jenny nyc's photography
Dominica November 2005A week-long trip to the mountainous Carribean island of Dominica (pronounced "Dom-in-EEK-a"). Primary rainforest covers over two thirds of the island, making it arguably the most untouched island in the Caribbean. This is not your typical tourist's Caribbean. The best beach is accesible only by rappeling down the side of a cliff, and the loudest nightlife hotspot is 15 feet in the air, in a treehouse surrounded by the cacophony of jungle sounds.Dates of travel: Nov 18, 2005 to Nov 26, 2005 Duration of travel: 8 days Photos taken with Canon Rebel XT 350D |
Day 2: Emerald Pool and Secret Beach
Secret Beach hike
We rise with the sun, which we do for the for the rest of the trip. After a quick breakfast, were off. The first spot on our days plan is the Emerald Pool a waterfall and pool close to 3 Rivers. The Emerald Pool is a popular day-tour for cruise ship guests but otherwise, the site is usually empty. When we arrive, the lot is full of mini-busses, all crammed with tourists. It is obviously a Cruise Ship Day.We immediately turn around, and head towards a beach only accessible by a steep, muddy climb down the side of a cliff. There's no formal name. We call it "Secret Waterfall Beach".
The climb to the beach
After following driving directions that are to remain secret (hush! hush!), we find the trail at the top of a cliff and begin our hike down the cliff. The trail becomes muddier and steeper as we descend, until it is obvious that we can no longer proceed by foot. A thick rope is tied to a nearby tree branch, dangling down a steep incline. This is the only way down.
The rest of the hike consists of rappelling down the muddy cliff, climbing along the rock face with the rope as a support, and crawling through the vertical tangle of slippery vines and tree roots. It is slow-going and by the end, we are smeared with mud. However, the reward is fantastic.
The rest of the hike consists of rappelling down the muddy cliff, climbing along the rock face with the rope as a support, and crawling through the vertical tangle of slippery vines and tree roots. It is slow-going and by the end, we are smeared with mud. However, the reward is fantastic.
When we arrive at the bottom of the cliff, we emerge from the jungle and onto a deserted black-sand beach.
A cascade of water plummets over the cliffs and crashes onto the pounding surf, 130 feet below. Palms trees bow over the water. The black volcanic sand is strangely dense and heavy.
I sit for a while in awe of the sight, but in the back of my mind, I know that there's only one way to get back to the car. And that's to go back the same way we came in.
The ascent is actually much easier than the descent. The danger of slipping on the slippery wet cliffside is less when climbing up, and the trail is now familiar. Nonetheless, I’m grateful for my small amount of previous rock-climbing experience, as it certainly proved useful on this hike.
A cascade of water plummets over the cliffs and crashes onto the pounding surf, 130 feet below. Palms trees bow over the water. The black volcanic sand is strangely dense and heavy.
I sit for a while in awe of the sight, but in the back of my mind, I know that there's only one way to get back to the car. And that's to go back the same way we came in.
The ascent is actually much easier than the descent. The danger of slipping on the slippery wet cliffside is less when climbing up, and the trail is now familiar. Nonetheless, I’m grateful for my small amount of previous rock-climbing experience, as it certainly proved useful on this hike.
Emerald Pool
Tired and muddy, we head back to Emerald Pool, hoping that the tourists have left. We arrive to an empty lot and gatehouse. A meandering walk leads down to the pool. We are the only ones there. I am braced for an over-hyped tourist-trap, but the Emerald Pool surprises me. It really is something enchanted. The experience is more than visual. It is also the atmosphere of gentle seclusion, the feeling of quiet mysteries of the land and water, deep and calm.
Although Im sure the high volume of tourists has affected the Emerald Pool in many ways, her magic can still be felt. Just be sure to visit during the off-hours.
We return to 3 Rivers for a quick bath before dinner. Our rough accommodations have no running water, so we bathe at nearby swimming hole with 3 Rivers supplying the organic soap. The rest of the day we spend relaxing and reading in the communal areas with the friendly pets.
Then dinner (fish stew) with the one other guest and a 3 Rivers volunteer.
Then dinner (fish stew) with the one other guest and a 3 Rivers volunteer.
A bit on economics
Dominica is very much a developing country, and highly dependant on foreign aid. Unemployment is rising as the demand diminishes for Dominican bananas, its primary export. Dominican banana plantations are small-scale efforts on family plots scattered through the mountains. In contrast, Latin American farms are huge mechanized operations, run by large multi-national corporations. Dominica simply cannot compete in the global market without economic protections it once had. As a result, the government has made efforts to strengthen its economy by diversifying its agricultural sector, and developing the island as a niche eco-tourist destination. However, the pace is slow, due to both a lack of infrastructure, and caution of the ills of rapid development.
That being said, the literacy rate is surprisingly high for a developing country (94%) and the crime rate is relatively low. Natural resources are plentiful, and it is easy to simply live off the land. Community ties are strong and everyone seems to know each others business. Although government services such as health care and the police are sparse, the village-centered communities often fill the gap by watching out and providing for each other.
The economic paths of more-developed Caribbean islands show many possible futures for Dominica. Some paths have been more promising, others more bleak. However, the ultimate future of this island remains unclear. We can only hope that the island will continue to be guided by its strong sense of stewardship to the land that has provided so much.
Carib Indian Jungle Cabin
We spend our second night in a jungle cabin, built in traditional-style by local Carib Indians. Although it might look flimsy from the exterior, once inside, the structure feels quite solid and stable.
The cabin has dirt-packed floors and a thatched roof and walls somehow these elements make the cabin feel earthy and grounded and comforting, like you are being enveloped in the warmth of the earth.
Traditional Carib Log Bed
Traditional Carib Log Bed
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