Volcanoes of the Caribbean

Greetings All,

We flew from Cayenne, French Guiana to Guadeloupe, part of the Lesser Antillies in the Caribbean.  Like French Guiana, Guadeloupe is a department of France so technically we had not left the European Union.  We flew into the city of Pointe-à-Pitre on the island of Grande-Terre where we picked up our rental car and drove to Deshaies on the other main island of Basse-Terre where we would spend the next week.  Here is a map of Guadeloupe so you can get your bearings:

Map of Guadeloupe

The Lesser Antilles form a long partly volcanic island arc along the eastern boundary between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.  Our main objective for visiting Guadeloupe was to climb La Grande Soufrière, the highest mountain peak in the Lesser Antilles.  It is an active stratovolcano which last erupted in 1977.  It took us about an hour and a half to drive to the trailhead on the southern end of the island.  When we arrived the parking lot was full and we had to park about a half mile down the road.  The trail climbed steadily to an upper parking lot which was empty except for one car.  We're not sure why this lot wasn't open.  There was some confusion as to which trail we should take to the summit.  We referred to the photo of the trail map we took at the start of the hike and took the Trace du Tour et Sommet de la Soufrière.  Here is the map showing our hiking route highlighted in yellow:

Our Hiking Route Shown in Yellow

 

We climbed above tree line and glimpsed the summit when the clouds cleared.  When we arrived at the top it was foggy and windy.

Me on the Summit

 

We waited for the clouds to clear and glimpsed the fumeroles spouting sulphur gas below. 

Vents on La Grande Soufrière

 

 Soufrière means " big sulphur outlet" in French.

"Big Sulphur Outlet"

After exploring the vents, we headed down a different trail which created a loop around the main crater.

La Grande Soufrière

 

The remainder of our time on Guadeloupe was spent birding in the forests of Guadeloupe National Park, visiting The Grand Cul-de-Sac Marin Nature Reserve and yes, relaxing!

The Grand Cul-de-Sac Marin Nature Reserve

 

From Guadeloupe, a short 20-minute flight south brought us to the island of Dominica.

Map of Dominica

The airline managed to lose Marc's bag.  We were told it may arrive tomorrow or possibly in 4 days! Our transfer was waiting to take us to our hotel in the capital city of Roseau only 45 km away.  The drive took about an hour and 15 minutes along a narrow, winding road.  The next day we decided to hike to Boiling Lake in nearby Morne Trois Pitons National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The weather forecast was good and we did not want to miss this opportunity to make it to the lake. We attempted this hike 2 years ago and had to turn back due to torrential downpours causing landslides. You can read more about our first attempt in our post titled "Champagne Beach and Boiling Lake".  The hotel arranged a local guide to pick us up at 8:15 the next morning.  Our guide arrived in a flamboyantly painted van and introduced himself as "The Bushman".   I could tell from the start that "The Bushman" was going to make it a very entertaining day.

The hike started just above the village of Laudat and followed Titou Gorge for the first 45 minutes. "The Bushman" pointed out several spots where we could cautiously venture to the edge of the gorge to get a photo.

Titou Gorge

 

We stopped to let two young couples from Latvia and their guide go ahead of us as they were moving faster.  We reached the Breakfast River and were able to hop across on rocks.  Two years ago we had to cross on a fallen log as the river was flowing too swiftly to cross on rocks.  Memories came flooding back as we steeply climbed the log steps toward Morne Nichcolls, the high point on the hike where we had our first view of the steam rising from Boiling Lake and The Valley of Desolation.

First View of Boiling Lake & Valley of Desolation

We encountered a few brief showers but the trail was relatively dry.  We reached the point where two years ago we were forced to turn back.  This time we proceeded cautiously down to the Valley of Desolation along a slippery slope which "The Bushman" called the bottleneck.  "The Bushman" grabbed  Marc's camera and skipped down the slick mud to take photos of us sliding down on our butts.

Sliding Down the Bottleneck

 

Since Marc's bag had not shown up he had to do the hike in sneakers which didn't have as good a grip as hiking boots.  The two couples from Latvia reached the bottom just ahead of us and continued on. We had to stop to cook eggs in a boiling steam vent!

"The Bushman" Cooking Eggs

While we waited for the eggs to cook, "The Bushman" insisted on painting our faces with volcanic clay.  I guess it was all part of the experience!  When our eggs were ready, we shared them with "The Bushman" before continuing along the valley floor with numerous boiling steam vents, mud pots and rocks coated with yellow sulphur crystals. 

Peggy & "The Bushman" Eating Eggs

We followed a stream, crossing it a couple of times before making the final ascent to Boiling Lake. When we arrived the Latvian couples were there with their guide Jeffery.  When the wind finally cleared the steam over the lake, we could see that it was indeed boiling!  

Us at the Boiling Lake

In fact this is the second largest boiling lake in the world after Frying Pan Lake in New Zealand.  It's actually a flooded fumerole where molten lava underneath heats the water to a boiling state.  The temperature along the edge of the lake measures between 180 to 197 degrees F!  We waited for the steam above the lake to clear a few more times so we could admire this bizarre natural phenomenon before heading back.  We arrived at the van with muddy shoes, clay-caked faces and big smiles after finally reaching Dominica's amazing Boiling Lake!

The next morning we joined a diving excursion going out from our hotel.  There were only 6 of us plus a 4-person crew on the 75-foot catamaran called Passion.  There were only 2 divers, most of us opting to snorkel instead.  We anchored at Champagne Beach where volcanic vents heat the water to a comfortable temperature.  This time we had an underwater camera so could photograph the bubbles and some of the brightly colored reef fish.

Parrott Fish

"Champagne Bubbles"

 

On our final day along the coast we went whale-watching on the Passion along with about 30 others. Two years ago we searched in vain for Sperm Whales on two excursions and this one was proving to be the same.  Our captain stood on the front of our boat searching intently for the blow from a whale. Finally, one of the crew shouts "There she blows!"  A sperm whale had finally been spotted about a quarter mile away.  We were able to reach the spot and watch this immense creature floathing on the surface to breathe.

 

Sperm Whale

 

The whale remained on the surface for about 5 minutes before diving with a graceful flick of its giant tail.

Sperm Whale Fluke

 

We spotted a second sperm whale on the horizon but it dove before we could reach it.  We were happy to have seen two Sperm Whales on this excursion.  You can read more about Sperm Whales on our post "A Whale's Tale & Dolphin Joy" when we encountered them in New Zealand back in 2013.  

We spent our last 2 days in Dominica at Cocoa Cottage near the village of Trafalgar.  When we arrived, we met a couple traveling with their two sons.  The woman asked "So where are you from?" "Vermont." I responded.  She said "So are we!"  "And from what town are you from?"  she inquired. "South Burlington." I answered.  "So are we!"  the woman excitedly responded.  After formal introductions it turns out that Melissa and Mark live very near us and we have mutual friends in Vermont!  

Our cottage was close to Morne Trois Pitons National Park and we were able to do a few more hikes in the park. The first was to Middleham Falls, a beautiful 300-foot cascade flowing through lush green rainforest.

Middleham Falls

 

We also hiked around Freshwater Lake, the largest lake in Dominica.  We had to climb several steep knobs on slippery logs to get around the lake but the views of the surrounding mountains and Atlantic Ocean far below was worth the effort.

Freshwater Lake

 

On our last day in Dominica we had almost convinced ourselves to have a relaxing day.  Melissa, Mark, their two sons, Paul and his son were going Canyoneering.  At the last minute we decided to join them and headed to "Extreme Dominica" next door to get outfitted with wetsuits, harnesses, helmets and life jackets for the two-hour trip down the canyon.  We loaded into a van and drove to the Boiling Lake trailhead.  The canyon we were to explore was a continuation of Titou Gorge.  Not long after entering the canyon we reached our first rappel point, a 60-foot drop into the gorge!  I almost turned back but had made it this far so decided to go for it.  Our two guides Nahjie and Beranie were very competent and made sure I was all roped in before I made the 60-foot plunge.

Peggy on First Rappel

Marc on First Rappel

 

You actually walk down the rock face by lowering yourself with a rope.  You're stable as long as you keep your legs straight and feet apart.  If you bend your knees too much or put your feet too close together you can swing on the rope like a pendulum which none of us did.

First Rappel

 

We all made it down the first rappel to a second drop of about 15-20 feet!  At this point Nahjie and Beranie explained how to jump into the pool below without hitting rocks.  I said "No way am I jumping!" and Nahjie lowered me down on a rope.

"No way am I jumping!"

I'll rappel into a pool of water but jumping into one with the possibility of hitting rocks was not for me.  We reached our second rappel point which involved dropping down a waterfall.  It was about a 40-foot drop.  I managed to reach the bottom without getting doused by the waterfall but Beranie pushed me under it so I'd get the full experience.

Julian on Second Rappel

 

There were more jumps which the guys were happy to do.  I opted to get lowered down on a rope or found a more gentle approach into the pool below.

Me Finding a Gentler Approach

 

The third rappel required a sideways approach before turning backwards and going over the edge.  This is always the most difficult part for me, trusting that the ropes will hold me as I step off the edge.

Peggy on Third Rappel

 

We reached the final jump where Beranie informed me there was no other option but to jump.  It was only 10 feet but was still intimidating for me.  I stood on the edge where Beranie told me "Ready, one, two, three, jump!"  I just couldn't do it.  I told Beranie  "Stop counting, I'll jump when ready!" I finally mustered up the courage and took the plunge.  I held my nose and shut my mouth but still managed to swallow water.  I came up gasping for air, my helmet had slid over my eyes and my life jacket had popped up to my ears!  I dog-paddled across the pool, where Marky, a local on the tour, pulled me to safety.

"Just one more rappel to go." I kept telling myself.  The last drop was about 30 feet.  It was pretty straightforward but I was getting cold and tired so I had to really concentrate.

Mark on Fourth Rappel

 

We all made it through the canyon without mishap and climbed through the rainforest back to the road.

Climbing out of the Canyon

 

Thanks to Nahjie and Beranie for guiding us safely through the canyon and talking me through my anxious moments.  It was an adventure that I'm happy we didn't pass up.  What an exhilarating end to our 3-month journey!  Time to migrate back north and to enjoy Spring in Vermont with family and friends.

We hope all is well back home.

Peggy and Marc

Champagne Beach and Boiling Lake

Greetings All,
Our trip to Dominica is coming to an end.  Heavy rain continued to plague us during most of our stay but we managed to get a few more activities in.  On Tuesday we visited Champagne Beach.

The draw here is the unique opportunity to swim through bubbles caused by gas escaping from underwater vents. We pretty much had the beach to ourselves and with a snorkel, fins and my trusty life jacket set off to explore the bay.  There were many colorful fish, yellow tube sponges, spiky sea urchins, fan corrals and an eel.  I wish we had an underwater camera to capture some of the beautiful creatures that live here.  Marc managed to photograph some of the bubbles with my point and shoot.

After snorkeling, we went whale watching out of Roseau.  We grabbed front row seats and pulled out our cameras and binoculars.  We were ready but where were the whales?  We searched for four hours cruising along the shore of Dominica, first south than north, but we didn't spot a whale or even a dolphin.  Marc had to settle for photographing flying fish.

We returned to the dock an hour late, just as the lights of Roseau flickered on.

A couple of days ago we took a short hike on the Glasse Trail.  The trail used to be a road that was used by fisherman to get their boats into the Atlantic.  After a few too many hurricanes, the village decided to abandon fishing.  The trail led down through rainforest to the coast.  The Atlantic Ocean crashed against the rugged cliffs.  There were a few pools carved out of volcanic rock.  

A small flock of White-tailed Tropicbirds soared around the cliffs where they were nesting.  Dr. Birdy tried to show us these birds when we were on our birding tour but they weren't around.

Since the chance of hiking to Victoria Falls was slim (there's still too much water in the river) we decided to try our luck at whale watching again.  With a 80% change of seeing whales we couldn't be unlucky two days in a row.  We grabbed our front row seats again and had high hopes but after several attempts to pick up the whale's clicks on the hydro phone we knew our chances were diminishing.  I had given up hope of seeing anything when a woman pointed out tiny brown fins in the water.  I caught a glimpse and Marc missed them entirely.  They dove down and we did not see them again.  According to the crew they were Pygmy Killer Whales.  Although not the sperm whales we were hoping to see, they were a new species for me.  We headed back to Roseau which was in the clear but the mountains remained cloaked in clouds

Yesterday was our last full day on Dominica.  We saved the best for last, a 6-hour hike to the Valley of Desolation and the Boiling Lake.  We set out at 7:30 and drove for a hour and a half.  It had rained during the night but appeared to be clearing up.  We had high hopes as we set out with our guide, a French couple and another couple from the US.  We climbed log stairs through rainforest then down again to cross a river.  We could hop across on rocks.  As we climbed higher, it started to rain in earnest.  We gave up trying to keep our boots dry and splashed on through water that now flowed down the trail.  We caught a glimpse of the steam rising from the Boiling Lake  below us.  The lake is a flooded volcanic fumarole heated by gas and molten magma beneath the Earth's crust.  Look closely between the rain drops.  The Valley of Desolation is the barren area on the right and you can just make out the steam from the Boiling Lake on the left.  

We started our decent into the Valley of Desolation and were met by another French couple and their guide that had passed us earlier.  Why were they returning?  With all this rain their guide felt it too dangerous to continue.  Carlos, our guide agreed that the threat of a landslide had become too great to risk.  I looked forlornly at The Valley of Desolation and knew it was the right call.

We headed back down and reached the river crossing.  The water had risen and the others in front of us were crossing on a tree that had fallen over the river!  I followed them, sitting on the tree and skooching across on my butt.  The vines snagged my shorts and scratched my legs but we made it across.

Trenches cut along the trail keep a lot of water off the trail but it was still slippery and you had to watch every step.

We finally returned to the truck and wrapped ourselves in yellow beach towels for the long drive back to the lodge in the open back of the truck.  Despite all the rain we had a good trip.  Dominica is a fascinating place to visit.  We'll return one day to give whale watching another try, to get to the Boiling Lake and to visit the tiny tree frogs that sang us to sleep every night. 

We're on our way to Puerto Rico now.  We hope it isn't as wet!
We hope all is well back home,
Peggy and Marc

Dominica Deluge

Greetings All,
We are on the tiny island of Dominica in the eastern Caribbean.  We so much enjoyed whale watching in New Zealand that when we arrived home I did an Internet search on other places in the world you can see Sperm Whales.  Dominica popped up.  It's surprising how many similarities Dominica has to New Zealand.  Both have a deep water canyon off shore which attracts whales and dolphins, both have boiling lakes (New Zealand has the largest and Dominica has the second largest in the world) and both countries have tree ferns.

So here we are in Dominica for a week. We arrived Thurs. night and up until today it has been raining cats and dogs.   Not the brief showers you commonly get in the tropics but torrential downpours that wash out roads and hiking trails and swell rivers to the point of flooding.... and this is the dry season!  We have managed to do some short tours around the lodge.  Friday we went into the tiny town of Delices to visit a local home and family business.  Joseph along with his wife and six children grow and process a plant that is locally known as Torloma.  

Joseph's wife holding a Torloma Plant

 

The tubers are harvested, washed and ground into a pulp.  The pulp is suspended in water and the starch settles to the bottom of a large blue barrel.   It is dried then ground into a flour to make cereal or thickener for gravy.

Joseph's daughter next to the finished product

It's amazing how people living in the tropics all around the world use a similar process for extracting starch from plants such as cassava, manioc, false banana and palm.  The end result doesn't have much nutritional value but has lots of calories and fills you up.

Saturday we visited the capital city of Roseau to take in the market and to visit Trafalgar Falls.  With all the recent rain, these were the only falls that we could safely walk to.  Water thundered over the falls dropping 200 feet onto the rocks below.

Trafalgar Falls

Yesterday we were able to go birding in Morne Diablotin National Park with Bertrand Jno Baptiste aka Dr. Birdy.  He is Dominica's foremost ornithologist and has written a guide on the birds of Dominica. We were in search of Dominica's  two endemic parrots.  After much searching we spotted a Sisserou or Imperial Parrot from a viewpoint.  There are only 300 of these birds left in the wild.  She was across the valley, about 400 meters away, feeding on the fruits of a tree.  She was difficult to photograph as she bobbed up and down on the branch, a real test for Marc's new camera and zoom lens.

Sisserou or Imperial Parrot

The second endemic parrot, a Jaco or Red-necked Parrot, was much closer.  They are more common than the Sisserou with about 3500 Red-necked Parrots in the wild.  A small flock were feeding on spiky fruit in a tree next to the road.

 Spiky fruit that the Red-necked Parrots were Feeding On

Jaco or Red-necked Parrot

We saw a host of other birds (humming birds, thrushes, warblers, hawks and doves) and two Agouti, a large rodent introduced from Central America.

Agouti

Today we were actually able to do a hike from the lodge without getting wet.  We got our first view of the surrounding rugged mountains.

We encountered some of the local critters along our route.  The first was a freshwater crab with just one claw.  The second is a little snake that we met on the path to our cabin.

We're hoping that the weather and water clarity will continue to improve and that we'll be able to go snorkeling at Champagne Beach tomorrow.  There is an underwater volcanic vent here and you can swim through the bubbles without getting boiled I hope.  There are also seahorses, octopus and turtles.  In the afternoon we hope to go whale watching.  If all else fails we can hang out in my lounge drinking local rum and beer!

We hope all is well back home.
Peggy and Marc