Dominica--the adventure continues
Simanderal
Michael Hughes and Ger White
Sun 30 Mar 2008 22:58
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Sunday 30th... and we've been in Dominica
for 3 days, enjoying a rich mix of sunshine, heat, and pouring rain (liquid
sunshine as they call it here).
We left Les Saintes on Thursday 27th, heading out
past these beautiful small islands into the
open Atlantic/Caribbean under grey skies and occasional showers,
southwards towards Dominica, which emerged slowly and mistily
from the clouds. A good sail down, with a fickle wind that had Mike
exasperated at times, but then picked up and gave us a good drenching of
sea spray (especially Pat who was sitting in the crow's cockpit)... all
helped to keep us cool! Just as we were approaching Dominica, lo, on our
starboard side, a black shape arose beside us and up went the cry: "whale"!
Yes, 'twas a small ?sperm? whale, going the other direction, so we
only saw him/her for a few brief moments, but enough to see a couple
of 'blows'.
We arrived into Portsmouth on the north west coast,
and as before, Mike and Ger called on Martin, of 'Providence' to help with
moorings and tour arrangements, whilst Aloysious paddled out on a surf board to
take a fruit order.... late lunch on board, then ashore for a walk around
and dinner. Next morning, Friday, Martin fetched us at 7am prompt for a
gentle paddle up the Indian River, to enjoy the still and cool of the morning,
the bird song, the humming birds, banana quits, thrashers, an iguana lazing at
the top of a tree, and the spectacular old blood wood trees, roots and drippy
mangrove creepers. Back to the boat for a quick breakfast, then off again,
this time with Dilan, who drove us round the north end of the island, calling at
Cold Soufriere (a volcanic crater with bubbling sulphur pools and
smells) then up and up along high ridges to walk down into Chaudiere Pool
and waterfalls. This was a very soggy walk down a lush valley, mostly in pouring
rain, and our feet are still mud-coloured 2 days later! (yes, we have
washed). But it was great to see tropical rainforest as it should be seen ie
drippy, lush and green. We also saw banana
packing going on, in a shed by the roadside, the bananas being washed and
put into Tesco bags (we'd been told the bananas here are sold to Tesco/Fair
Trade - but these bags didn't mention Fair Trade..). The trip was not
that long in distance, but took the best part of the day as Dilan stopped every
5 minutes to leap out and present us with yet another plant or fruit, together
with details of what each could do - for cooking, healing, easing all sorts of
complaints - it was fascinating to hear how everything that grows here is
used: bay rum (a kind of skin freshener), castor oil, coffee and cocoa beans,
mango, pawpaw, coconuts, 'apricots' (quite different from ours), bread
fruit, pineapple, lemon grass, cashew nuts.....
A day to remember.
Yesterday - Saturday - we departed
Portsmouth, heading south again, with a gentle east (though changeable and
fickle) wind that glided us along smoothly in the lee of the island to
Roseau, the capital of Dominica, where Seacat
helped us to a mooring. We are now lying just off shore and this morning
went into town - a sunny day, and no rain!! Now there's a
spot of quiet reading and sunbathing going on on deck, after a bit of sploshing
about in the water with snorkels (lots of sardines and the odd trumpet fish
about).
Tonight will be our (Elspeth and Pat's) last night
on board, as we jump ship here and head to the north of the island near the
airport for our flight back to Antigua on Tuesday. We have had a most marvellous and fascinating time on Simanderal,
Caribbean style, and thank Mike and Ger for putting us up/ up with us so
generously over the past two weeks. We won't forget the experience!
Over and out from us then! ..while Simanderal continues on south tomorrow towards
Martinique then St Lucia to pick up the next visitors, Simon and
Alexander.
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