Derval Scarlett is living his dream with ‘Tiki Pon Da Sea’
Published:Sunday | December 12, 2021 | 12:05 AM
For many, the idea of being one’s own boss sounds great, but few make the transition from dream to reality. Businessman Derval Scarlett started that journey a few years ago and has never regretted it. He is the co-founder and operator of Tiki Pon Da Sea, a certified pleasure cruise that takes the best that Negril has to offer and wraps it up into one big cultural package. From sunrise to sunset, Tiki Pon Da Sea offers passengers a private water experience along the gorgeous crystal-clear stretch of Negril ‘s seven-mile beach. Whether it’s a coffee cruise or the focus is on gastronomical delights, passengers get to customise their experience exactly how they like it, set sail, and leave all their troubles back on land.
new beginnings
Originally from the hustle and bustle of Montego Bay, Scarlett moved to Negril as he felt the call of the sea. A few years ago, when his wife became pregnant, he decided it was the perfect opportunity for new beginnings, and so he decided to invest in an idea he had long considered. “Someone asked me what I wanted to do, and I told them I wanted to make a moving bar, and so we made it from scratch. I was inspired by the structure of the Pelican Bar. I just told myself I wanted to make a moving bar, and so my wife and I went online and browsed around for inspiration,” said Scarlett.
His initial attempt at building it was more of a miss than a hit. However, Scarlett’s persistence eventually paid off with a motorised tiki bar that goes from Negril to Booby Cay Island and back. By all indications, Tiki Pon Da Sea has built a name for itself as an exotic option for visitors and locals. On board, music is a must, food is always fresh, and a cold beer is definitely better when the view rivals any image from a travel magazine. Scarlett’s aquatic activities along the western coast were also a perfect fit for the Red Stripe Jamaican Experiences series, through which the brand highlights unique sides of Jamaica.
Brawn and brains
While he is the brawn behind the operation, Scarlett describes his wife Tiffany as the brains driving its success, organising everything so that their boat business runs like a well-oiled machine. “Really and truly, my wife does all the marketing, social media, and everything, so she has really been my rock. She handles the business aspects, and I love that because I can focus on other things,” explained Scarlett.
Tiffany is proud of the fact that most of the Tiki team are family members. “Family was our purpose for creating this business, and now we are a family of four, with two Tiki princesses, Lua and Soleil.
An intimate experience
We have heard guests saying that our Tiki brings an intimate experience where they are left with lifetime friendships with our crew,” shared Tiffany. “We have had guests renew vows on the Tiki, proposals on the Tiki, and even weddings. In all of these events and most of our cruises, our guests rave about our service and share that they have felt like we are a part of their families.”
Prior to starting the business, Scarlett was a self-proclaimed jack-of-all-trades, taking jobs on glass-bottom boats and several gigs within the hospitality industry and beyond. “I even worked with Red Stripe back in the day,” he shared.
A family legacy
With the challenges of the past year receding and life slowly returning to some semblance of normalcy, Scarlett proudly asserted that the boat engine is revved up and ready to go. The future indeed looks bright for the couple who has plans to expand the concept across the island. They are working on building a larger Tiki to accommodate 30-40 guests at one time. “I feel proud of myself to know that I made my dream a reality, blessed with having my children, my own business, and my beautiful wife. Now when my children grow up, they have a legacy they can claim.”