Westmoreland

Westmoreland parish occupies the western tip of Jamaica and is best known internationally for Negril, a resort town built along two distinct coastlines: the unbroken Seven Mile Beach stretching northward from the town centre, and the West End cliff road, where limestone bluffs drop 10 to 30 metres into clear Caribbean water. The two faces of Negril respond differently to conditions — the beach side is sheltered from the dominant Northeast trade winds that blow offshore, while the cliff side channels afternoon sea breezes and draws snorkellers, free divers, and cliff-jumpers year-round. The Great Morass, immediately inland, is one of Jamaica's largest remaining wetland systems, covering 21 square kilometres of mangrove, sawgrass, and freshwater marsh that shelter migratory shorebirds and juvenile marine species. Negril Marine Park protects the nearshore reef system, limiting fishing and anchoring to preserve coral coverage. Water temperature holds between 27 and 30°C through the year. Tidal range is 0.3 to 0.6 metres — Caribbean semi-diurnal, micro-tidal, with the dominant signal coming from the twice-daily pattern rather than spring-neap variation. Predictions on this page come from Open-Meteo Marine, a gridded global ocean model. Accuracy is typically within plus or minus 45 minutes on timing and 0.2 to 0.3 metres on height — model-derived, not from a local gauge. For authoritative Jamaica tide data, consult the Maritime Authority of Jamaica.