Location: Dominica
The crew was awoken at 0500 for an alpine start. After a hurried breakfast, we left the vessel to meet the famed Dominican guide, Pancho. We wound our way up through one of Dominica’s 365 river valleys to an altitude of almost 2000ft, where we proceeded on foot. The crew hiked fearlessly through the dark forests and windswept ridges of the Morne Trois Pitons National Park. At 1000, we reached the valley of desolation, complete with geysers. There, we were treated to a soak in a hot spring. Once we were sufficiently relaxed, we made our final push to the boiling lake, where we consumed saltfish sandwiches and grapefruit juice while watching the largest boiling lake there is. After lunch, we began our descent, arriving at the trailhead at 1400 in time for a swim in fresh mountain water up a narrow gorge to a waterfall. By 1600, all crew members were back aboard, preparing the vessel for the morning’s passage.