The approach to Dominica is breath taking as you descend between the mountains in a sea of greenery. Although I have visited the island during several Caribbean cruises from Florida, I was still amazed at the beautiful vegetation of the island. The lush mountains were covered with numerous canopies of vines that create an umbrella over the tall shrubs. As the aircraft came to a stop at Melville Hall, Dominica, I could not avoid the amazing sight of tall coconut palm trees swaying in the breeze as if they were bowing their branches, welcoming me to the island.
In a previous post, I mentioned the purpose of this visit to the island. I was born in the Caribbean and have visited several of the other islands during my stay there. I am fortuntate to have benefited from several Caribbean cruise deals to the region. Dominica is also known as the Commonwealth of Dominica to differentiate it from the better known Dominica Republic which shares the island with Haiti and Hispaniola. Several persons do claim the island is an undiscovered paradise, so I intended to confirm if she deserved the name of “Nature Island “of the Caribbean.
My first expedition took me to Dominica’s Morne Trois Piton National Park which was established in July 1975 by an act of parliament and was the first of Dominica’s park to be legally established. In 1998 it was recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage site. It was the first enlisted natural site in the Eastern Caribbean, and its inauguration was also marked with a Regional conference on the World Heritage Convention. The national park protects some of the islands clear streams, mountains and some of the tropical virgin forest for their educational, scientific and scenic values. Today the park includes numerous attractions like the Boiling Lake, Valley of Desolation, Boeri Lake/Fresh Water Lake and the Emerald pool among other attractions.
One of the many attractions in the Morne Trois Piton National Park is the Emerald pool. It is a very popular area for bathing and is a short walking distance from the main motor able road to Castle Bruce. The Emerald Pool has a strong appeal to locals and tourist alike because it is surrounded by many of the island beautiful ferns and faunas. Also, the water is crystal clear but it can be cold as it is shaded by several trees.
My next visit was to the lesser known Northern National Park which consists of 23, 000 acres of land in the Northern part of the island. The major attraction of this national park is the mile long walk Syndicate rainforest trail. In this national park I came across the Balata tree. People claim that this tree is one of the hardest trees in existence. The wood from the tree was widely used for engineering bushes in sugar cane mills when the brass ran out.
During my walk through the rain forest, I was over whelmed and surprised by its quietness. It was very isolated and I did not come across anyone during a two hour hike. It was like walking into another world of peace and tranquility with the silence being interrupted occasionally by the distant sound of a melodious song of a bird chirping from the foliage. The air was fresh and crisp and was filled with a rich aroma floating from the beautiful flowers and vegetation.
It should be noted that the syndicate area is the home of two parrots found only in Dominica. The Amazon Imperial which is known locally as the Sisserou Parrot and is the island’s national bird. The other parrot is the red neck and is referred to locally as the Jaco (Amazon Arausiaca). It is smaller than the Sisserou parrot and can be found at much lower elevations than the Sisserou. I was fortunate during my visit to the Syndicate Forest to catch a glimpse of the Sisserou parrot. Passing through some wild tall growing bushes and tangled vine I came to an abrupt halt and looked in the direction of some trees where I heard an unusual sound. I slowly looked towards the light between the tall trees and saw the shadow of a Sisserou - the largest Amazon Parrot. She was a real beauty as the upper parts and back was mostly green and purple with a bluish head. There was also a red streak on the wing tips and a green-tipped red tail.
Another big attraction in Dominica is the boiling lake, which is considered the biggest in the world. It is a very long and tedious walk to get there, so I began my journey very early that morning. The trip is approximately 6.5 miles or three and a half hours walking distance each way. Unfortunately the day was rainy and the trail was muddy and very difficult. The trail was clear and well kept but it did not help my fear as some areas were winding across rocks and ridges. The trail took me across the Breakfast River, where I stopped for refreshments and got re-energized. An interesting part of the trip was the Valley of Desolation which contained several holes in the ground from which flowed warm springs. After some walking I saw the distant vapor of the boiling lake rising from the forest floor accompanied by a strong smell of sulphur. Although the walk was tiring, the sight of the boiling lake took all my fatigue away. The lake is located in a basin and looked like a huge melting pot of sulphur.
On the return journey, I stopped for a refreshing bath in an area called “Titou Gorge”, near a small village called Laudat. The water was enticing and refreshing to my aching feet and muscles. I wish to mention that Dominica has 365 rivers (one for each day in the year), and several waterfalls. One of the more popular falls is called the Trafalgar Twin Waterfalls which is approximately 20 minutes driving distance from the capital, Roseau. The rivers are crystal clear and are all suitable for bathing.
I was told that a visit to Dominica without going whale watching would be an incomplete vacation. After some quick investigations, I joined a tour party for a very reasonable price. I was the first person to arrive at the pick-up point but was joined later by several other persons who came from cruises from Florida. The first hour of the trip was uneventful as the boat navigated from one location to the other. The only visible movement on the horizon was the occasional bird that would hover above then plunged into the water seeking a meal. Our host was still confident that we would spot whales although I did not share his optimism. Everyone was very disappointed as we made our journey back to the harbor. A sudden exclamation of joy from the left side of the boat had everyone turning in that direction. I could hardly believe my eyes as a number of grey shapes were surfacing then disappearing beneath the water. At one point it appeared that they were trying to keep pace with the boat – as the boat went forward so did the school of happy melon –headed whales.
Dominican has a much slower pace of life than most developed countries and it appeared that people were very happy to socialize and talk about their island with visitors. I think one of the of Dominica’s biggest asset is its people. The island is a small nation with a population of approximately Seventy thousand, but everyone has a big heart. The people are free spirited and enjoy life to the max.
There are several ways to visit the island and enjoy the beauty nature has to offer. You can also participate in the fun and frolic during carnival and the islands independence celebrations from Great Britain. Apart from flights from the locally owned Caribbean airline, there are direct connections to the US main land via Puerto Rico. In addition, all the major cruise lines do regular stop over during the Caribbean cruise season. The best time to visit the island would be during the cruise off season so you can benefit from the large number of Caribbean cruise deals that are available.
The greenery of the island is unbelievable. This was truly an isle of Nature or seemingly an unspoiled natural beauty. It is untouched and has a lot to offer the visitor. It is said that Christopher Columbus would recognize the island if he returned to the island today. What Dominica lacks in beaches and fancy resorts it makes up with hiking trail through rugged terrain. There are few places on earth that remains so untouched and yet as accessible as Dominica – indeed it is the Nature Island of the Caribbean. A visitor will forever carry the memories of the boiling lake, national parks, soul-stirring songs of the multi colored birds, and awe-inspiring sight of diving whales that touched my life with its majestic presence.
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