Pelican Bar stands once more amid Parottee’s struggle to recover
Published:Tuesday | April 28, 2026 | 12:05 AMAlbert Ferguson/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
When Hurricane Melissa battered Jamaica’s southern coastline six months ago, the fishing village of Parottee in St Elizabeth was left reeling from heavy losses. Homes were damaged, livelihoods disrupted, and small businesses wiped out in the storm’s destructive path.
Among the hardest hit was Floyd’s Pelican Bar, the beloved rustic bar perched just off the coast, known for its laid-back charm and sweeping sea views. For owner Denever ‘Floyd’ Forbes, the devastation was swift and unforgiving.
“It was destroyed completely,” he recalled, reflecting on the aftermath six months after the Category Five system made landfall in western Jamaica, leaving a trail of death and destruction, including his establishment.
Forbes had built the Pelican Bar into a quiet landmark along Jamaica’s south coast. This simple wooden structure became a gathering spot for fishermen, residents, and travellers seeking an authentic Caribbean experience. But Hurricane Melissa’s powerful winds and surging waters left nothing standing.
“When the storm passed, everything was gone,” he said; however, within two months, Forbes began to rebuild plank by plank, determined to restore not only a business but also a symbol of resilience.
“Two months later, we rebuilt and opened again and then started providing jobs for the community,” he said.
The reopening of the Pelican Bar marked a small but meaningful step in Parottee’s recovery. Yet Forbes admits the journey back has been far from complete.
“No, we have not fully recovered, but at least we have something going,” he said with confidence, while responding to the question from The Gleaner.
Across Parottee, scars of Hurricane Melissa remain visible. Some homes and small businesses still stand partially repaired, with sagging roofs and patched walls. In other yards, mounds of sand, piles of broken timber, and storm debris serve as stark reminders of the hurricane’s fury.
“The people are still recovering step by step, not really fast because most of them are just now picking up what they can pick up and trying to fix things back,” Forbes explained.
Infrastructure challenges have slowed recovery. The lights have yet to return to Parottee, where darkness lingers long after the storm has passed and where roofs were ripped away and connections damaged.
“We used a solar system over there,” he said of his Pelican Bar. “The solar setup allows the bar to operate even as broader repairs continue.”
But as Parottee rebuilds, another concern looms – the approach of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season. The season will officially begin on June 1 and end on November 30.
“The biggest fear is if we get destroyed again,” Forbes, a seasoned fisherman, admitted. “But once it doesn’t get destroyed, we just fight on with the business.”
He hopes no storm of Melissa’s magnitude returns. “We survived many others that never came in that category. But when it comes to that category, then there is nothing that can hardly stand up to it.”
Despite the challenges, Forbes notes that the community has benefited from the support of individuals and sponsors who stepped forward to assist families with hurricane relief and materials, including tarps and water tanks.
Those acts of generosity have helped residents repair roofs, replace equipment, carry out domestic chores, and slowly restore economic activity. For Forbes, every customer who returns to the Pelican Bar represents a step forward.
Standing along the shoreline, with the calm Caribbean waters stretching out beyond the village, he reflects on the months since the hurricane’s destruction. The sea that once surged violently now moves gently under the afternoon sun.
In Parottee, recovery continues quietly – one repair, one reopened business, one hopeful day at a time. And for Floyd, the mission remains clear: keep rebuilding, keep working, and keep the spirit of the community alive.