Dominica - March 22-23

View of the patio at Cocoa Cottages (Mar 22, 2006, 07:58am) This is a picture of the patio at the Cocoa Cottages, taken from inside the dining area, in the early morning light.

Fly on a leaf (Mar 22, 2006, 08:25am) While walking around with my macro lens, looking for flowers to photograph, I caught this fly sitting on a leaf in the garden around the Cocoa Cottages.

Poinsettia flower (Mar 22, 2006, 08:27am) There were a lot of poinsettia trees around the Cocoa Cottages.

Scenery around Cocoa Cottages (Mar 22, 2006, 08:43am) The highlands of Dominica get over 300 inches of rain a year so everything is covered in greenery. Here is a picture taken from the grounds of the Cocoa Cottages looking towards the hillside.

Flower (Mar 22, 2006, 08:51am) A flower from the gardens around the Cocoa Cottages, photographed in the morning light.

Scaly breasted thrasher (Mar 22, 2006, 08:53am) A common activity at the Cocoa Cottages is birding. We can usually spot a decent variety of birds without ever walking more than a few feet from the breakfast table. This scaly breasted thrasher was kind enough to stay still for me to photograph him sitting in a tree.

Scaly breasted thrasher (Mar 22, 2006, 08:55am) Another scaly breasted thrasher, this time photographed sitting on a telephone wire.

Cocoa Cottages sign (Mar 22, 2006, 09:10am) This is the entrance sign for the Cocoa Cottages.

Stream above Titou Gorge (Mar 22, 2006, 10:48am) This is the river that feeds into Titou Gorge (where the boiling lake hike begins). Jeffrey took us for a hike through the river bed, in a place that few visitors ever see. Titou Gorge is a ways downstream of this point, we will be going upstream. The rocks are slick, so only bare feet from this point on.

Jeffrey finds a crab in the river (Mar 22, 2006, 10:56am) On our river hike above Titou Gorge, Jeffrey spots a freshwater crab, which he grabs so we can see it.

The Falls of Charm (Mar 22, 2006, 11:05am) Here are the Falls of Charm, on the river above Titou Gorge. These falls were named by Richard (Innkeeper at the Cocoa Cottages) for his daughter Charm. The falls are rarely seen by humans, except for guests of the Cocoa Cottages who hike up the river bed with Jeffrey. We did not climb these falls, most of the river continues off to the left.

Multiple small waterfalls (Mar 22, 2006, 11:13am) The river (above Titou Gorge) we followed was anything but flat. There were lots of small waterfalls to scamper up, as you can see in this picture.

Daphne navigates a smaller waterfall (Mar 22, 2006, 11:27am) Here is a picture of Daphne working her way past one of the many waterfalls on the river above Titou Gorge. There is a lot of spray in the air, as you can tell from the drops of water on the camera lens.

Jeffrey prepares the rope for the big falls (Mar 22, 2006, 11:32am) One of the waterfalls was too hard for us city folks to climb unassisted. On a previous trip, Jeffrey and Richard has brought in a robe that they use to help guest climb this waterfall. The robe has come off, but Jeffrey was able to get the robe reattached. This waterfall is wider than it appears in this picture. We actually climb up on the far left, behind the rock outcropping that is behind Jeffrey.

Jeff helps Daphne up large falls (Mar 22, 2006, 11:50am) Here is Daphne being helped up the large waterfall on the river above Titou Gorge. You can see the rope (that we use to get to this point). In this picture Jeffrey is getting ready to give Daphne a boost up to the top.

Ben pulls Daphne up the large waterfall (Mar 22, 2006, 11:50am) A few seconds after the last picture, Daphne reaches the top of the waterfall where Ben is ready to help pull her up.

Jeffrey at another of the small waterfalls (Mar 22, 2006, 11:59am) Jeffrey gets ready to scamper up this small waterfall on the river hike above Titou Gorge.

Looking up the dark river canyon (Mar 22, 2006, 12:04pm) The river that eventually drains into Titou Gorge flows through a canyon that is deep enough is spots to be dark at river level. In this picture you get a feel for parts of our river hike as we wade and swim though the dark water.

The next waterfall we need a boost up (Mar 22, 2006, 12:07pm) Here is a picture of the next waterfall for which we will need assistance. I am taking this picture while standing behind a rock outcropping, but the current is still strong here, and there is plenty of spray to get on the camera lens.

Jeffrey needs no help climbing the falls (Mar 22, 2006, 12:09pm) Before the rest of us attempt the waterfall, Jeffrey climbs to the top so he can help pull people up (what a man).

Stephanie gets a boost up a waterfall (Mar 22, 2006, 12:13pm) In this picture, you see Stephanie working her way up a waterfall on the river above Titou Gorge. Jeffrey is pulling Stephanie up from above, and Ben is pushing her up from below. Meanwhile, I am trying to maintain my balance in the strong current so I can take this picture.

Daphne standing in the sun (Mar 22, 2006, 12:22pm) Here is Daphne standing in the sun to warm up while we take a quick break from our river hike above Titou Gorge.

Ben jumps into pool at end (Mar 22, 2006, 12:27pm) After almost two hours of swimming, scrambling and climbing, we reach the end of our hike. The river continues, but the next waterfall (which you can see at the far left of this picture) is just too much for our group. In this picture, you see Ben jumping into the deep pool below the waterfall. It was dark, but I was able to use the camera's flash and time the picture (after a few attempts).

Another look at the waterfall we climbed (Mar 22, 2006, 01:05pm) During the return hike, Jeffrey, Ben and I just jumped off of the tall waterfall that we had to use a rope to climb. Daphne and Stephanie climbed down (with help). Here is a last look at that waterfall.

Looking down the river canyon (Mar 22, 2006, 01:11pm) Here is one of the calm spots on the river above Titou Gorge, looking downstream.

Just a minor rough patch on the river (Mar 22, 2006, 01:20pm) Here is another picture of a section of the river above Titou Gorge. I took this picture as we hiked back down the river bed after having hiked up as far as we could get.

Small waterfall in Titou Gorge (Mar 22, 2006, 01:22pm) The last picture from out hike up the river above Titou Gorge. We had just climbed down this small waterfall.

Village street on the way North (Mar 23, 2006, 07:26am) Early Thursday morning, Richard drove us up to Portsmouth up the western coast road. Along the way, I snapped this picture of a road in one of the small towns spread out all along the coast.

Various corals urchins and anemones (Mar 23, 2006, 09:37am) We stopped at two snorkeling spots just north of Portsmouth. This from Cannon Site, a snorkeling spot in Douglas Bay, North of Prince Rupert's Bluff.

Feather duster in smooth star coral (Mar 23, 2006, 09:40am) The feather duster is actually some type of worm, not a plant. This is from the Cannon Site (Douglas Bay) snorkeling stop.

Mound of star coral (Mar 23, 2006, 09:42am) At the Cannon Site (Douglas Bay) snorkeling stop, star coral was the most common sight. There were almost no tube sponges, like we saw at the southern end of the island.

Mount of stony coral (Mar 23, 2006, 09:47am) From the Cannon Site (Douglas Bay) snorkeling stop.

Mound of star coral (Mar 23, 2006, 09:55am) Cannon Site (Douglas Bay) is more interesting as a dive site (there is a ship wreak to see), than a snorkeling spot, but there were some interesting coral formations.

Star coral, urchins and fish (Mar 23, 2006, 09:56am) In this picture, From the Cannon Site snorkeling stop, you can see a mix of small fish, coral and sea urchins.

Star coral and finger coral (Mar 23, 2006, 09:56am) Here is a large mound of star coral and finger coral from the Cannon Site snorkeling stop.

Coral mounds (Mar 23, 2006, 09:58am) I believe that the orange stuff is some type of shelf coral, but I cannot be sure. This was seen at Cannon Site in Douglas Bay.

Star coral formations (Mar 23, 2006, 09:58am) Here is a mix of coral formations from the Cannon Site snorkeling stop.

Urchins and tube sponges (Mar 23, 2006, 10:14am) Some tube sponges and sea urchins from the Cannon Spot snorkeling stop.

Peacock flounder (Mar 23, 2006, 10:24am) Flounders are almost impossible to see unless that are moving. This one conveniently moved while I was watching so I was able to get a picture of it. A little extra sharpening in Photoshop make it standout against the background.

Some type of sponge (Mar 23, 2006, 11:22am) I believe that this is some type of tube sponge. I took this picture during our Sharks' Mouth (Prince Rupert Bay) snorkeling stop.

Multiple colonies of brain coral (Mar 23, 2006, 11:29am) Our second snorkeling stop around Portsmouth was at Shark's Mouth in Prince Rupert Bay. This snorkeling site had a lot of brain coral formations instead the star coral that was in abundance we saw at Cannon Site.

Eel poking out of brain coral (Mar 23, 2006, 11:35am) If you look closely, you can see the head of an eel poking out from inside this brain coral formation. (Bottom center of the picture.) This is from out Shark's Mouth snorkeling stop.

Brain coral (Mar 23, 2006, 11:38am) Some more brain coral formations from our Shark's Mouth (Print Rupert Bay) snorkeling stop.

Sand diver (Mar 23, 2006, 11:40am) This is a sand diver, a type of fish that lives on the bottom. This picture was taken during our Shark's Mouth (Print Rupert Bay) snorkeling stop.

Purple Turtle restaurant (Mar 23, 2006, 12:18pm) On our trip to Portsmouth, we ate lunch at this restaurant, the Purple Turtle, on the beach in Prince Rupert Bay.

Buildings on waterfront in Portsmouth (Mar 23, 2006, 12:21pm) This is a picture of the coast of Prince Rupert Bay, north of Portsmouth. It was taken from the dive boat, as we returned to the dock after our snorkeling trip.

Sailboat in Portsmouth harbor (Mar 23, 2006, 12:21pm) This sailboat was anchored in Prince Rupert Bay, North of Portsmouth.

Portsmouth waterfront (Mar 23, 2006, 12:23pm) This is Portsmouth, in Northwest Dominica, seen from the waterfront.