Dominica

Thanks to a WhatsApp group, I got in touch with a captain who is leaving for Guadeloupe in a few days. Yohann, the captain, bought a little sailboat in Martinique and is bringing it back home to Guadeloupe. He is stopping in Dominica on the way and is willing to take passengers. One phone call later, the departure is scheduled for the day after tomorrow, just before a depression hits. We quickly prepare, and on this Sunday morning, after being dropped off by Pelle, a guest from the hostel, we arrive at Lamentin and meet Yohann. We waste no time and start preparing the boat. Once the water jugs are filled, we cast off towards Roseau, the capital of Dominica. It’s a small 10-meter sailboat, no electricity, no kitchen, 2 cabins, really nothing like the conditions I had during the Atlantic crossing. Yohann is super cool; he lets us take the helm, and Illusion, the boat, is easy to steer. Around noon, we enter the bay of St. Pierre, in the north of Martinique. The weather is good, the timing is right, so we head towards the canal between the two islands. Very quickly, we feel the difference. We encounter big swells from the Atlantic that make the boat rock quite a bit. We made the mistake of not eating anything in the morning (we left too early), and we got a bit overheated on board, which creates a rather unpleasant mix. My stomach is bloated, but with a little Reggae, it gets better!

We sailed past the island’s coast early in the evening and continued our navigation, this time protected by the land. Since Yohann had to take care of the Clearance (arrival papers) in Portsmouth, to the north of the island, we headed in that direction during the night. Emma and I were exhausted, so we decided to rest at the point while Yohann brought Illusion safely to port. By early morning, we found ourselves in Portsmouth Bay! We struggled a bit to anchor because the engine was overheating and we couldn’t use it. Thus, we sailed around the moored boats trying to lower the anchor into the water. We then headed to the beach with the dinghy (obviously deflated), and that’s when the paperwork trouble began. To keep it simple, Yohann had forgotten a document from his last trip, which caused some issues. As for Emma and me, everything was fine. We hadn’t eaten in 24 hours, so we decided to stop at a small snack bar and thanked Yohann before parting ways. Exhausted, we gave up on hitchhiking and took a shared minibus with 12 people (we were quite cramped) that took us to Roseau. We found an Airbnb at the last minute for 2 nights to recover and organize ourselves. After a royal meal (pasta, lentils, and ketchup), we went to bed surrounded by the remains of mosquitoes we had killed earlier that evening. After a good night’s sleep, we headed into town to do some shopping. We bought food for the day and supplies for our hike: biscuits, cakes, and cereal bars; we were ready! In town, we met Sacha, a friend from Martinique. We exchanged numbers, and once our shopping was finished, we returned to the Airbnb to relax and eat. We sorted our bags (which were still too heavy, by the way) and left the surplus with Corinne, who runs a bar/inn a bit higher up. After another good night’s sleep, we headed to the southern tip of the island: Scott’s Head. We walked quite a bit but managed to get a ride from a Dominican and an American who would take us to our final destination. During our conversation, we learned about a great snorkeling spot there. Soon enough, we found ourselves in the water, and as promised, the spot was magnificent. Full of different species of fish, plenty of corals, and we even saw a young turtle wandering nearby. We continued our marine hike, and on the way back, the sea gifted us with an eagle ray! It’s a ray with a beak-like head, just like an eagle. The last time I saw one was in Tahiti four years ago! After we got out of the water, we relaxed with a local who rented us a mask and snorkel to grab a drink. A small homemade planter, good music, and we were dancing in front of his little table where he sold magnets and other souvenirs. We spent the whole day with him and also met a captain I had already chatted with on WhatsApp. This was the same captain I mentioned to Zoé and Cloé, two friends from the hostel who wanted to go to Colombia. We hit it off well, discussing boats and his journey. He’d love to have Emma and me on board, why not? Nothing is certain on either side at the moment, but we’ll keep that in mind. We had a bite to eat with Emma before setting up our hammocks under a large carbet at the entrance of the peninsula.

But in fact, what are we doing in Dominica? What is this hike that we want to do? The Waitukubuli National Trail. A hike in 14 sections that starts from the southernmost part of the island (Scott’s Head) and goes to the north of the island. We pass through humid forests, dry forests, jungle, mountains, the Atlantic and Caribbean coasts. 185 km of trail, often in poor condition due to rapidly growing vegetation.

We set off for a hike!!! Section 1, here we come!

We quickly ascend the heights of Scott’s Head, feeling the heat and needing to take regular breaks to hydrate. Along the path, we find mango trees, breadfruit trees, banana trees, and papayas… Unfortunately, it’s not the right season for mangoes. The first section ends at the sulfur baths (hot springs). Since it’s early afternoon, we decide to keep walking. We follow this orange river and take a splash in a made-up pool. The water is so hot that we don’t stay in it very long. We’ve spotted a hut on the map about a 40-minute walk away, which seems like a good camping spot. Upon arrival, we find a local cooking who doesn’t seem very pleased to be disturbed in his solitude. Okay, it’s not a big deal; we push on to the next village, but once there, we realize there isn’t much. A few houses, some water points (which is cool because we can fill our bottles) but nothing to sleep or eat. We continue a bit more, convinced we’ll find a place to sleep. We’ve already made good progress on section 2 and come across a spot that will do just fine: three triangular trees spaced well apart for our hammocks. We settle in, eat, but as we’re quite the amateurs, we forgot it rained at night. Even though we’re supposed to be in the dry season, it seems like Dominica has been exempted. Rain quickly starts pouring down, and we have to pack our things up hurriedly. So, what do we do now? There’s nothing around, maybe a hut on the trek if we continue? Let’s do that. We’re exhausted and just want to dry off. But luck is on our side! After an hour of walking in the jungle with our headlamps, we come across a road. And houses! We have a quick chat with a lady, and she tells us to go ask at the police station a bit further down. We head down to the village, arrive at the police station, and explain our situation to the officer on duty at that moment. He seems a bit surprised but calls his chief to discuss our case with him. The chief arrives five minutes later, and as soon as he does, we can tell he’s a cool guy who will help us. We were right! He tells us to set up in a prison under construction. We can hang our hammocks between the bars. We even get access to the police station’s showers (hot showers, please), toilets, and a charging outlet for our devices. We clean ourselves up and then head off to sleep in our luxury hotel. The next morning, a quick trip to the village to find sandwiches and cash! We then warmly thank our hosts and head back onto the Waitukubuli! The path continues through fields of dasheen (a type of edible root), bananas, papayas, and more. We then branch off into the jungle, and the rain arrives at the same time. We make good progress, and upon reaching the village of Tête Morne, we’re approached in the street by a man who calls out, « Hola amigos! Hablas español? » Claro que sí! We start chatting in Spanish, and I then ask him if we can sleep under his house. It sounds strange, but you should know that most houses are on stilts, leaving space underneath. No problem for him; it’s a bit of a mess, but we don’t mind at all. We settle in and then see someone passing by with a large hiking backpack. A fellow hiker! We call out to him, and it turns out that Hassan (that’s his name) is also hiking the Waitukubuli. We invite him to hang his hammock with ours for the night, and then we gather at our host’s house to cook instant noodles. His house is very rudimentary; he’s still repairing it after the hurricane in 2019. Everything takes time on the islands. Nevertheless, we manage to cook a simple meal and then head down to have dessert with Hassan. Chocolate bars and cookies!

The next day, our new group sets out for the next stop: Hotten Waven, where we’ll stay for a few nights waiting for NJ to join us. The start of the hike goes well; we walk on a paved road before entering the jungle. And that’s another story. The path is obstructed by trunks, branches, and landslides. It has been raining since we left, turning the dirt path into mud. We move slowly and cautiously, but despite our vigilance, there are slips and falls. Nothing serious, but it slows us down quite a bit. We get a chance to swim in a river, taking a moment to catch our breath and do a quick check of our injuries. Nothing serious; my big toe hurts, but it will pass (spoiler: it won’t). We don’t linger because night is approaching, and we want to arrive not too late. Once at the bottom, we have to go back up, right? Well, that’s exactly what awaits us! A steep climb, still in the rain. We forget about the rain and the pain, switching to Supersayan mode. We climb so quickly that we stop paying attention to the path and take a wrong turn. It takes more than that to stop us. We do a 180 and dash off again! After many mishaps, slips, and frights, we finally arrive at the village of Morne Prosper, about an hour’s walk from our destination for the day. We wait out heavy rain before galloping off again, this time with headlamps since night has already fallen. The path is in the same condition as before the village, and upon arriving at Hotten Waven, I step onto the road and whoosh, down I go! Nothing serious, but it clearly shows our state of exhaustion upon arrival. We head to the Guest House « Le petit paradis, » right across from the end of the trail. We book a night in a hammock, dinner, and breakfast, and after a nice (cold, can’t get used to luxury) shower, we meet Hassan, who has just arrived. A well-deserved aperitif follows, and we all dine together on fresh local products expertly cooked by mama. We are completely wiped out. After four days of disconnection, I receive all the messages at once. That can wait until tomorrow; now it’s time to sleep.

Late wake-up, late breakfast, then off to mass. It’s Sunday, right? To be honest, we heard the rehearsals last night and thought it would be fun. We settle into the small room and immediately the speakers blast loud music. We’re not at a rave, but the mass is celebrated with drums, a bassist, 2 pianists, 4 choirs, and a singer. It truly feels like a concert. People are singing (screaming) for the glory of Jesus. They are literally in a trance. And what about us? We are amazed by the situation. I’ll skip the details, but after 2 hours of shouting into the microphones, I’ve had my fill. I go for a walk in the village and then return to settle in for the rest of the day. We do some research for the next part of the hike and spend a second night at the guest house. The next morning, breakfast, then we pack our bags. It rains all the time here, it’s crazy. NJ takes a bus and arrives around 4 PM in Hotten Waven. She joins us, and we set off directly to reach the village of Laudat. It takes about 1 and a half hours. Upon arriving in the village, we discover that there isn’t much here; we should be used to it by now. We set out in search of accommodation, which leads us to Aidi, a local we meet at the nearby grocery store. We spend the night in a cabin he is currently remodeling. It is very exposed to the wind and rain, but we have no better option, so we take it! The night was short for some, rough for others; in short, we didn’t sleep well. NJ takes the opportunity to sort through her bag. We remove all the excess and keep only the essentials. Nothing worse than hiking with a heavy bag. While passing through the village, we meet a German who has just opened his Airbnb. We leave NJ’s bag with him and then set off towards Fresh Water Lake. This is the largest freshwater lake in Dominica, once a mandatory stop on the route connecting the island from west to east. The lake is partly covered with clouds, so we don’t linger too long. On the way back, we stop by a rasta to grab a drink and a bite to eat, then walk to a shelter/parking area from where section 4 starts. The departure is in a large construction zone. They are building a huge eco-lodge resort to accommodate tourists. The island is preparing to open an international airport in the north within the next few years. This airport is expected to greatly increase tourism on the island, and consequently, the island is slowly preparing to welcome them. In short, we set up our camp and then have a music session with the ukulele. It doesn’t rain at all during the night! This is extremely rare in the center of the island. We get scolded by a guide in the early morning for not being allowed to sleep in the national park. Anyway, let’s get started on section 4!

This section goes through the Mifdleham waterfall, a very large waterfall that descends from a cliff. It’s impressive. From there, it rained heavily all the way. Honestly, a tropical downpour lasting all day is exhausting. We walk through mud, puddles, and rivers; in short, we don’t pay much attention to cleanliness. We move slowly but surely. No one wants to twist an ankle in the jungle. My big toe hurts a lot, and NJ has blisters all over his feet; we make a lovely bunch of broken feet. We press on, eat one or two cereal bars, and drink little. Towards the end of the segment, there was supposed to be a bridge. The famous bridge is missing, and instead, we have to descend into a ravine using old ropes tied to trees. This is no longer hiking; it’s climbing now. We descend steeply, still under the pouring rain, with our heavy backpacks. Now that’s another story: it becomes dangerous. We manage to get through and continue on the path with one eagerness: to arrive and settle somewhere dry. We burst onto the roundabout of Pont Cassé, the central point of the island, and start looking for accommodation. We knock on doors and are directed to a campsite about a twenty-minute walk away. We are warmly welcomed by Dawn, the owner, who has prepared a studio for us for the night. We haven’t eaten anything, but our guardian angel is going to bring us rice, oil, vegetables, and eggs. We’re even going to do a load of laundry! We jump for joy; it’s paradise! We turn the studio into a campsite by spreading our clothes everywhere and finish the evening with a feast. We decide to spend another night here to let our things dry and recover from our hike. We make a round trip to Roseau to buy food and withdraw cash, then return to rest.

We thank Dawn and head towards the famous roundabout. We have an appointment with Sacha, my friend I met in Roseau a few days earlier. We launch into section 5, a section that is mostly done by road. We veer into the jungle for a short hour before arriving at the Emerald Pool, or the emerald pool for the non-bilingual. As soon as we arrive, we jump into the water! The water is super clear and at a perfect temperature. We lounge in the water for a while, then grab a bite to eat under a carbet. The place is beautiful, making you want to spend the night there. But for tonight, Sacha suggests we go to her host (from Couchsurfing) to spend the night. She has been volunteering there for 14 days. I should mention that the guy in question builds houses in the shape of bubbles, it’s really cool! We arrive, dropped off by a pickup truck, on his land. The houses are incredible, the interior just as much! All surrounded by fruit trees and a small river, it’s a dream. But like all dreams, this one has a shadowy side, and that will be our host. At the beginning of the evening, everything was fine, we all had dinner together, chatted, nothing to report. But after he smoked his first joint and had his first drink of rum, he started acting strange. He follows NJ to the bathroom, stares at us while we set up our hammocks, and makes inappropriate remarks. Our weird guy radars start beeping, it doesn’t feel right. Well, there are three of us, my friend has been with him for two weeks so it should be okay. We sleep well (no weird stuff during the night) and the next morning, after breakfast, we pack up quickly. We follow the road to Castle Bruce and arrive on the Atlantic coast of Dominica. Upon arriving in the village, we look for a bar where we can have a drink to cool off. The first place we find turns out to be an inn by the beach. We grab drinks and settle outside to enjoy our beverages. I chat with June, the owner of the establishment, and as the conversation flows, we end up carrying doors in the inn’s basement. In fact, she needed to empty a conference room and clean it, and she needed a hand. We arrive, help her get the room back in order, and to thank us, June sets us up in a room for the night. We settle in and then take a tour of the village. We stumble upon the only open bar and find ourselves chatting with Dominicans over a flavored rum. We get along well and soon we are all dancing with the music blasting! We make a lot of friends and then return to the inn because June has prepared a meal for us. She tells us that she will be presiding over mass tomorrow, and since we have nothing planned, why not? Sunday morning! Mass! At this rate, we’re going to become more regular than some believers. At church, we are greeted by everyone. One by one, they come to wish us welcome, it’s nice. The mass is enjoyable, there’s singing, dancing, and music, much better than in France. June invites us for lunch, along with another backpacker we met at mass. That’s how it is here; we are welcomed with open arms. Sunday afternoon is for napping and errands. I manage to find a guy who opens a small grocery store for me, and on the way back, I spot a backpacker setting up his hammock under a carbet next to the inn. I invite him to the inn for dinner, considering we’ve made ourselves comfortable. We all eat together that evening my signature dish: pasta lentils with tomato sauce. Then we end the evening playing cards with the original group.

Monday, a new week. We start gently with tidying up our things and a big breakfast. We set off around noon towards Bataka in the Kalinago reserve. The Kalinagos, or Caribs, are the indigenous people of the Caribbean Sea (from which they got their name). The descendants of the Kalinagos live only in Dominica. They are not all naked in the jungle but dressed in Western-style like the Dominicans. They just have South American Latino features. The route mainly follows the road, and since it’s raining and we’re feeling lazy, we hitch a ride with every car we see. Eventually, we catch a minibus that drops us at the entrance of the Kalinago village (a village made for tourists). Minibuses are great for getting around because they’re really cheap, go anywhere, and are found everywhere! The vans are more or less in good condition, and everyone gets on and off wherever they want. Arriving at the village, we find something to eat, and since NJ and I are not feeling too well, we decide to spend the night there. There’s a large carbet where they put on shows and we can set up our hammocks. Having slept outdoors, I’ve become accustomed to waking up at the slightest unusual sound or drop of rain. So, at the first few drops, I jump out of the hammock, take it down, and settle on the ground in my sleeping bag to finish the night. It’s not the most comfortable, but it does the job. The next day, we head to Marigot by minibus and stop at a pharmacy to seek advice about my toe. Because in the meantime, it got infected and took on an unsightly greenish color. The pharmacist sends us to the nearby hospital to see a doctor. Off we go to the hospital in Dominica! I expected an old dilapidated building with no one inside, but in the end, we step into a brand new building, full of staff and brand new equipment. Very quickly, we understand that the Chinese built it, like many facilities on the island. Anyway, I see a doctor in 10 minutes who prescribes antibiotics, and after 30 minutes we’re out! Quick, huh? We decide to rest for a few days in Calibishie and then head down to Roseau for Carnival. Calibishie is a village with quite a few amenities: several small supermarkets, an ATM (a very rare thing here), and several restaurants and shops. We find a beachfront bar under construction, and after contacting the owner, we’re allowed to stay here for a few days. There’s water, toilets, and even Wi-Fi! It’s a luxury spot! During these few days, we will spend a lot of time chilling on the beach or at the restaurant not far from our camp. It must be said that the restaurant is right next to the Red Rocks, a seaside area made of red clay. On Saturday, for our last day, we visit a small chocolate factory. The owner is strange, but the tour is nice. For our last evening, we make a small fire on the beach and stay there watching the stars, living the good life.

No mass this Sunday, we have to get to Roseau before nightfall. We catch a ride with a pickup truck, everyone jumps into the back, and we enjoy the scenery along the way. Then the driver’s girlfriend gets dropped off at her place and invites us to hop into her pickup because she’s heading to Roseau as well. However, she’s bringing her whole family along. As a result, we find ourselves with 7 people in the back of the pickup along with a ton of bags and equipment. We’re crammed, and safety isn’t the highest priority, but after an hour on the road, we arrive safe and sound in Roseau. We drop by Corinne’s, the lady with whom we left our belongings, and she finds us a room to sleep for the night. That’s sorted! We have a place to stay. But NJ left a bag in Laudat when he arrived. We’re exhausted, but NJ and I head back out, and after a ride with a reggae singer and another with a Honduran, we return to the accommodation with his bag. We sleep for a few hours because the next morning is carnival! And it starts at 5 AM! At least, that’s what we were told. In reality, it began at 6:30 AM. The people were there, but we didn’t find the atmosphere thrilling. Music blared from the floats, and there were bars everywhere, but few people were dancing in the streets. We head back to rest before returning in the late afternoon. There’s a lot more atmosphere in the evening! We have a great time dancing and enjoying the music. We go back one last time the next day because there’s a costume parade. There are several groups dressed up in beautiful feathered and sequined costumes, it’s absolutely stunning! For us, that’s the best day of the carnival!

The plan to go to Panama with the captain met at Scott’s Head seems to be falling through, so we are slowly starting to look for a sailboat to reach the mainland, but without success for now. We have time, so we’re heading back north to explore this area where we have spent less time. We stop at Colihaut, on the west coast of the island. We set up camp under a restaurant and then swim! We take a moment to chat in the morning with NJ and Emma: we are going to part ways for a few days and will meet again in 2 days at Vielle Case, on the northern tip of Dominica. I head back on the Waitukubuli trail, on section 10. This is an easier section, with less elevation gain and shorter distance. Arriving at Estate Park, there is a small 30-minute loop with a viewpoint over the national park that is home to the two species of parrots found on the island: the Sisserou, the emblem of Dominica that is rarely seen, and the Jacko, which is easier to spot. I’m lucky because I’ve seen the Sisserou several times! Several parrots showed up while I was at the viewpoints. I then continue the section until Picard, south of Portsmouth. On the way, I spot an agouti, a small mammal that lives on the island. I find a spot to sleep in a closed beach bar, with the owners’ permission, of course. I shower with a hose and then go grab a bite to eat. The next day, I walk to Portsmouth where I take a minibus to go to Paix Bouche, a village where I can join the Trail. The path is in terrible condition: I walk through plants for about twenty minutes, all while the ground is slick and muddy. Luckily, it’s not a long section. I arrive early in the afternoon at Vielle Case. I go to see a beach where a scene from Pirates of the Caribbean was filmed, but I don’t recognize the spot; I’ll have to do some research. Following that, I find a guy with whom I can set up my hammock, then I head out of the village to swim in a sea pool. I meet the Leblanc family, who have a very French-sounding name, living just nearby. They are Dominicans, but one of their ancestors from the 18th century was French, so they kept his last name. I get invited for drinks and meet the whole family: the grandmother, the children, and the cousins. We have a great time, then I return to my host’s place. I meet up with the girls the next day at the meetup point and we head towards the west coast. We struggle to hitchhike. There are no cars at all. On our way, we stop at a waterfall, walk quite a bit, meet a strange guy who walks with us for a good while, and eventually end up in a pickup with farmers, stopping to pick bananas along the way. We settle on a beach north of Portsmouth for the night and enjoy snorkeling. A little turtle, quite a few fish, and a lot of plastic! In the evening, at the restaurant, we have a video call with Koke, the captain we met in the south. He tells us to join him quickly as departure is scheduled for Wednesday from St. Lucia, the island south of Martinique. It’s Saturday night, so we have 3 days to arrive, not too bad, right? We move towards Portsmouth on Sunday morning and go to the Cabrits National Park, where we will spend our last nights in Dominica. We also take the opportunity to go for a walk on the Indian River, through the mangroves, with a totally crazy guide. He loses his mind and repeats the same things ten times in a row. The walk is nice, and for fans of Pirates of the Caribbean, it’s on this river that they filmed the scene with the witch in the marshes in the second movie. We also wander around the park, visit the fort located on the peninsula, and climb to the top of the hill for a beautiful view of the bay. The park also marks the end of the Waitukubuli National Trail! It’s officially the end of section 14. Well, we haven’t done the entire Trail due to the weather, path conditions, injuries, and timing, but in the end, we walked quite a bit and were able to explore every corner of this very mountainous little country.

We are taking a mini bus on Tuesday morning at 6 AM from Portsmouth to arrive in Roseau in time to catch the ferry to Saint Lucia. Are we really leaving on Wednesday? Are we even going to leave? Where are we going? Many questions that will be answered in the next post!

PS: I’m putting a lot of photos of Dominica in the Photo Gallery tab.