Dominica

There are so many island nations in the West Indies, enough for a lifetime. Where next? Lets go to Dominica, it is interesting because it is mountanious, covered by misty rainforest and not so many boats seem to go there. It is less than two days sailing from Grenada.

During the passage the trade wind is on side of the boat but the current is pushing us west towards to the American continent. That sea current is caused by the same trade wind that always blows from East to West. To compensate for that we actually have to sail nearly against the wind and that requires constant supervision because the boat points in a different direction to where we are actually going. Another factor is that the wind strength varies from 10 to 35 knots depending on squalls that are difficult to spot so we have to be on our toes all of the time.

We are at Dominica for a week now and it is wonderfull. So far we are the only one anchored in the south part of Ruperts bay. Good holding and very quiet. We love the “nature Island” as the locals call it. Titus, Ken and his collegues of PAYS help you with mooring in the North part of the bay and they organise excursions inland. The Dominica Cruisers group on Facebook is also a good source of information.

A short hike from Portsmouth town on Dominica island is Brandy falls. What we did not know is the last part of the path was destroyed along with 90% of the infrastructure by hurricane Maria. I’s still worth going, a wonderful walk, past the Chinese agri project on the right as you leave town, a little further on four cows looking adorable imitating Jerseys.

The road is well made and bends right, past a tidy well painted house to rent and across the road a two hundred foot tulip tree, and up to the sign where Brandy Manor advertise horse riding. We took a sharp downward driveway over a river and up through rain forrest farms with papaya,banana, coconut and other good food.

On our return there was a young man looking at his ponds so I started a conversation with him. Marvin bought his six acres here and made six ponds to farm lobsters and shrimps as a start to his grand project. It is realistic as his land is sandwiched between two rivers up a mountain in pristine jungle where there are already farmers turning the earth. He plans to have some bungalows and a dining room where he can offer organic local food grown on the doorstep, a beautiful retreat for nature lovers and foodies alike. Best of all, first he says they must work together to clear a new path to the Brandy Falls. We wished him luck and walked back to the town.

We walked down into this volcanic crater near Calabishie. Hot bubbles are not unusual coming up from the earth but these are cold, sulphuric, healing mud puddles which makes them unique . Cold bubbles are quite mysterious. This volcano has been asleep for a long time our guide Ken tells us.