Dominica is an eco-wonder. We spent five glorious days there, arriving on Wednesday, hoping for a PAYS BBQ but learning that there were not enough vessels in the anchorage to warrant the event. We went on two hikes with Steve & Ann (Receta), the first on a major portion of section 11 of the Waitukubuli National Trail, and the second, joined also by Heather & Don (Asseance), to the Source, the spring from which the Indian River originates. The first was much more difficult than the second, passing as it did up and down narrow ridges that did not always permit creating switchbacks. We had intended on turning off section 11 and cutting over to the Source to end the first hike, but we missed our turn and ended up extending the hike by several hours. I was a tired puppy with sore ankles by the end. After a day of rest, as I have indicated, we tried again for the Source, succeeding this time and having a much easier time on a gentler, wider path that was actually a dirt road. On the way back down, Steve and I ducked down into an adjacent creek and took pictures of the interesting formations. Martin, one of the PAYS “boat boys” invited Steve & Ann and Barb & me to visit CALLS, a struggling operation designed to rescue/rehabilitate young locals with otherwise unpromising futures. We ended up making contributions that would fund the education of one or more for a year. CALLS struck me as a humble but worthy organization.
- Barb crossing a river on one of our hikes on section 11 of the Waitukubuli Trail
- Barb checking her track on her iPhone
- Trail sign
- Barb, Ann & Steve on our first hike
- Our hike began in earnest at this bridge
- Baby pineapple growing beside the trail
- Parrot feather
- Prince Rupert Bay and Portsmouth
- Heather refilling her water bottle at The Source — the spring from which Indian River originates
- Barb captured me capturing Heather
- Lunching in the shade on our hike to The Source
- Lunch
- This guy was in a pen beside the path
- Cattle Egret near our lunch spot
- Steve gathering Bay leaves for the girls
- Much of the path to the Source was along a dirt road
- On our way back, Heather found the granny glasses I had lost
- Scenes down in a creek beside the path
- Meanwhile, back in Portsmouth, it is almost election time
- Campaign workers attempting to create some excitement for their candidate
- At the Sunday night BBQ, Martin surprised Steve by asking him to say a few words about CALLS