March 12,2020
Landing in Dominica is quite impressive, we had an excellent weather from Martinique all the way, we left early morning and arrived in the afternoon. We first arrived in Roseau, which is the Capital.
Things were pretty relaxed for the sailing, nice blue sky, great wind as we arrived some local came in his canoe to offer us a mooring. We had our yellow flag indicating we were arriving as new in the country. We arrived in time to catch the mooring, arrange the boat and go on land straight to the immigration office.
As we arrived on land, unfortunately is not as pretty as from the sea. There are a lot of constructions that were damaged during previous hurricanes and have never been fixed and some places look completely abandoned and not very inviting. Garbage here and there and smells that make you walk faster. You would think it is a poor place and all of a sudden cars last model and all very fancy, (including a brand new Hummer) are going up and down the street, which makes you wonder!
Once in Roseau immigration office, after fighting with a computer a few years old, we managed to registered. We were the last customers, because they close at 4pm. Finally, after waiting sometime and with the application processed we had to go out to get money and be able to pay for the entry. We got our cruising permit to say 2 nights in Roseau, 2 nights in Mero and 2 more nights in Portsmouth. No need to do an exit, as we will be there less than 8 days in the country.
After, it was time for sunset. So we went to a bar in front of the immigration office with a view to the bay, saw the cruiseship leaving and enjoy a local beer and fresh passion fruit juice while looking at the sunset. Then walk back to the boat on the dark, which we decided was not to be repeated because it didn’t look very safe.
MARCH 13: Botanic Gardens, Scotts Head and Champagne Beach
The following day, we tried to join a tour but they didn’t have enough people, so we would be paying for a tour of 8 but just 2, so we decided to take it slow and go on our own. Go early and come back before sunset.
We started with a visit to the Botanical Gardens which are in the middle of the town, open to the public and with a main road crossing in the middle. It was a sugar cane plantation long time ago and it houses a great variety of tropical fauna and flora, it has also suffered and recovered several effects of hurricanes throughout the years.
Look at the bus below, hurricane David in 1979 in eight hours caused so much destruction, even a huge Baobab tree felt on top of a school bus.
In spite of these setbacks, the Gardens still provide the only open space in the city for the citizens and visitors to enjoy. It continues to be the idyllic setting for cricket matches, national parades and cultural celebrations, religious open air ceremonies and recreational activities. And its beauty and serenity still remarkable.
After the walk, we went to the center of town and catch small bus to take us to another bay called La Soufrieree. Buses run to a “timetable” we were told, when in reality, they have certain routes and they just leave when they are full. That means being patient waiting around until 15 to 17 people are ready to go more or less the same route, not counting the bottles of gas, the driver making his grocery shopping, etc. No one seems to mind the wait or the proximity to all passengers and packages. Anyway of we went 40min later we arrived to a beautiful destination, the advantage of leaving full is the bus will not stop until people starts getting off.
Once out of the town, the scenery starts changing and it gets more and more lush with fruit trees and a tiny road zig zagging up and down the mountains. The driver keeps honking to say hello, to say good bye, to make signals to the cars coming the other way … and who knows for what else, it seems he is honking all the time so the other buses too.
Anyway, the trip was completely worth while! We arrived to Scott’s Head Cannon, which is even further south than La Soufriere, years before it was possible to anchor on this bay, but after the last hurricane it became prohibited. Not really sure why?
After a nice snorkel in a 26 degree water, we enjoyed some great local cuisine and a wonderful view. I was a bit worry about the way back but it was just a mater of waiting patiently for the next bus. On the way back, we stopped at another bay, called champagne beach. Any guess why? .. yes, because of the bubbles.
Champagne Beach is a beach with rocky dark sand and there with a volcanic sea floor. Therefore, there are gases coming out of the seafloor continuously making bubbles (Champagne Beach video).
MARCH 14: Trafalgar Falls and Titou Gorge
As we continued visiting, we found out that the nature in Dominica is so abundant and beautiful. It is hard to believe that in such a small piece of land there are so many incredible nature wonders. Some of them hard to access some others a simpler way.
So back to town in the morning once again got on the small bus until it was full and on the way. This time we were the last passengers to get drop off, so we started taking to the driver about more places to visit and how to get there. We heard about the Titou Gorge, while we were waiting for the bus to depart, but apparently the bus to get there is only couple of times a day and we had already missed for the day, we would had to go back to town for Trafalgar Falls and get another bus, so we would need another day to go there. However, at the end of the ride, we negotiated with our driver to wait for us while we visited the Trafalgar Falls, and then take us to Titou Gorge, wait for us there and then bring us back to town. Sort of a semi private tour in a public bus. It worked out really good for us and I for him as well. He gave us various tips and talk to us plenty about the island.
Trafalgar Falls are very famous and once you get down to the viewing platform after 10min walk then it is easy to understand why they are so famous. There are twin waterfalls which plunge about 125 ft and 75 ft and they are called “Papa Falls” on the left and “Mama Falls” on the right.
From here there is a small path to get down and see the the base of the falls.
I thought that was it!! which was already quite nice, a wall of vegetation and two nice big falls. However, from here there is a small path to get down and see the the base of the falls. A guide came unanticipated and he showed me a really nice picture. He said it was really easy to get there and it was only 5 minutes walk. It took us more like 20 min walking and climbing through some big rocks. It had rain the day before or in the morning so there were some very slippery parts and part of the trail was actually in the water. Half way, I was thinking to go back because if you fall, or slip there, I’m sure we will brake something but he kept saying we were almost there. I had not read the touristic brochure of the place before which I found later, saying that going out of the viewing platform or swimming at the bottom of the falls was not recommended and it could be dangerous in rainy season. Finally, we got there and the strong sound of the water and the vivid colours with so much contrast made me completely forget how we got there and that we had to go back by the same trail.
The thing that makes these falls so special is that at the base, one side has hot water as evidence of the volcanic activity in Dominica and the other one is very cold. Also on one side the color of the rocks is orange due to the iron content of the clay. Anyway, it is a wonder and we spend a good half an hour in the water. I was changing from hot to cold and back, Cedric stayed more on the hot water side!
Back at the parking lot, our driver was waiting for us. He had enough time to go home drop his grocery shopping and a bottle of gas to his neighbours. He told us.
Then he drove us to TiTou Gorge a deep river gorge, which was created by a volcanic eruption and the rock split creating the gorge. At the entrance there was a guide who told us we must were life vest to go in. It look like a small pool so I didn’t really get why it was a must, we told him we could swim but he insisted on the life vests. We took them pay the fees and went in, he said to swim 100m and come back.
At the beginning it is an easy swim with in very very cold water, but as you swim in a sort of a tunnel , because the gorge is really narrow and get closer to the waterfall it gets harder to swim as it is going against the current. After the 100m there is the waterfall so powerful and magnificent. The pictures don’t really make justice, but it gets an idea. For sure there will be better pictures taken, as this Gorge was scenery for the movie Pirates of the Caribbean
It was great as we were the only people in the Gorge at the time, so it is kind of mysterious going in the tunnel not really knowing what is on the other side, but getting closer and closer the sound gets louder and louder!! Pretty impressive. Of course the life vest come very handy as is easy to float, swim and get pushed by the current of the falls.
MARCH 15: Mero Beach.
As per our navigation plan we were going to spend 2 nights in Mero, so we did some groceries shopping and left Roseau just after lunch. Easy short sail to arrive at Mero beach. We anchored and saw only one other boat in the bay, we only saw people on it the following morning.
Exploring Mero was very quick, one small and straight road with a few houses and couple of shops already closed, either for the day or completely close. Surprising how emtpty it was compared to Roseau and it is not that far.
We enjoyed the sunset from land, and back on board for the night. And left for Portsmouth the following morning. Apparently, there was a nice fancy hotel with a pier years ago and a man build reef close to it. But with previous hurracaines it all got destryed and not yet rebuild. We only saw the old pier half destroyed.
MARCH 16: La Chàudiere, Chocolate Factory and Red Rocks.
Plans are currently changing; the world is being taken by the COVID-19. Lots of countries are being affected, so far Dominica has not taken any measures yet. As there are no cases in the Island. We will need to continue monitor the situation as it is changing very quickly.
In the meantime, we still have the opportunity to continue discovering Dominica’s nature which is amazing.
We were told there was a waterfall call la Chaudière that is not very far from Portsmouth, so we went to explore.
Early in the morning we took the bus to go there, it dropped us just at the start of the unsealed road, by then is almost midday in the bright shining sun and we had to walk for 4km. Only to get to the park. At the entrance, there is a guy selling some handcrafts who told us we were getting close. With the head and the uneven track, it seems like a longer walk than it is. But as always once you get to the site it pays off. Another waterfall, with cold water and a lot of force. Also, deep enough to jump from the side. Great time to refresh, had our packed lunch and get full energy to walk all the way back to the bus.
Once back on the road, after waiting for a while we got the bus to go a bit more north to “The Chocolate factory”. It is a very small family factory, where they make chocolate. They do all the process on site. From planting the cacao tree, get the cacao beans and converted into a very nice chocolate with different flavours. The lady that gave us the tour told us it is only herself and her sister who work in the factory. Quite a lot of work for only two people.
Then we went to visit a site called red rocks. A very unusual coastal formation of smooth red earth that has been compacted and shaped by both ocean and weather. It is a natural phenomenon that makes you feel you have arrived to the red planet.
We will continue exploring Dominica, if we can!
Happy Days 