Dominica

First thing we learned is how to correctly pronounce the name of the island: Dom - i - NEEK - a (not Doe- MIN - i - ca). It’s known as the Nature Island. We quickly came to appreciate this, as our “adventure travel hotel” hosts put us through our paces, while we gamely tried to explore a LOT of the island in our first 6 days with them.

Our first day of hiking was deep along a hillside. Can you spot the cow that was tethered there? Most trails on the island are narrow, muddy and steep. In fact, I posted a review on Trip Advisor entitled “Steps, mud and wow!”

We also snorkeled at several places, and this was one black sand beach that we enjoyed -

On a hike that same day, I made a new friend:

The next day we headed to Scott’s Head, which is the southernmost point of the island, and was cool because the Caribbean Sea (on the left) and Atlantic ocean (on the right) were only separated by a narrow spit of land.

Dominica is characterized by sharp peaks and lush vegetation (even though Hurricane Maria literally stripped it bare of every single leaf in Sept. 2017, with 220 mph winds).

You can almost visualize the sunken caldera that formed this bay:

So….the next day, we hiked to Middleham Falls, and here’s where the mud and steps and wow! came in.

I had been warned by our guide that the trip was relatively strenuous, and most likely muddy. He encouraged me to walk through the stream at the beginning of the hike, to get my socks and shoes wet, and then I wasn’t so put off by all the “squishy” mud we slogged through (up over our shoe tops) on all the steps leading to the waterfall - yes, those logs were the “steps”.

Part of the trail became one of the creeks that fed into our goal.

I got so far out of my comfort range on this hike, but then was so rewarded:

The wind blowing off that pool from the force of the water falling 200 ft. was amazing.

We had never swum in a waterfall pool before. What a blast!

OK - next day… we were taken in a small motorboat to see several sights that you can only get to by water, as well as to snorkel.

the light green patch in the water was a snorkel and dive spot called Split Rock

Secret Beach was a cool little spot all to ourselves -

On our way back to the dock, at the end of another long day, these fine feathered friends were just hanging out in the harbor amongst all the boats anchored there. They, and I, bid you farewell until our next posting.