Dominica

Hi everyone,

We spent two weeks in wonderful Dominica.  Such a scenic and friendly place!  We did two organised tours with OCC Port Officer Martin and several walks with OCC yachts Ruffian, Cerulean and others.  Zen Again spent most of the nights on PAYS (Portsmouth Association for Yacht Security) moorings which cost a modest EC$30/night.

Zen Again in Portsmouth sv Ruffian picture)

We arrived in company with Cerulean and joined Ruffian there.  More OCC yachts arrived over the two weeks and our final tour was with the crews of Cerulean, Casamara and Escapade of London.  We also met OCC yachts Favorita and Walkabout during our stay.

Ruffian and Cerulean at Portsmouth

We dinghied ashore to either the PAYS jetty (concrete and a perfect height to chew dinghies), the Madiba cafe wooden jetty or to the fishing jetty.  PAYS has toilets, showers, garbage collection, fresh water facilities and a bar ashore.  The fishing boat dock is in the centre of town so is convenient for the market, shops and the bus terminus.  There are several ATMs and small supermarkets along the main street.  The marvellous bakeries are one street back - follow your nose!

Madiba cafe near PAYS

Fishing Boat Dock in Portsmouth

Our first day trip was with OCC port officer Martin.  He took us around the northern part of Dominica, explaining the natural history of the island and the devastating impact of 2015 hurricane Maria.

Learning about Dominica from OCC PO Martin

We visited the cold soufriere which is a 'cold volcano'.  Gases emerge from the old caldera but they're cold.  We visited several northern lookout points and beaches.

Cold Soufriere

North coast scene

Balsa rafts are still used today

We had lunch at a beach cafe overlooking a magnificent bay.

Lunch venue

Lunch photo-op

Nic on a beach!

In the afternoon we visited the Chocolate Factory at Point Baptiste and then Red Rock.

More coastal scenery

Red Rock

Thanks for the great tour Martin!

We spent several days doing bus and hire car trips to walk to waterfalls.  The first day trip was by bus to Chaudiere Pool.  Getting the bus there was easy but we waited quite a while to get one back.  We're still not sure if the vehicle which took us back was actually a bus!

On the track to Chaudiere Pool

The rapids below Chaudiere Pool

The second day trip was by bus to Roseau then up to Middleham Falls.  The bus trip to Roseau is interesting in itself.  And again getting a bus to the start of the track was easy but we ended up hitch-hiking back, getting a ride in the back of a crew-cab ute.

A stream somewhere

Giant trees in the rainforest

At Middleham Falls

The lads approaching the pool at Middleham Falls

Nic chillin' in the little pool at Middleham Falls

Hitchhiking back to Roseau

A few days later we shared two hire cars for a trip to Syndicate Falls, Jacko Falls and Secret Pool.  The hike to the first was fairly long, the second short and the third long, steep and muddy.  After the falls we drove to the Kalingaro Carib Village on the east side of the island.  We arrived too late to see the museum itself.  It's in very nice grounds with interesting wooden sculptures.

Dominica skyline

Fording a river

Cooling off in Syndicate Falls pool

Jacko Falls

The gang (sv Ruffian picture)

Amazing plants everywhere

There's always another river to cross to get to a waterfall

And it's always worthwhile - Secret Pool

Ladies enjoying the 'spa' at Secret Pool (sv Ruffian picture)

Kalingaro museum exhibits

From Kalingaro it was a long, long drive back to Portsmouth along much of the less developed east coast of Dominica.  And it rained cats'n'dogs.  We made it back just in time to have fish'n'chips at Maford House, a cafe on the waterfront next to the bus terminus.  Fresh mahi mahi - awesome!

Towards the end of our stay we did a southern tour with OCC PO Martin.  We drove south through Roseau to Scotts Head and Soufriere Bay at the southern tip of the island.  We visited Bubbly Pool, where nearly boiling hot water seeps through the sand into the ocean.  We also snorkeled at Champagne Beach where there is nice coral around another geothermal vent just off the beach.  On the way home we visited Morne Bruce Garrison which has a nice view over Roseau.  And finally we visited Trafalgar falls.

The Old Mill en route to Roseau

Scotts Head at the southern tip of Dominica

Bubble Beach - the water's HOT!

Champagne Beach - much better than the approach suggests!

View of Roseau from Morne Bruce Garrison

Trafalgar Falls (papa left, momma right)

Approaching momma falls over the boulders

Hiking out after a brief swim

The fish'n'chips at Maford House were so good we went there again after the tour.  We were joined by two other OCC boat crews which made it quite a big gathering

Maford House in Portsmouth - best fish'n'chips in Dominica!

During our stay Nic had a milestone birthday.  Helen on Cerulean baked a cake and we visited La Cour Etage restaurant for a wonderful creole dinner.  Thanks again Helen!

Thanks to Helen of sv Cerulean for the cake!

After two great weeks in Dominica it was time to continue moving south.

Trust all's well where you are!