DAY 3: The Boiling Lake and Valley of Desolation

The next morning we rise at first light to meet our guide in the mountain town of Laudat for the 7 hour round-trip trek to the Boiling Lake.

Dominica is a relatively new volcanic island. Nowhere is this more evident than the Boiling Lake, a flooded fumarole where steaming volcanic gases escape from the molten lava below the lake. While the volcanic gases rises up through milky water, water also seeps down to the lava bed, where it is trapped, heated to a boiling point, and bubbles ferociously to the surface of the lake.

"Seething like a huge cauldron, so utterly unlike anything I had ever seen in nature" wrote a visitor in 1900 (as sited in this wonderfully written article).


The Purple Throated Carib hummingbird, its purple throat glows in the sunshine. Beautiful.

The hike to the Boiling Lake was the reason why I decided on coming to Dominica. It is said to be the best hike in the Caribbean.

However, it also has another reputation of being "punishing", "strenuous", and "hellish". In every source, the hike is scored at the highest difficulty rating. My trepidation only increases when I speak with the trek organizer.

“You’re from New York City? Do you hike there at all?"

"Those are the shoes you’re using? You don’t have anything better?”

(pause)

“You do know this is a very long hard hike, right?”

I try not to notice his obvious incredulity. I’ve already decided that I’m doing this hike, so I try my best to put my fears away.

The hike starts out easily, on a gentle incline through a secondary rainforest. Our very knowledgeable young guide, Marvin paces us along the way, stopping when we appear tired to point out different peculiarities of the flora and fauna as we pass through the several different micro-climates.

Hurricane David swept through the island in 1979 and along with the considerable toll to man-made structures, much of the vegetation and ancient rainforest was uprooted. Whole mountainsides were completely denuded of any vegetation, including this area of the trailhead. 20 years later, the once bare ground is a lush blanket of secondary rainforest, already looming high above our heads, a testament to the wild fertility of the land.



Andrew filling up at a fresh mountain stream. With few exceptions, the water is safe to drink in Dominica.

The landscape changes as we leave the rainforest and make the steep incline to the crest of the mountain Morne Nicholls. The land is drier, dominated by dry bushes and grasses.

This ridge is notorious for its strong winds, sometimes guides recommend running through this area as quickly as possible, to avoid being blown off the side of the mountain. In fact, the one fatality from this hike occurred when a woman walking on this ridge lost her footing on a particularly windy day and fell down the mountain to her death. However, today the weather is calm and clear, and we relax on the ridge, taking in the fantastic views.



The entire island is visible, running north and south. In the distance, the neighboring islands of Guadelope and Martinique are clearly seen against the striking blue sky.

We rest for a moment and begin the steep descent into the Valley of Desolation. We know we are close when the distinct smell of rotten eggs fills the air – the heavy sulfuric gases announce the presence of the valley even before we see it.

Into the Valley of Desolation

The Valley of Desolation was once as lush and green as the forest around it. However, around 1880, volcanic activity in the valley increased. More and more fumaroles appeared (vents of volcanic vapors and gases). The noxious sulfur gases poisoned the once-dense forest, leaving only a scrabble of lichens, mosses, and the odd volcanic-hardy plants.

We thread our way through the valley, past the hissing fumaroles, spurting geysers and spitting bubbling mud pots as we make our ascent to our final destination – the Boiling Lake is just beyond the valley.

These bromeliads, Pitcairnia Micotrinensis, are one of the few plants that can survive the harsh conditions.

Mineral-rich water runs through the valley, streams of red, milky white, black, and blue.