St Lucia Southbound

We left Martinique for a one week stay in St. Lucia. From Rodney Bay we hopped a local bus to Castries (the capitol) for market day.







The bounty the island is available here. The vegetables on the left are Christophenes which can be added to curries, stews and salads.











Venders fill the market space and spill out onto the streets. Here there are fresh eggs (bring your own cartons), drinks. The lady on the right is holding a Breadfruit, introduced to the islands by Captain Bligh on his second breadfruit voyage. You might remember that his first breadfruit voyage was terminated by a mutiny.













Everything seems to be available somewhere - clothes, shoes, haircare products, beach chairs....

















Here Pam is exploring the food court at the market. Local delicacies such as Souse, Curried Goat and the like are available.















The British built fortifications on Pigeon Island so they could keep their eyes on their French neighbors in nearby Martinique which can be seen on most days only 20 miles to the north. Here are the ruins of the officers quarters.











Fort Rodney sits atop the smaller of the two hills on Pigeon Island. The red are from the flowers of the Flamboyant trees, a familar site in the islands.
















Cannon protecting Rodney bay from a French naval assault.
















Looking north from Fort Rodney to Signal Hill - the highest point on Pigeon Island.

Martinique Southbound

Being from the flat East Coast of the US, we continue to be fascinated by the clouds streaming over the mountains from an anchorage. Here we are in Grande Anse D'Arlet.




















The rectangular sails on the local craft where characteristic of the sailboats around Le Marin.















We rented a car to tour Martinique. Because it is the windward side, sometimes it is necessary to make a man-made harbor for the local fishing boats.














Restoration on the Cathedral in Le Lorrain.

















Mother and kids in the town of Le Morne Rouge (Red Mountain).












Looking at towards the Caribbean Sea, overlooking a small and well kept farm on the hillside in Le Morne Rouge.























Looking north to Mount Pelee from Le Morne Rouge, 1500 people were killed here a few months after an eruption destroyed the city of St. Pierre. Eruptions in 1929-1932 also heavily damaged the town.













We picked up bread and pate in the town and found this nice waterfall for our lunch.























Looking towards the Pitons du Carbet from the Route de la Trace. This route was cut through the rain forest by Jesuit priests in the 1700's
























Eglise de Balata church, twin to the famous Basilica de Sacre Coeur in Paris.



















We found thousands of red crabs in the town and St. Anne and its environs.















Part of the long sandy beach near Pointe des Salines.

















This is also the site of a large saltwater lake. With Mangroves and many varieties of birds.




















Fiddler crabs defend their territory with their one large claw.
















Fisherman attends his boat near Ilet Chevalier.





















Most the local sailing craft were very colorful.

Dominica Road Trip

We met Sonny and Blake on Slow Mocean again (we had met them previously in the Bahamas). We decided to rent a car and tour the island of Dominica. Road Trip Road Trip!










We headed to the north east coast where the Atlantic Ocean rolls in from Africa.














We visited a cold soufrierie - a volcanic vent spewing forth sulfurous fumes but without the heat associated with other volcanic vents. The grayish color is due to the sulfur.











As we proceeded further south we were stopped by a man in an utility truck. He told us the road was unpassable a little further down and we needed to turn back. It was right after that we learned that the brakes had failed on the car so backtracking to Portsmouth would have been necessary in any case.



Underway in our new set of wheels, we crossed over the windward side of the island a little further south came upon the rugged Atlantic coast.
















The lush tropical vegetation surrounds you everywhere you look.






















Coconut trees are numerous. Coconut and coconut products are one of the leading exports from the Island. Some of Palmolive's coconut products are manufactured here.














We often see coconuts floating on the water. Here we found one sprouting on an Atlantic beach. Indigenous or Colonizer?


























We saw a sign for the "#1 beach", so we drove our four wheel drive rental down a slightly overgrown path and found this black sand beach.















In the town of Calibishe, many homes overlook Porte d'Enfer, a natural arch that collapsed in 1956 leaving two rocky islets.


















This box of avocados are ready for export to Martinique and are a testament to the excellent growing conditions on Dominica.
















Before the arrival of Europeans, the islands were inhabited by numerous "Indian" tribes. The Caribs were among the more recent settlers and there were many Carib Indian settlements in the Caribbean when Columbus first arrived. Sadly most of the original inhabitants of the islands have disappeared but in Dominica the Carib Territory has been set aside for surviving Caribs. Their basket weaving style is unique in Caribbean.












A view of the Atlantic from the souvenir stand. A wonderful view and a wonderful breeze.















In the rain forest we found a tree we had never seen before.



























There are moss and vines growing over everything. Someone added eyes and a tongue to make this intriguing woodland character.





















Emerald Pool - cool and refreshing.

















Looking north along the center of Dominica. There are seven volcanoes that were instrumental in the formation of the island and which gives it a very rugged terrain.
















View from the anchorage at Roseau, the capitol of Dominica.

Sisserou Parrot Country and Milton Falls

The highest point in Dominica is Morne Diablotins (4747 feet). It is also the area where the two parrots unique to the island can be found. The Imperial or Sisserou and the Red-neck or Jaco Parrot. We only saw the Jaco parrot but alas too hard to get a photo.




It was a wonderful day for a climb in the mountains. Although it had rained in the morning the skies were clear when we arrive in the afternoon.














There were many fruit trees along the way. Here are some starfruits.




















Bananas are a major export crop
























Papayas (Paw-Paw)

























Even wild Raspberries


















Fresh Water Shrimp. It would be hard to go hungry in this country.



















Coffee beans.

















Giant tree fern casts an interesting pattern in the sky.




















Wild Roses
















A field of Dasheen - much of which is exported


















Shampoo plant - if you squeeze this bulb, water flows out which can be used to shampoo your hair.























Our Tour Group:
Alexis (our guide) Diane, Pam and Gregg.



















Approaching Milton Falls