Hiking to Boiling Lake, Dominica.
Stream
Darrell Jackson and Sarah Barnes
Wed 16 Apr 2014 21:02
'Should we put one or two reefs in?' was the topic of conversation over breakfast, and in the end we put one reef in as the wind appeared to be moderating (just a force 4 gusting 5). In the event we had a cracking sail across Prince Rupert Bay at 7-8 knots, before the wind dropped and we started going backwards, firmly entrenched in a "hole" whilst other yachts ghosted past us making Darrell very cross! The following 4 hours continued in much the same vein, with wind from all points of the compass and strengths from 0-25 knots but with a good 16 knot ESE for the last half hour into Roseau, where we were met by Desmond, one of Sea Cat's apprentices, who helped secure us to a mooring buoy just off Sea Cat's pontoon.
As we needed water he passed a hose to us and made the mistake of leaving us with it. Once the tanks were full Stream had a much needed hose down to remove encrusted salt from the coach roof, deck and top sides, just in time to welcome Atlantic sailor Adam for another two weeks on Stream. A brief chat with Sea Cat, who we had last seen 7 years ago when sailing with Dave and Jane on their yacht, set a framework for our programme over the next week, starting with a long hike to visit Boiling Lake the following day.
An early start required an early night, particularly as Adam was still 5hrs ahead of our local time. We met Sea Cat (real name Octavius!) at 7am and our other expedition members, a family of four from Alberta (Calgary) a couple from Virginia and a very nice young lady from Hungary, who was skippering a large cameraman for a local hotel, but whose name we can't remember(shame!). On route to the trailhead we stopped for provisions, including some chocolate tea to drink immediately. Sarah's two favourite things in one drink. She was already in heaven before we started walking. Our route took us up about 1000 feet through farmed rainforest before we had to start walking the lake trail at Titou Gorge, where we would return to for a swim at the end of the walk.
The walk was nothing short of spectacular! We first went through rain forest with very tall trees with huge root systems, both aerial and buttress, with vines and leaders hanging down - proper "jungle" but with a good path to follow. We even saw all 7 types of the indigenous tree ferns. Of course when Octavius swung off one of the hanging vines, Darrell and Adam had to follow (something to do with testosterone according to Sarah). Fortunately both emerged unscathed. The path climbed over a ridge and then back down to cross the Trois Pitons River, with local grapefruit as a snack ( these are the second crop of the year as the first is exported when nearly ripe, these are sweeter and juicy, very refreshing!) and then back up again to even higher than we had been before. (Lots of uneven steps on the path, giving legs and knees a real work out.) The tall trees gradually gave way to much shorter trees and by the time we had reached our highest point in the Morne Trois Pitons National Park we were walking in Elfin (Cloud) rain forest where the trees are stunted due to the mists and coolness of the high mountains but mosses, ferns and epiphytes thrive, giving fantastic views over the surrounding rain forest and peaks. Everything that goes up must come down and we then made a very steep descent down a muddy slope into Desolation Valley. Imagine a Dr Who set. The valley sides were unstable and there were signs of frequent recent landslides with bare rocks and rubble amongst the wild pineapples, but also steam rising from the ground, bubbling pools of mud, and boiling water coming out through cracks in the hot rocks with the smell of sulphur filling the clear mountain air. We had never been anywhere like this before! Octavius had gone on ahead and when we caught up with him he went over to one of the pools of boiling water and fished out a plastic bag full of freshly boiled eggs. Apart from various types of fruit that Octavius had picked off trees as we passed, we had not eaten for some time and these eggs not only tasted very good, but were a surprise snack before we had lunch. We were then all treated to a facial mud pack (in Darrell's case a full head pack) by Octavious who got the mineral mud from beside one of the sulphurous springs. We then all spent the rest of the day wearing it much to the confusion of the other hikers we met.
Our route continued gradually down alongside the hot stream running out of Desolation Valley, before climbing again to where we could just make out steam rising from behind a ridge. Our tired legs soon took us to the lip of an awesome sight. A crater with almost vertical sides which contained a steaming lake some 80 metres in diameter with water at 180-190 degrees Fahrenheit, which can be seen to "boil" as the clouds clear. Discovered in 1870 by the British explorer, Dr Henry Nicholls, the lake is the largest of its type in the Western Hemisphere and we could look down into it from a flat piece of land which could have been made as a viewing platform.
Our lunch consisted of an "instant" salad of lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, bread, roasted plantain and salt fish (the local salted cod) with fresh passion fruit juice to wash it all down. When another small party arrived we decided to start our descent and let them wonder at the sights in peace. The journey back was quicker but just as arduous. On the way back to desolation valley we stopped to bathe in the hot natural spring pools. The water was bath temperature and only slightly sulphurous, just the right thing for aching legs. We then carried on to Titou Gorge. This was a fourteen mile hike that took us about 7 hours and contained about forty thousand steps, all felt by our legs and knees, but no-one had a complaint all day as it was such fabulous scenery to walk through. The cold drinks at the gorge were much needed and appreciated.
Titou Gorge is a deep slot canyon with narrow, shear walls that twist into various interesting chambers with vines hanging down that completely enclose it making it dark. The water is deep and cold. It was used for a scene in Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man's Chest. The whole group took the challenge and swam up through the gorge. They then all climbed up the waterfall at the end and jumped back in again. It was really refreshing and exhilarating at the end of our walk.
Then it was straight back to Sea Cat's and as no-one in the group had the energy to cook, we all went next door to Zamzam's for a meal. A Mexican meal and the sunset with a group of exhausted people who had shared an extraordinary experience, loved it and continued to discuss it. While hoping we would not seize up and still be able to get back into the dinghy!