Dominica
January, 2005

by Tim Digger

We went in January as this is out of hurricane season, as it is winter it is marginally cooler but there is little water temperature fluctuation. Main reason for going then is its dark and cold in the local quarry.

Booked by Divequest, one of their regular destinations. Flight from Gatwick at 09.30, British Airways to Antigua and on to Dominica via LIAT to Melville Hall airfield . Dominica has no international airport (and no decompression chamber) and is 26 by 15 miles with several 4,000ft summits. Flight from Antigua was by LIAT, one of the two local Caribbean Airlines, these smaller aircraft have more stringent baggage limits than transatlantic but some latitude is allowed, usually, for transfer passengers, though this itself can cause problems, more later. Cumulated delays only amounted to about half an hour and we landed with the last of the light at 18.00, the island is four hours behind GMT.

The drive across the mountains was dark and misty but the roads are good for a Caribbean island, about one and a half cars wide at most points with many hairpin bends. Arrival at Dive Dominica in Castle Comfort one mile south of the capital Roseau at about 19.30 for a very welcome Rum Punch, dinner, general briefing by Derek Perryman (owner) and his wife Ginnette, shower and bed.

The first day was typical of the diving:

Two morning dives on a stable small hard boat with room for ten and a good if not brilliant ladder (not climbable with fins on). There was a one hour surface interval. We were six with 2 Americans and two Canadians all capable divers. Dive Dominica has several boats of differing sizes all fitted for diving and capable of taking groups of different sizes, the two mid-size boats are twin hulls and are very stable dive platforms that can cope with any reasonable size group of divers. One large vessel is used for Whale watching expeditions. Derek has a contract with some of the cruise ships that dock in Roseau for this service and there are generally two trips a week in the afternoons, on the large boat equipped with hydrophones. Whales are usually seen from the boat, but no swimming with cetaceans is allowed. Occasionally a large group of divers from the cruise ship may be catered for but this is usually afternoon and is separate from the regular dive boats.

The two morning boat dives were off Scotts Head in Soufriere Bay at the south end of the islands west or Caribbean side. The Atlantic side of the island is often too rough for any diving but this area (a marine reserve, ignore the fish traps!) was calm even when the wind blew squalls of rain across the bay, but hey it was warm rain. The sponges and hard and soft corals including long Whip corals on the overhangs were in fine condition and we found a seahorse and 2 uncommon species of moray eels as well as all the common carribean reef fish. A couple of large Jacks were seen but generally the big stuff has been eaten. Briefing was for dives not over 1 hour, though this was not strictly enforced. The dive briefing was good and Ned the day's dive guide while in the water with the six of us was not obtrusive or officious. Kit was washed and carried to and from the boats for us (except suits).

In the afternoon shore diving from the jetty was available unguided, carry your own kit down the jetty and put up the diver down flag. The vis may not be quite as good but the life is excellent, flying gunards spotted drums, soapfish, electric rays and large barraccuda to name a few, as well as the weird looking Redbellied Batfish.

We also dived a great off-shore pinnacle Cachacou Pinnacle, and the classic attraction Champage, an area of volcanic gas leakage from the sea bed close inshore, this was also an excellent night dive.

Weather for the first two days, was raining about half the time, but warm improving to sunny and hot after that. Water temperature 27°C. Vis 10-20m, apparently there is little change in the vis even with heavy rain. I think it rains so much that any run-off ran off centuries ago, also because of the mountainous terrain Dominica did not suffer deforestation during the plantation era. Now there are two large nature reserves covering a lot of the islands rain forest in which any tree felling is punished by fines. Generally Dominica lives up to its reputation as a nature island covered in lush vegetation and fresh water is drinkable from the taps even if a little discoloured after heavy rain. The price to pay is rain every day and cloud cover 50% of the time we were there.

Nitrox is available (partial pressure blending) and accurate 32% always premixed with a good number of 80cu ft (11.2 Litre) cylinders continually available at 200 bar. We dived Nitrox 32% throughout and it cost us an additional £154 for 35 dives. They were also able to supply me with a pony bottle and air to use with my back-up reg.

Many photographers passing through have dived solo off the jetty and this does not cause raised eyebrows for experienced divers.

Various expeditions can be arranged by the centre, from a taxi down the coast to climb Scotts Head (excellent views and an 18th century cannon), to the more strenuous six hour Boiling Lake Hike through the RAIN forest. We did this on our last day and it is a strenuous hike up through rough paths in the forest and over into a volcanic area of hot springs and smoke holes. You need to be reasonably fit for walking on this trip and you will not be dry anywhere at the end!

I am told by my daughter (22yrs) that the local night life is excellent (she was out with the dive guides on several nights) and calypso alive and thriving in Dominica. It is also probably as safe as in the UK provided that sensible precautions are taken.

On the way home we were without a bag for ¾ an hour at transfer in Antigua, as there was too much weight for the plane it arrived with the next flight on the rival airline! Apparently this is common practice and OK as long as your transfer times are not too tight. Imagine Virgin and BA cooperating like that, but this is the Caribbean man! There is no direct baggage transfer, check out through customs and straight back in again.

What there isn’t.
There is only one decent beach on the island at the north end at Portsmouth - we did not visit it. There were also no sharks seen in six days diving and very little large fish life apart from Barracuda.

In summary Dominica is a different Caribbean destination with excellent quality diving, unspoilt reefs and with plenty of alternatives for the energetic non diver. Did I mention the rain? The boiling lake walk was wetter than the diving!

2006 Update:
There is now a recompression chamber on Dominica.