Position           15:34.94N 61:27.85W

Date                2000 – 12 March 2011

Our boat man, Alexis, put together ourselves with a Dutch couple, Fritz and Marlese, to share the cost of a day trip to see some of the interior and Atlantic coast of the island.  They were great company and our driver, Shadow, a native Carib gave us a very good day out.

Dominica is developing its identity as an eco-tourist destination, the island being mainly covered by tropical rainforest with a great diversity of plants and wildlife.

Everywhere that we looked you see examples beautiful foliage that extends on the wet Atlantic coast right down to the sea.

Our trip took us over the central heights of the north of the island and then down the Atlantic coast taking in the Carib Territory; a self governing area under the overall Dominican administration.  It is populated by the descendents of the Carib Indians who survived the extermination that generally occurred in the early days of European settlement.  Our driver explained that his pigtail was worn by all Carib men as a tradition, he having both Carib parents and having spent his early years in the Territory. 

The Caribs are proud of their culture and traditions and this can be seen in many examples.  This roadside shelter was a bakery of Cassava Bread, the machine being used to grate and the Cassava.  Unfortunately unlike normal bread this appears to take all day to produce so there was none for us to try.

Lunch provided a welcome break, with of course an excellent view.  The choice was chicken or fish, but the chicken was not ready; the mahi mahi was however excellent.

The afternoon took us back into the hills and we had a ramble through the forest to see one of the many waterfalls for which the island is famous – there is no shortage of water in Dominica.

All in all it was a very good day out.  Each of the islands that we have visited so far has its own unique character and without getting away from the boat and the shore we would miss so much.