Dominica |
february 2013 |
We had a fantastic time on our Humpback Whale safari in the Dominican Republic, and when Cheesemans' offered us an opportunity to swim with Sperm Whales we jumped at the chance. As an added bonus, this time we'll be traveling with our friends Mike and Heather.
Those coming from the US or Canada will fly to San Juan, Puerto Rico where you can explore the art galleries, museums, and shops of Old San Juan on your own. Lodging in Puerto Rico: The Gallery Inn Those flying from Europe will fly to Martinique or Guadaloupe and overnight there.
The Gallery Inn, San Juan, Puerto Rico
After arriving on the daily flight to Dominica in the afternoon, we will drive across the island and have dinner before a nice evening at Screw Hot Springs where we can relax and let island life takeover after a long day of travel.
Cocoa Cottages, Screw Hot Springs, Dominica
We'll spend today exploring Dominica's vibrant on-shore wildlife and amazing forest. After an early breakfast we will head to the mouth of the Layou River for shorebirds and then up to Cabrits National Park to spot hummingbirds and other species such as the Lesser Antillean Bullfinch, Black-faced Grassquit, and Caribbean Elaenia. We will be joined by "Dr. Birdy", who will share with us the island's best birding and most beautiful views.
Cocoa Cottages, Screw Hot Springs
The waters around Dominica are home to a wide variety of whale species including False Killer Whales, dolphins, baleen whales, beaked whales, and of course Sperm Whales.
Most people feel lucky to have seen a Sperm Whale from a great distance once in their lives. We can hope to see pods of them close to our boat and with a bit of luck, we will gently sneak into the water with them to see their world. Although Sperm Whales are the main attraction, a variety of other cetaceans may also be present and we can spend the rest of the time looking for Humpbacks, pilot whales, and dolphins as well as False Killer Whales, Brown Boobies, and Royal Terns. There will probably be some waiting periods while we search for the pods of Sperm Whales to look for other cetaceans, and we may decide to snorkel on some of Dominica's amazing reefs.
Cocoa Cottages, Screw Hot Springs
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Cocoa Cottages, Screw Hot Springs
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Cocoa Cottages, Screw Hot Springs
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Cocoa Cottages, Screw Hot Springs
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Cocoa Cottages, Screw Hot Springs
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Cocoa Cottages, Screw Hot Springs
With lush islands forests practically untouched since the days of Columbus, there are plenty of places to explore. We'll do a hike depending on group abilities and may seek out the unique endemic iguanas, or other species of birds that are only found in Dominica or the Lesser Antilles. With luck, we will see Imperial or Red-necked parrots, Dominica's two species of critically endangered parrots.
Cocoa Cottages, Screw Hot Springs
On our way to the airport we’ll stop at Titou Gorge to swim through a cave to a waterfall featured in "Pirates of the Caribbean". Dominica is a center of vibrant Caribbean culture with one of the last populations of pre-Columbian indigenous peoples. If the road is free of landslides, we'll drive through Carib territory to get a glimpse of this culture and try some local cuisine. We'll then finish our journey across the island to catch a noon flight to either Puerto Rico or another island in the Lesser Antilles for flights home.
At home in Seattle