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⛵ The true origins of Cheeseburger in Paradise
Hi Reader, There is no doubt Jimmy Buffett was a force to be reckoned with in the sailing community. David Schanen wrote in 2018 that he is "one of the most influential sailors of his era". Without Jimmy Buffett, there would be fewer sailors, a diminished sailing economy, and a little less romance in our sport.
Here’s why: Buffett was a force that helped power the growth of the bareboat charter phenomenon that energizes a large share of the sailing business world, supports sailboat builders and equipment makers and creates new sailors.
Buffett was the muse, the piper, who led sailors and wannabe sailors to the Caribbean to rent sailboats and live the dream.
David continues: The life Jimmy Buffett sang about was an impossible dream for his most ardent fans. He could sing, “I just dream of the ocean—God, I wish I was sailing again” and “I think about the good times down in the Caribbean sunshine,” but his listeners had jobs, mortgages, kids, and responsibilities that kept them anchored to orderly lives. Except: The sailing enthusiasts among them could escape to Buffett’s world for a week or two by chartering a sailboat in the Caribbean, and they went in droves. That's right - we can thank Jimmy for the opportunities we get several times a year to "fly to Saint Somewhere" and escape from it all. With his recent passing, I thought it would make an appropriate tribute to share with you the lesser-known origins of what inspired Jimmy Buffett to write Cheeseburger in Paradise. Most Parrotheads haven't heard the truth. Many beachside establishments have made the claim over the years, most notably Le Select Café in St. Barths and the tiny Floridian island of Cabbage Key. But did you know the song has its roots in the British Virgin Islands? According to Jimmy himself, it occurred in Roadtown, BVI at the Village Cay Marina. Case closed right? Not so fast. Enter Manpot. Re-writing cheeseburger historyMy friend Malcolm Boyes, known down island as Manpot, first visited the British Virgin Islands in 1984. He bought his beachfront house in 1989 and has long since called Tortola home. Back in 1984, the same year Cheeseburger in Paradise was written, Manpot got the story straight from the man himself. Here's his account. I hung out with Jimmy in LA back in 1984. I was invited to Jimmy's launch of his, then, "Caribbean Soul" clothing line. Jimmy put on a small show and then we got to meet and talk.
That's when he told me where he really wrote the famed tale.
Jimmy had suffered a broken bowsprit on his way south and told me that Cane Garden Bay (CGB) was an easy place to sail into, and then he smelled the burgers. Ashore, he stumbled into Stanley's Welcome Bar right there on the sand. The rest is history.
Getting it straight from Jimmy to me makes me a believer. After that he said he was renting the red-roofed house at the west end for about four months. He wrote Cheeseburger in Paradise while waiting for repairs to be completed on the boat. That house was recently sold by Baseball Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax..quite a famous little beach house!
All I can say is that Jimmy "changed his tune". Never could figure out why Jimmy changed it but he does like to throw some mystery in.
One other proof that it was "Stanley's" is on the old t-shirts that boasted "Cheesburger (misspelled) in Paradise". Only two places were officially allowed to use that...Le Select in St Barths and Stanley's, although he sued everyone else who used the moniker.
I only believe what I am told one on one..and that is it!
I'm a believer as well. Having sailed to both Roadtown and Cane Garden Bay, the latter is much more Jimmy's style and closer to paradise. It's even featured in one of his most well-known songs, Mañana:
But women and water are in short supply There's not enough dope for us all to get high I hear it gets better, that's what they say As soon as we sail on to Cane Garden Bay Stanley's later became Tony's (his son changed the name) but it was flattened during Hurricane Irma in 2017. It has not been rebuilt. So if you want to pay homage, you'll have to settle for a stroll along the beautiful CGB beach where it once stood. Go tour the Callwood Rum Distillery while you're at it - another place immortalized in Jimmy's Mañana lyrics. Manpot still makes the rounds with the locals down in the BVI - check out his book Tales of the Tropics for an account of his adventures with some colorful island characters. You'll also learn how he got that name! Happening nowMajor Hurricane Lee is passing a bit too close for comfort to the north of the Virgin Islands. It's sending in some 10+ foot swells, and it will likely push sargassum onto northerly exposed beaches, such as Anegada. Otherwise, thankfully, it should be a non-event. Residents and charterers shouldn't breathe a sigh of relief quite yet. We are in peak hurricane season through the end of September. The latest recent hurricane to impact the Virgin Islands? Hurricane Omar formed on October 15th, 2008, and took an unusual northeast path over the BVIs. I'll be watching the weather closely as my next BVI trip approaches next month.
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⛵ Ready to take the trip of a lifetime? I write a twice monthly, free newsletter with planning ideas for your next yacht charter trip: insider destination guides, sailing itineraries, and the latest news.
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