“He’s the captain on that boat right there,” says Syltopher (Skully) Meyers-Leslie, general manager at Drift Ocean Terrace Lounge, as he points to an aerial shot of a sailboat with late-owner Howard Palmer at the helm. The enlarged photo is nestled between several thoughtfully-placed pieces on the walls of the lounge, ranging from a showcase of local art to a collection of nautical-themed signs and sailboat memorabilia.

Drift is an expression of Howard’s life-long love of sailing. Throughout his life, he participated in regattas, including Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez and Les Régates Royales de Cannes, and competed in the 1984 and 1988 Olympic games in the two-person keelboat (star) event representing Barbados. He was well-respected in the sailing community in Barbados and throughout the Mediterranean.

When Howard was at Drift Ocean Terrace Lounge, he wasn't in work mode, says Rhys Palmer, one of Howard Palmer’s sons. “I think he kind of picked up on the whole dolce vita vibe from his experiences sailing,” says Rhys. “He liked the kind of laid back, Saint-Tropez attitude and always wanted to bring some of that to Barbados.”

Howard came to Barbados in the early 1970s and opened the renowned Ship Inn in Saint Lawrence Gap in 1974. “He claimed to be the person who set up the first pub in Barbados,” says Rhys. Howard also opened The Coach House Restaurant in Paynes Bay, then later took over The Beach House (now known as Paul Owens at The Beach House) “I grew up at the Ship Inn,” says Rhys. “I was born into the restaurant industry. So, you know, it's fun to kind of keep [Drift Ocean Terrace Lounge] alive and change it and adapt it.”

Rhys and his brother, Bryn Palmer, have since begun to breathe new life into Drift without distracting from the vision their father had for it when it opened in 2013. The main attraction is the open-air oceanview deck—now modernised with a sleek awning to shield from the beating afternoon sun. Every high-top seat on the terrace overlooks the lulling waves of the Caribbean Sea and offers a perfect place to unwind. “I think it's the best place in Barbados to take in a sunset,” says Meyers-Leslie, acknowledging that sunsets anywhere in Holetown are beautiful. But he’s adamant that there’s something special about the sunsets from the vantage point of Drift Ocean Terrace Lounge. “There's a certain kind of cosiness about this spot,” adds Meyers-Leslie.

Part of Drift Ocean Terrace Lounge’s elegant charm is its welcoming ambience. As the first seating of sunset chasers trickles in at golden hour, the servers greet familiar faces and ask if they’ll be having the usual. “Generally when you hear that door open, you're going to hear my staff call somebody by name,” says Meyers-Leslie. Guests are comfortable in the ambience in flip-flops or in high heels and casually stop by to catch a famous West Coast sunset or stay well into the evening to enjoy live music and DJ sets with cocktails under the night sky.

Incorporating live entertainment into the evenings at Drift is a new addition—complementing some of the long-lasting elements of the lounge (like the classic cocktails) and the new initiatives (like the revamped food menu). “The chef that we’re working with has been working with our father and our family for years,” says Rhys. Glenroy Forde worked at The Coach House and The Beach House and developed the new menu of fresh and zesty tapas bar bites at Drift—with pizza baked in Drift’s very own outdoor pizza oven.

The original cocktail list for Drift was created by Philip ‘Casanova’ Antoine, a celebrity bartender who represented Barbados internationally in mixology competitions. A few others on the list were created by Meyers-Leslie himself. “To me, there's no speciality drink,” says Meyers-Leslie. “I would say there's a little bit of something for everybody. I don't think anybody can come here and not find something they like [on the cocktail list].”

The essence of Howard Palmer's vision, embodied in the inception of Drift Ocean Terrace Lounge, continues to resonate steadfastly today. With his sons now at the helm, guiding the establishment into the future, the legacy forged by Howard remains vibrant, promising a vast trajectory ahead.