Port Royal Today

In 1905 Britain closed its naval station at Port Royal. With the withdrawal of this source of employment, the residents of the community were forced to pursue other occupations, such as fishing, fish mongering and ferrying. Some moved across the harbour to Kingston to seek work. Despite these changes, the town maintained its original layout and traditional character, with two and three-story nineteenth-century dwellings, lodging houses, shops and bars huddled together.

In 1951 Hurricane Charlie wiped out Port Royal, leaving only a few of its wooden buildings standing. The old Naval Hospital, which remained intact, provided a safe home for almost the entire population. Once again, the citizens of Port Royal rebuilt their town. The proud community carried on its daily life, as captured in photographs shot by Maria LaYacona during the 1980s. Surviving buildings of the naval station served as a police academy and small military base and, at present, provide a headquarters for the Jamaica Coast Guard.

Today, Port Royal’s ruins from the 1692 earthquake appear as ghostly silhouettes at the bottom of the shallow murky waters surrounding the existing town. Since the 1950s, myriad artefacts have been recovered through underwater archaeological excavations, though less than 10% of the catastrophic site has been surveyed to date. Whether crushed, mangled, shattered or in pristine condition, these artefacts are evidence of the history of a town that has seen many defeats as well as numerous attempts at rebirth. In 1999 the Jamaica National Heritage Trust designated Port Royal a National Heritage Site. The underwater city is undeniably one the world’s archaeological wonders.

Next: Credits