sentiments regarding the ambiance with a simple description:

“Cool, fun, positive vibes!”

Bibliography

Layne, Denisha. Personal Interview. 23 July 2022.