Dominica, the nature island

As we had sailed past Dominica in order to be in Guadeloupe at the same time as our French friends, we felt the need to backtrack. So after saying goodbye to them we sailed south again to Dominica to explore this beautiful unspoilt island. On the way we stopped at Marie Galante, an island off the south of Guadeloupe which is very flat and covered with sugar cane. There used to be 100 sugar mills but there are far fewer now, although there are still three working rum distilleries!

On Dominica we reunited with our friends from family boats Saltair and Epiphany, and together the three families explored the island. The kids know each other well now and get on very well together as a group. Our first day was all about waterfalls, with an hour-long hike to Middleham Falls where the effort was rewarded with a refreshing swim in the cold water. Later we visited Trafalgar Falls, where our guide Octavius took a group of us barefoot up the slippery rocks closer to the base of the waterfall. Those brave enough to last the course enjoyed a dip in a hot spring next to the waterfall, and fortunately everyone made it back down safely without being swept into the raging torrent of water (though Will did his best to fling himself backwards over the drop at the end – luckily (but painfully) he got wedged between the rocks and all was well). The water level and strength of current was apparently a lot greater due to maintenance work on the nearby hydro-electric plant which meant that all the water was being diverted back down the river.

Our second day was a strenuous hike to the Boiling Lake, which took us around nine hours including stops for lunch and water. Octavius led us through the rainforest, pointing out different species of fern, flowers and trees as we climbed. The terrain was steep and rocky, with ropes to hold in a couple of places, but luckily it was not too slippery underfoot. All the kids managed the walking with great energy. For some of us adults it was more of a challenge!

On the way to the Boiling Lake we walked through the Valley of Desolation, where hot sulphur springs bubbled out of the ground, volcanic mud proved good for a facial and the streams were full of boiling hot water. Octavius boiled some eggs for us to prove this – they were delicious and perfectly done!

After four hours of walking we eventually reached the Boiling Lake. Plumes of smoke covered its surface and you could see water boiling at the centre – the temperature there is apparently over 250 degrees F or around 130 degrees C.

The return journey was helped by being able to bathe in a warm spring followed by a very hot spring, which the children all loved. At the very end of the hike our reward was to swim through the Titou Gorge, where cool water led us through the rocks to a hidden waterfall (also a location used to film scenes in Pirates of the Caribbean 2).

Our time in Dominica had been short but action-packed. It really is a beautiful island, and there are many more hikes to be done through the unspoilt rainforest, but for us it was time to head north again, this time to explore the west coast of Guadeloupe.