In what has been almost three months in the West Indies, we have
visited 11 diffferent islands[1].
Each has its particular charms to offer, and there are those to which we will
return and those where once is enough. Of these, though, none has captivated us
in quite the manner as has Dominica. It is green, serene and placid yet filled
with wonders. Volcanic black soil beaches are bountiful, isolated and unsullied, lapped by cerulean waters.
Fresh water is abundant, which is almost miraculous in the Caribbean.
The air smells of
nutmeg. Blooming Birds of Paradise are everywhere, and the parrot, which appears on the national flag, soars majestically. There are no mosquitoes to speak of. The
island is free of predatory animals including snakes. Waterfalls are everywhere, pouring from the mountains, which are almost always mired in rain clouds
while the rest of the island bathes in sun.
Disney chose this island to film
many of the scenes in the Pirates of the
Caribbean movies, clearly because it offered vistas that even the best CG
artists couldn’t replicate.
 |
| Look familiar? Watch Pirates of the Caribbean II |
As I write this it is mid February. We arrived at the end of
January and each time we think to pull anchor, we awake to the incredible
sights and sounds of this paradise, and ask ourselves, “why?”. Where could we possibly go next that would
present a more glorious setting in which to
experience our retirement? Forgive me, then, if many of the posts to
follow are about Dominica.
We hired several locals on the advice of sailors we met along the way. The first of these, Martin, introduced us to some of the treasures that comprise this magical place.
 |
| Martin Carrietere, botanist and guide and now, dear friend |
Martin, a native Dominican , obtained a
botany degree in Trinidad and returned to his home to become a guide and share
his knowledge of the miraculous curative bounty that is the flora and fauna on this island.
As he took us on mountain hikes, he would pull plants and describe for us the
manner in which they are used: for healing wounds, stopping fevers, reducing arthritic conditions,
soothing burns, curing migraines and incidentally, providing longevity. The longest living human being on record, Dominican Elizabeth
“Ma Pampo” Israel, died at 128. During
our stay, we have repeatedly run into people who proudly tell us their age, and
we are aghast at their state of preservation and vitality. The lifespan in
Dominica is in fact, longer than in the United States, and they have more centenarians
than anywhere in the western hemisphere. (see: http://www.avirtualdominica.com/project/dominica-centenarians/)
It is clear to us that Ponce De Leon
landed on the wrong shore. His fountain was here, within these shores.
 |
| Atop Red Rocks (800 feet above the bay below) |
[1] St
Thomas, Tortola, Norman Island, Peter Island, Cooper Island, Jost Van Dyke,
Virgin Gorda, Anegada, Marina Cay, Antigua, Dominica
