(Jamaica Star) Neatly tucked away in a valley in Georgia, St Thomas, are two beautiful pools of water referred to as the Copper Hole.
However, despite the tranquil aquatic vibe oozing from them and though residents of the small, rural community often bask in the cool, clear streams, they warn that the area should not be taken lightly.
Associating the river with the popular legends told of Flat Bridge in Bog Walk, St Catherine, resident Winston Blake shared stories of the appearance of a golden table, men who tried to will it from the waters with the help of cows, and how ‘the power of the water’ sucked table and cattle down under.
“Mi born and grow in Georgia and I happen to pass the Copper Hole a lot and it’s different now. It was a serious place. Mi hear seh people go down there and see river maid. Mi nuh know if it is true but a little old man used to plant corn over there,” he said. “So him go down there to reap one day but he eat and drop asleep first and when him in the sleep, him hear somebody say ‘wake up! If you never cook give we a day time I woulda show yu something’. And when he woke up, he saw a very red woman going down in Copper Hole.”
He added, “Mi also hear that the river maid dream people and tell them to stop bathe down there because the soap a burn dem eyes.” Blake shared adding that he cannot confirm whether the stories are true.
Residents, who believe the river is haunted by people who once lived on the ‘Georgia Estate’, also shared that several people have died suddenly after supernatural encounters experienced there.
POWER OF THE WATER
The elderly farmer told THE WEEKEND STAR that he believes the name Copper Hole came about as the two pools of water, one feeding into the other, are likened to the old process of boiling sugar in copper pots. Another local, Eccleston Gordon, spoke of how the rainbow often starts in one of the holes, with ‘the power of the water’ capturing the various colours, resulting in a beautiful sight.
Recent heavy rains have returned the much-talked-about spot to its former glory as the mighty water forces its way through the channel throughout the community.
Residents say in the past, engineers have come with big ideas for the area but digressed after testing to see that some seven river heads meet in the Copper Hole area.
Councillor of the Trinityville Division, Lenworth Rawle, told THE WEEKEND STAR that numerous attempts have been made to pipe the water of the Dry River, which runs through Copper Hole, to the houses of residents.
According to him, “You will notice that there are a lot of pipelines thrown down in the area. That’s because every time we try, the water crystalises and becomes like rock, blocking up the pipes. They say that it has a limestone feature that causes this.”
