'Isolated in Dominica'
Lowena
Michael & Amanda Dyer
Sun 16 Mar 2008 00:21
Jan, is a german, single handed yachtsman who has set up B & B yacht services and internet access in 'Big Papas' restaurant and bar, Portsmouth. He located a new isolator and it was ordered and flown in from St Maarten. Jan also broadcasts a daily net on channel 68 at 0800 with weather forecasts and other information.
One windy night, shortly after we arrived, Larry and Fiona woke up as their boat hit a catamaran. The mooring buoy they were attached to had broken free from the sea bed. They would have drifted out to sea if they hadn't collided with the Cat. This made us all a bit wary of how strong the moorings were. We toured the island and visited the many dramatic waterfalls and rainforests. We visited a Carib Indian village, the inhabitants of the islands before the Europeans discovered them. This is one of the last communities of Caribs and they have retained their traditions of crafts and knowledge of the medicinal properties of the plants and trees that grow here. Dominica is still mostly all rainforest.
We visited the National Park and Champagne beach to snorkel. Gases bubble up from the seabed and give a celebratory effect. The fish and coral must like it as there were plenty, some quite big and very healthy.
Bogart treated us to cooked breadfruit, cooked on a fire on the beach. His Mum provided some salt fish to go with it and we spent an enjoyable evening at his home, meeting his family.
By this time we had been in Portmouth for two weeks. We were still waiting for our isolator to arrive. Meanwhile, our friends on 'Wings' decided to head for Martinique and we would meet them at St. Pierre.
'Tiger Frightener' had already moved on.
Jan provided an excellent service. He chased our part and collected it from the airport in Roseau and the fitted it. We were back in action a few days later.
We spent one night in Roseau, the Capital, before moving on to Martinique.