Category: Dominica

When we last left our heroes, they were seeking a good night’s sleep after two long tour days in Dominica (see my post from 3/12/25 if you missed that). They got that good night’s sleep and were ready for the rest of the rendezvous. Let’s rejoin them on Day 4.

Day 4- A glorious down day

Sunday is the day of rest, right? So, the PAYS folks built that into our itinerary. Can I get an amen!

We had a lazy breakfast that morning and did a little laundry. (We were running out of undies. Is that TMI? Sorry!). Our new friends, Jim & Barbara on Complexity, came over to see our solar-electric systems and to just visit for a bit. Early that afternoon, Dave and I went ashore for some Mexican Train Dominoes. We thought we’d play a round or two and go back to the boat early. What we didn’t realize is that cruisers take their Mexican Train very seriously, and this was a thirteen-round commitment. So, we committed, had a great time, and got to meet and spend time with some other Dawgs we hadn’t yet. Before we knew it, it was almost 6pm. We had just enough time to return to Lady, take quick showers, and return for the Sunday night BBQ. We even stayed to dance to a couple of songs before heading back for bed. We enjoyed our down day.

Day 5- Fort Shirley Historical Tour and Indian River Tour

In the morning we had a guided tour of Fort Shirley, which is in the Cabrits National Park. Our guide was Dr. Lennox Honeychurch, who was born and raised in Dominica and whose family goes back a ways here (some of those European settlers). He is the reason the fort has been renovated and became a National Park in 1986. He is very knowledgeable and a great storyteller. Our short, 2-3 hour tour turned into a 4+ hour tour, but it was excellent! 

Fort Shirley was started by the British in 1765, in an old volcanic crater. They cut down every tree on the Cabrit mountains; have to see the enemy coming, after all. The fort was added onto by the French, who held it briefly, then finished by the British after that. It was abandoned in 1854 but remained British-owned until they turned over ownership to the Dominican Government in 1901. A handful of the central buildings were restored by Dr. Honeychurch’s crew starting in 1982, the rest are being reclaimed by the forest that had been razed to build it. Full circle. 

The fort was part of a network of defenses along the Lesser Antilles. For you Lord of the Rings fans, there’s that scene in Return of the King where Gondor calls for aid by lighting a series of beacons along the mountains. One fire is started, and when seen by the sentries on the next mountain, they light their fire, etc. The network of Lesser Antilles defenses was like that, only they used flags. The fort’s position was fortuitous. Due to the prevailing wind and sea conditions, it was nearly impossible to pull into the bay without being within range of the guns at the fort. For those rare instances when it might be pulled off, there was a smaller battery of cannons on the southern shore of the bay.

We hiked up East Cabrit, viewing additional ruins along the way, those left to the forest. Dr. Honeychurch was just talking about how they’re always finding stuff on the ground, like grape shot and such, when Dave looked down and picked up what turned out to be the trigger lock for a musket. Wowza! He presented it to a very grateful Dr. Honeychurch, who later cleaned it up and brought it to the final rendezvous dinner to thank Dave in front of everyone and let him get a picture with it all nice and clean.

Not only did Fort Shirley play a role in the war between the British and French, it also played a roll in changing the size of the island of Dominica. The Cabrits, twin mountains volcanically formed, used to be a separate island from Dominica, separated by a stretch of water with volcanic rock below the surface. When the British denuded the Cabrits for the fort, and also an expanse of land opposite on the mainland for farming and sugar cane, years of runoff deposited enough soil over the submerged volcanic rock to join the Cabrits to the mainland. This low-lying area is mostly marshland and until recently was also part of the National Park, as was Douglas Bay abutting it. Sadly, Douglas Bay and the marshlands were removed from the National Park area this past June and the land sold for the construction of a marina that, according to Dr. Honeychurch, is destined to fail because of the underlying volcanic rock and the sea swell that enters that bay. Of course, the land is not owned by a Dominican but rather some wealthy dude from some other country. 😠

We got back to the PAYS pavilion with only about 30 minutes to eat lunch and prepare for the 3:00 pm Indian River tour, but PAYS graciously moved the start time to 3:30. Phew! The three of us going on that next tour raced back to our boats, sucked down lunch and made it back to PAYS in record time.

A bunch of us loaded into five boats and headed for the Indian River. We quickly took a left up a side branch that took us to the set of Calypso’s hut from Pirates of the Caribbean 2. The set was built by locals for the movie and left to them afterward for tourism purposes. You can’t go inside, but it’s neat to see from the water. Then we turned around for the main river again. Only rowing is allowed along the river, starting just before that side branch to the movie set. Our rower was Kelvin, who told us a lot about the history, flora and fauna of the river. We saw rock crabs and doctor crabs, egrets, three types of herons, kingfishers, and even jacko parrots in flight. Hurricane Maria in 2017 changed the river. Many of the old-growth trees, that used to form an enclosed overhead archway across the river, were blown down, opening most of the river to direct sunlight. Hopefully, over time, that natural archway will reform. The hurricane also made the river shallower when landslides and runoff filled it in. The tour goes about a mile up the main river, stopping at the Bush Bar, owned by one of the Indian River Tour operators/PAYS member. It was a lovely trip, so peaceful, with only the sounds of nature, the splash of the oars, and the soft talking of us tourists. We spoke in quiet tones for the most part; it just seemed appropriate for the setting. It was a glorious way to spend the afternoon. 

That night’s dinner was lionfish, courtesy of the local fishermen and a few Salty Dawgs who opted for the lionfish dive that morning. Lionfish, though beautiful, is an invasive species to the Eastern Caribbean and Atlantic Ocean, with no predators other than humans. Their appetite for reef fish is voracious and they reproduce quickly, an unfortunate combination. Fortunately, they’re easy to spear, the poisonous spines are not difficult to remove (I’m told), and they are good eating. Our lionfish fillets were accompanied by breadfruit salad, green salad, and baked banana. It was another delicious meal! It was also movie night, featuring… Can you guess? Pirates of the Caribbean 2! We didn’t make it through the whole movie, but we did see the part with Calypso’s hut. 😁

Day 6- Nature Island Water World Tour

As the name implies, we visited several water features this day. We started with Titou Gorge, another Pirates 2filming site. We swam through the gorge a short distance to some falls, though I didn’t make it all the way; the current was much too strong. I was able to lean around the corner of rock from the quiet side and snap a picture of the falls, though. We had lunch nearby, then continued to Trafalgar Falls, an easy walk to a pair of lovely waterfalls. We then went to the Roseau Valley Hot Spring Baths. Dave and I were expecting natural springs, but what we found was a series of cement pools with the hot spring water piped into them on a private owner’s land. The charge to use the pools was $10 US each. The water was warm, but not hot tub hot. Still, it was nice, because it had been raining on us off and on all day, and the water at the Gorge had been chilly, so the springs warmed us up a bit. It was nice to try once, but I wouldn’t go back to those “hot springs” again. The tour was supposed to include going to Champagne Beach to snorkel the underwater fumaroles. Two of the vans, ours included, were tired of getting in and out of the water and decided not to go. Besides the snorkeling conditions weren’t great for seeing much. Instead, our driver took us home via the Roseau botanical garden and some lovely views.

Dinner was the regular Wednesday night BBQ of chicken, rice and salad. However, this evening we were treated to a Mardi Gras performance by a local youth organization. Their homemade costumes and their sheer joy of the dance was infectious. They got many of us dancing as well. 

Day 7- Community Service

This was a day for the Dawgs to give back to the community. There were three volunteer activities to choose from. Dave & I joined the painting group. About 7 of us painted the two main exterior walls of a building that houses a nonprofit that teaches women sewing and craft skills so they can make a living with them. We painted between bouts of light rain. We didn’t quite finish, because the ladder we needed for the higher parts showed up a little late. Four of us went back the following morning to finish, though. 

The evening brought the final, farewell appreciation dinner. This one was funded by PAYS and catered by one of their female members. Dinner was delicious! There were a couple of speakers there who thanked us for our attendance and interest in Dominica, and hoped we would return. Then there was music and dancing, which we did indulge in for a while. This was our final event together, so it was bittersweet. Many would leave within the next two days to continue their cruising north or south. We thoroughly enjoyed the rendezvous and hope we will be able to attend next year’s. We certainly hope to encounter our new friends as we continue to explore the Eastern Caribbean over the next few years.

My cousins would join us the following day and we would continue to explore Dominica for a few days together, before we all headed to Guadeloupe. I will tell you about our two weeks together next time. 

Until then, stay safe and take care of each other!

The Salty Dawg Rendezvous started the evening of February 13^th with a welcome dinner at the PAYS pavilion. Despite the 2-3 weeks’ worth of uncooperative sea conditions, about 21 boats made it to the rendezvous. They don’t call them “salty” dawgs for nothing. We are so glad that we made the effort to get to this rendezvous. We had an amazing time and made many new friends. 

PAYS (Portsmouth Association of Yacht Security) coordinated with the Salty Dawg organization to host this event, but PAYS developed the itinerary. Each day offered 1-3 tour options led by PAYS guides, and the evenings found us gathering at the PAYS pavilion or Cabrit Cruise Ship pavilion for dinner, music and dancing. Most of us who were in Dominica for the first time opted to join every tour, so Dave and I were quite busy the entire week. We did so much over six days that I couldn’t possibly retain everything I learned about the island and its culture, but I can give you an overview.

I want to tell you a little about PAYS [link], first. Dominica was not a very safe place for cruisers to visit in the 90s and early 2000s. The government wasn’t particularly interested in doing anything about this, so a small group of local tour guides took things into their own hands and established PAYS, with the overarching goal of ensuring cruisers felt welcomed and safe. They operate at Prince Rupert Bay, outside the town of Portsmouth, on the NW side of Dominica. All members are trained and registered tour guides, and many also own other businesses like a taxi service or restaurant. Over time, they have built what we saw while we were there- an office and attached pavilion where they host BBQs every Wednesday and Sunday from December-May, a good dinghy dock, showers & bathrooms (not the greatest), a mooring field, and they take it in turns to patrol the mixed mooring field/anchorage at night. 

This is a well-run business. You always know who the PAYS members are because their boats are clearly marked and they proudly display their tour guide credentials. They are incredibly helpful, very pleasant, and eager to share their knowledge and love of their island. Yes, they do this to bring in money, but they are not pushy, at least we didn’t find them to be so. Someone might stop by if they see you aboard and ask if you need a ride, water, fuel, tour, etc., but if the answer is “no, thank you,” they move on. We found their prices to be reasonable. Moorings are $12 US per night, with a slightly better deal if you pay for a whole week. Tours that are 6-8 hours run about $60 US for the driver/guide, although there are often other fees, but those are paid directly to whoever established the fee, like the government or a landowner; they were in the $5-$10 US range. We spent more than anticipated, but it was money well spent, and we couldn’t have done anything close for the same price tag in the US or any other developed nation.

Back to the fun stuff- what we DID.

Day 1- Welcome dinner

The welcome dinner occurred during the weekly Saturday BBQ, so there were more than just Salty Dawgs attending. We were welcomed by PAYS and an overview of the week was given by the Dawgs volunteer coordinator, Mary. Dinner was BBQ chicken, rice and salad, a recurring theme to our meals, with endless rum punch. I guess the punch fueled the dancing. We only stayed for a little bit of the dancing because the next day was an early, all-day tour and we wanted to be rested.   

Day 2- Northern Treasures Tour

Guess which part of the island this tour covered 😉. Our driver/guide was Marlon, a fairly new guide with a good knowledge of local plants that he was also eager to expand. As we drove to our first stop, Marlon gave us a little history; he’s still learning that, too. Our first stop was for a hike to Chaudière Pool. Since this crossed someone’s private land, we paid $10 US each for that, but it also got us an additional guide called Anit, who knows the area and flora very well. She and Marlon pointed out various plants along the trail and told us about their uses, both as food and medicine, we even sampled some. Marlon learned a lot from Anit along the way. 

The pool was lovely and both Dave and I changed into swimsuits to bathe in it, and I mean bathe. Anit had collected soap leaf en route and showed us to crush it up, mix it with some water and rub it over our skin. Darned if it didn’t create a little green lather. It felt refreshing, too, though that may have just been the cool water 😁. On the way back, Anit brought us down off the road to her farm and gave us some of the very sweet, tiny bananas I have forgotten the name of, as well as some sugar cane. She was lovely. 

After Chaudière Pool, we had lunch in Calabishe. It was delicious and very big! We then went to the Sea Cliff Gin Distillery for a free tour and tasting (yes, free for anyone, so far). We then made a quick stop at Red Rocks ($2 US per person), thus named because of the iron oxide in the volcanic rocks that form them. The rock is very soft, which surprised me. Our final stop for the day was at the Pointe Baptiste Chocolate Factory ($20 EC per group). It’s a small operation that started in the couple’s kitchen and expanded to a lower level and behind their house. They produce about 2 tons of chocolate a year, all sold locally. It is dark chocolate flavored with local plant products. Even better, we got to taste as many of the 20 different flavors as we wanted. We left with only two bars, but we bought two more when we returned another day with our visiting family. Yum! 

Dinner that night was a fundraiser for the local cancer society and was served at the Cabrits Cruise Ship dock. It was well-catered and consisted of chicken and fish options, rice, salad, and a couple of other starchy sides (local root vegetables). Too tired for dancing that night! We did not stay long after finishing the meal.

Day 3- Kalinago Territory Tour

This day started with a 2-hour drive across the island to the east side. Our driver/guide was “Uncle Sam.” As we crossed the island he told us a bunch of its history, described the little towns and villages we passed through, pointed out various plants, and told us about the international airport being built by the Chinese. Once we arrived in the Kalinago village, a local guide took over. The information I provide below is partly from the tour, but also from a Dominican history website [link].

The Kalinago, formerly referred to as the Caribs, are the original inhabitants of the island, believed to have arrived from South America. Their history on the island goes back to about 1000 A.D. Today’s Kalinago are the last remaining descendants, most now of mixed heritage. In the not so distant past, they kept themselves to themselves, separate from the rest of the island’s society. As our guide told us this day, however, that is changing and they are integrating more, some even choosing not to live in the territory. 

Theirs is a familiar story, their simple life in harmony with nature was disrupted by the arrival of Christopher Columbus and later, European settlers, with whom they fought. They eventually escaped to the less hospitable eastern side of the island where, in 1763, the British gave them their first, dedicated 232 acres of land. In 1903, the territory was expanded to 3700 acres spanning about 8 miles of the east coast. The original name of Dominica, Waitukubuli, was from their language. It means “tall is her body,” referencing her volcanic mountains.

There are eight villages in the Kalinago territory. We visited their model village, Kalinago Barana Aute. I read that they offer a variety of other tours. Perhaps we’ll do one on our next visit. They are self-governing, with a democratically elected chief and council, but they work in cooperation with the Dominican government and have a representative there. Like most indigenous cultures in the world, they struggle to maintain their culture and traditions, striving to pass them on to younger generations, while also trying to integrate to some extent with modern society. In the case of the Kalinago, they have started to prioritize a rounded education as well as good health care. While they continue to value and practice organic agricultur, and continue their weaving and other crafts, which bring income, they are also looking toward ecotourism and other opportunities. 

As he spoke, our guide led us along a well-groomed trail through this model village with some stunning views. We ended with a simple lunch and the opportunity to peruse and purchase some of their crafts. If I had room on the boat for one of their gorgeous baskets, or thought I could get it back to the US safely, I would have purchased one. Instead, I bought a lovely necklace and matching pair of earrings made of white and red seeds.

We returned to the west side of the island, and that evening enjoyed a dinner of “Caribbean Flavors.” This included salt cod, roasted bananas and breadfruit, green papaya, and cucumber and cabbage salad. For “dessert,” there was cocoa tea, a wonderfully flavorful combination of local cocoa, cinnamon, nutmeg and coconut milk. Delicious! After two long, tiring, exciting days in a row, we did not stay for the music and dancing.

I’m going to stop here for now, since you’ve had to read so much already. I’ll finish up describing the rendezvous and tours in Dominica- part 3, which I’ll post in a few days. 

Until then, stay safe and take care of each other!