Back in Dominica

We had a great motor/sail back to Dominica winds were just off the bow at 16 to 21 knots and gusts to26 we did not encounter a single squall that was forecast. The winds and waves were what we expected and we didn't even get too salty. We arrived about 4:00 after an eight hour sail. When we checked into Customs the next morning we met a nice young German couple. I do mean young! So young we had to ask how they were able to be here sailing. It turns out the boat is the fathers and the son and father sailed it from Germany. The son Boran is on the boat for one year after his graduation from university and Micah, his girlfriend, is here for two weeks with him. She is still in university and working as well. You meet some interesting people every where. We talked to them about an Isalnd tour and they set it up and the boat boy picked us up on Friday at noon for a half day. What a lovely couple they were. 

We started off in a mini van just the four of us with Winston, the guide. He is an older guy who has lots of info on the nature of this island. Just before we turned off the main road Winston said "don't be scared this is a two lane road" when actually it was one lane barely as wide as a narrow driveway and wound it's way up the mountain side. The interesting thing was that it was paved the whole way. When we did meet another vehicle going the other way we'd both slow down and swerve to the side and each driver would say "y'all right! it's okay brother" then drive on. Our first stop was in a park with lovely walking trails in a beautiful forest The trees were so tall and completely shady at ground level. These three pictures are Brian beside one 

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As we walked through we could hear a lot of birds and the island is known for rare parrots. Although we did not see any parrots close enough to identify we were told if you heard a parrot and saw a bird fly then indeed you saw a parrot! 

Then we proceeded to a plantation farming area. It was many acres of individual farm plots where people did the farming but no one lived in the area. We were able to sample some oranges and grapefruit. But only after finding a person we could buy from. Signs were all around warning of stealing the produce! We saw bananas, pineapple, oranges, grapefruit, coffee beans, cinnamon, nutmeg, cocoa, lemon grass, ginger root, mangoes,papaya, dasheen and probably more I've forgotton. This is some of our bounty from the trip. 

The next stop was a hike into Syndicate Falls. It was great walk through more plantation fields and then into a rocky path and across a small stream and finally to the waterfall. No I didn't fall once. The way the path led us and you are carefully looking down picking your steps over boulders and you really didn't know you were so close until you were right there. What a beautiful surprise to look up and see a 80 foot waterfall appear. Boran and Micha went for a dip but Brian and I stayed back and watched. What a lovely day ..... Valentines day and all.