Dominica

Dominica is a land of somewhat under 100,000 people and eight, potentially active volcanoes. The island is both lush and mountainous, being slightly over 4100 feet at the highest point.

From Prince Rupert Bay and Portsmouth, one can travel up the Indian River with a guide on a trip that will transport you back in time for a true jungle experience.

Be sure to visit Carib country, the land of indigenous people whose ancestors displaced the original Arawaks and for whom the Caribbean basin is named. A striking and unforgettable experience awaits those lucky enough to visit this beautiful and friendly island.

Visitors are lucky to be able to take advantage of island tours where they can visit several regions possessing the characteristics of volcanic activity. Hiking trails also abound and one should not visit the island without taking a tour of its glorious interior.

Moving south along the coast one comes upon Batalie Beach and Sunset Bay Club, Castaways and the Castaways Beach Hotel with its steep hills behind and sandy beach below, The Layou River worthy of a short exploration by dingy and Roseau, the capitol of Dominica. Lacking a major tourism industry, much of Dominica is unspoiled by development and so its character is characteristically gingerbread Caribbean. Roseau is no exception and, although it is a waypoint for an occasional cruise ship, still carries its attractive and uncorrupted nature over much of the area. Best to either rent a car or hire a taxi to take a tour of part of the island, but be sure to include Trafalger Falls tumbling out of the rain forest, crater lakes, hot springs and the boiling lake.

The earthquake centered just off the northern tip of Dominica in 2004 caused considerable damage to that end of the island. Luckily there were no fatalities.

Syndicate waterfall near Portsmouth was only discovered in the mid 1990's. It gushes out of a split in the rock nearly 200 feet above the pool at its base.

At the southern tip of Dominica lies Scotts Head with its Marine Park immediately to the north and the fishing village nestled into the southeastern part of the bay at the elbow of the head, visited only by land from the north. With a few bars and restaurants, this is one place to visit and sample locally-prepared seafood.

Some 360 streams and rivers lead from the mountains to the sea around the coastline of Dominica, fed by the lush tropical rain forests for which the island is known.

As we prepared to depart a clipper ship ghosted by on her way south.