Dominica 2

The next morning we are all still with small eyes ready for our next day full of adventure. Last night everyone went to bed immediately upon returning to the boat and we all slept very soundly. Our guide Kish has a hilarious sense of humour and is already waiting for us with a broad smile. Besides her love for the island of Dominica, Kish can’t stop talking about Caribbean “sausages”.

In addition to the lakes, towering mountains, rivers, canyons, flora, fauna and fascinating sites that characterise Dominica, Dominica also has a number of areas where geothermal activity is exhibited. Dominica’s nine active volcanoes are; Morne au Diable, Morne Trois Pitons, Morne Diablotins, Morne Watts, Morne Anglais, Wotten Waven Caldera, Valley of Desolation, Grande Soufriere Hills and Morne Plat Pays.

Cold Soufriere

The Cold Soufrière is a volcanic crater in Morne Aux Diables where sulfuric water bubbles up from the crater. What makes this area unique is that the water in all the pools is cold and there are no openings in the earth’s crust that spew steam or hot gases out of the ground. Furthermore, the Cold Soufrière has the same characteristics as other hot springs and the (cold) sulfur gas is not lacking, the rock formation is characterized by gray, white and porous claystone. Acidic sulfur water seeps almost eerily from the ground and trickles in small streams or hisses from between the rocks.

Bwa Neff waterfall

It takes about 35 minutes to hike to the waterfall. You pass banana plantations and dense jungle where we spot land crabs. The tall waterfall is in a small canyon, tucked away from view until you are right in front of it. Rays of light, coming around boulders wedged between the rock walls above you, shine down through the water.

Ruins on Hampstead territory

These ruins of a former sugar mill are located along the coast road close to Hampstead Beach. There are several buildings, overgrown with creepers and fig trees and dotted with red ginger flowers. Half taken back by nature, it’s an eerily beautiful place to wander and check out the old machines. The abandoned estate is next to the Hampstead River. Sugar cane did not perform well in Dominica, mainly due to the fact that it rains more than average on Dominica and the soil remained too wet.

Hampstead beach

As we continue along the north coast of Dominica, we see a wooden sign taped to a tree at the edge of the road, and the words “Batibou Beach” are painted in blue. In smaller letters it says admission is $5 per person. The beach is on Hampstead estate, once a lime plantation, now a family owned plot of land owned by the Douglas family. The $5 we pay to Jacqueline and Irma who run the Batibou area. If you’ve seen Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, you surely remember the classic scene where Jack Sparrow was chased across the beach by a tribe of fierce natives. The dramatic scene was filmed on Hampstead Beach, a remote spot on the island’s Atlantic coast, and has made this beach famous. The black beach is surrounded by thickets of trees and coconut palms. The waves of the sea, the warm water, the black sand and the green trees provide a lot of fun and beautiful shots. 

Goat farm

Tim Roberts and Lauren Dean came to Dominica seven years ago and established Blackbeard’s Dairy. It is a small-scale cozy goat dairy farm, with five happy goats, where milking is still done manually. Lauren has mastered the art of creating goat cheese. For the people of Dominica, it took some getting used to the taste of the goat cheese, but restaurants and the locals are all over it. After we have been able to taste a number of them, we are also around and buy a number of cheeses.

Chocolate factory

The Pointe Baptiste estate has been owned by Alan’s grandparents since the 1930s. Island life is a constant balancing act between settling for what’s available and pining for items that are out of reach. Alan experienced this first hand. He grew up in Pointe Baptiste, but also spent time in England and France. And it was in France where he developed his love for fine chocolate. Once he returned to Dominica, he longed for the more exceptional chocolate he had enjoyed in Europe. But the slow pace of transportation, the Caribbean climate, and other issues made it nearly impossible to buy and stock any European chocolate. Rather than settle for the mass-produced, overly sugary bars available on the island, Alan took matters into his own hands. Literal! Nine years ago, Alan began studying the art of the pastry chef, built a few small drying racks, and began handcrafting small batches of 80% dark chocolate from cocoa grown on the Pointe Baptiste estate. Alan never intended to be a chocolatier, he just wanted to eat quality chocolate. Who doesn’t want this? It wasn’t long before friends, neighbors and those lucky enough to hear what Alan was making stopped by and asked if they could buy his creations. What started as a small, personal passion grew into a success with fervent buyers. Alan makes various types of chocolate with different flavours. The cocoa grows, in the rich volcanic soil around the factory… and you can taste that! So, we all left with six bars of chocolate.

Red Rock

The abundance of volcanic activity manifests itself on the island in a variety of ways, but perhaps no manifestation is more unique than the scenery found at Red Rocks. Dominica has been shaped and reshaped by the volcanoes on her island. Just east of what is now Calibishie, in the far north of the island, something else happened. Here, a fast-moving lava flow poured down from the Northern Forest Reserve, instantly igniting everything in its path. Nothing could stop this lava flow: nothing, that is, until the lava flow poured straight into the sea and cut Grand Baptiste Bay off from Calibishie Bay, as the ocean boiled and raised a huge cloud of steam. What was left behind was a slate gray peninsula rich in basalt. Basalt, which is rich in iron, began to oxidize over time. It just rusted, thanks to the sun and the ever-present sea water. The slate gray peninsula changes to a golden ocher color that gives the Red Rocks its name. Polished by the persistent trade winds and the sea water, the gold and ocher colored rocks have become smooth. Short evergreen shrubs cling to the cliffs. These bushes have also become gnarled by the elements, adding to the otherworldly landscape. The sun slowly sets and we drive on to a fantastic restaurant Poz. Here we enjoyed a delicious meal while enjoying a rum punch. Tired and satisfied, Kish drops us off at our dinghy dock around 9:30 am. Tomorrow we can sleep in an hour longer and we will start at 8.00 am. Sleep well everyone.