Dominica - Bubbling lakes, mountains and hot springs
Starcross Fair Log
Ross Wilson
Mon 31 Jan 2011 00:42
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Sunday 30/01/11
Position 15:17.0N 61:22.6W
Plan: Sail north along Dominican coast and on to
Ille de Saints
We left Grand Anse d'Arlet on Wednesday and after a
very short sail, anchored off the Fort in Fort de France - the capital of
Martinique. Next to us in the anchorage (by chance) were two other Royal
Highland Yacht Club yachts - Shian (Paul & Jane Read) and Moonbeam (David
& Lynn Wilkie). In the afternoon, Al, Alex and Chris headed
into town, to re-explore and find an internet cafe. In the early
evening, David and Lynn Wilkie (ex Ardfern yard) invited us onboard Moonbeam for
a sunset beer.
The following day, Ross spent the morning
clearing customs and immigration, and with Chris explored the town,
including visiting the impressive Cathedral built in 1892. Chris departed
on a bus to the airport in the early evening, as he had to return to
Scotland.
We got up at 2am on Friday 28, and slipped our
anchorage to head for Dominica. We had a good sail up the coast of
Martinique until the lee of the volcano at the northern tip (Mont Pelee) where
we experienced a 180 degree wind shift and calms. We motored to
clear and then were hit by the full force of the trade winds (gusting 25
knots) and a very rough sea in the channel between the islands. This,
however, did lead to a fast crossing, and we picked up a mooring buoy off the
Anchorage Hotel in Roseau at 1130. We were aided by Pancho and his side
kick Lenny who greeted us from about 1 1/2 miles away, the rasta-style very
friendly boat boys. Ross then proceeded into Roseau to clear customs and
immigration. Once their office was located witrh the assistance of a
friendly taxi driver (a feature of the island is the natural friendliness of its
population), the process was relatively smooth and a 2 week cruising
licence was obtained for 14 East Caribbean Dollars (£3.50).
Yesterday (Saturday) Alex and Al went on a 12 mile
hike to see the valley of desolation - with lots of hot sulphuric water bubbling
from the ground, and the boiling lake. The lake - the largest in the world
(according to our guide) or the second largest in the world (according to our
Lonely Planet) - was very impressive and well worth the very steep, and hot
walk. On the return, we stoped to bathe - firstly in a hot pool in a
river, and then at Tito Gorge - a very narrow deep gorge, with a large waterfall
at one end, that can only be entered by swimming upstream. A
very magical experience. We returned and
joined Ross for a swim, a shower, and supper in the Anchorage
Hotel.
Today, was Ross' and Alex's turn to go
ashore. Lucky Alex got to go to shore twice in Dominica! We started
off re-visiting Tito gorge as it was a must see, then we went to the Trafalgar
Falls, which are huge beautiful waterfalls. Next stop was the hot sulphur
spring - a boiling smelly pond of rotten eggs. The best part of the day
was the hot baths - literally old bath tubs under natural hot springs piped
through bamboo, and a big hot bathing pool. We had the whole place to
ourselves. We then saw some of a local cricket tournament - a bit like the
Caribbean version of Brompton by Sawdon in Yorkshire, except no tea and
cakes. But we did pass some very matriarchal looking women dressed
for church (who when asked by our taxi driver if they had prayed for him, they
said yes). Then we saw no parrots in the aviary (apparently its the matimg
season), the parrot being the national symbol of Dominica.
Back to France tomorrow.
Ross, Al,
Alex.
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