Location: Dominica
Today was filled to the brim with activity. There have been many tempting titles for this blog entry. You may, therefore, choose from the following: 1. Our Fruitful Day 2chocolate and Puppies (compliments of the shipmates) 3. Best Day Ever (compliments of the shipmates) The day began as it typically does, with the sun rising in the east, but this time over the beautiful country of Dominica. A favorite amongst the staff, we were excited to share this amazing place with the rest of the crew. Swimsuits, packed lunches, and empty grocery bags in hand, we headed ashore in anticipation of an island tour with our good friend Sea Cat.
As our vans raced around the mountainous terrain of the island, every new bend in the road brought something new, from fruit to waterfalls. Provisioning bags slung over our shoulders, at one point, we stopped at a grapefruit farm. Into the trees, the shipmates went to throw down the citrusy delicious fruit. Throughout the day, the van quickly began to fill up with more than enough fruit to feed us for a few weeks. Sea Cat made sure that we stopped at as many fruit stalls along the side of the road as possible to stock up on passion fruit, bananas, and plantains and also pull over for the free picking of mandarins, coconuts, coffee beans, and cocoa beans that grow along the side of the road. In Carib country, we ate cassava bread freshly baked over a wood fire. At another stop, we shelled cocoa beans, crushed them up, and added a bit of sugar to make chocolate, all the while playing with puppies, to Yeoman’s delight. With our stomachs full, we decided it was time to stop eating and start swimming. In the cool, crisp water of Emerald Falls and Trafalgar Falls, we dove. Ending the day, we took a dip in a natural hot spring before heading back to Argo. Now, that is what I call experiencing Dominica.