In nature it is often possible to find the antidote to something right next to the poison. Dock leaves always seem to be growing right next to stinging nettles and there’s always a hangover removing greasy spoon next door to the hangover creating pub. Dominica has taken this to another level where there are hills that make your body ache to the core and hot springs to then sooth away all your pains.

The morning after the huge romp to the boiling lake Iain was up like a spring chicken and Fiona awoke to find that her entire body was no longer functioning. We felt that the best way to remove these aches and pains was to go on yet another romp into the jungle to find what were billed as the warm and cool springs. Certified trail guide “Rob ‘I really don’t like mud’ Bell”, led us down tracks and over streams to where we finally came to the main event.

Gingerly we slipped into the water and found that the warm and cold spring should have been called the boiling and freezing puddles. The warm pool was more like a hot bath and we felt rather underprepared as we didn’t come equipped with matey bubble bath for Iain and candles for Fiona. As we moved between the 2 pools our aches and pains magically disappeared and we were on the road to recovery.

Thinking that the magical spa was going to continue working its magic we planned the following day for yet another big hike; this time up to the most majestic of waterfalls on Dominica, The Middleham Falls. The alarm droned on at 6 am and poor Fiona’s body was still not functioning, so Iain headed off with the intrepid aching Sarah.

The busses worked to perfection and dropped us off in the middle of nowhere where we found a little trail disappearing deep into the forest. Always one for changing plans and seeing a sign for the ‘Stinking Hole’, which apparently housed 1000’s of bats, their guano and belched fumes which emanate from deep inside the earth; we changed tack and thought we’d get stinky before getting clean in the falls.

After hiking for hours we had arrived at a sign proclaiming the ‘Stinking Hole’ was upon us. In Iain’s mind he’d pictured a hole going deep into the earth spewing yellow gasses with blood sucking bats hanging off the sides. What we actually found was all together more sedate and, like the puddles, was rather oversold.

The detour to the ‘Stinking Hole’ wasn’t all bad though as it delayed our arrival at the Middleham Falls, ensuring we had them to ourselves. As we approached we knew that these hadn’t been oversold, from miles away we could hear the cascading water and as we clamoured over slippery rocks we were given occasional glimpses. This was going to be a big ‘wow moment’.

We crested the final ridge and there in front of us was the most perfect waterfall Iain had ever seen. The water flew out of the mountain and fell 80 meters before crashing into a rainbow framed deep blue circular pool. If Heineken made waterfalls this would be the water fall that they would make, and amazingly we were all alone.

The sight was all too inviting and as quick as a flash we’d dived in, swimming though winds generated by the plummeting water and into the spray and rainbows. It was both a magical and educational experience as we now know exactly what it feels like to be water boarded.

With the falls and stinking hole behind us we started our way home and were soon looking for the non existent bus to get us back to civilisation. We quickly realised the only way to get back down was to stick our thumbs out and so Sarah had the brand new experience of hitch hiking. Finally after many miles of hiking, hitching and swimming we got back to Ruffian where Fiona greeted us with enthusiasm and the phase ‘Look I’ve found another big walk for us to do tomorrow’. Iain and Sarah didn’t feel quite so enthusiastic.

The walk that Fiona found was described as challenging and started off with a long long rickety suspension bridge. This was going to be a stretch for Fiona to cross and Iain didn’t help matters as he bounded and slipped his way across swaying side to side and getting the bridge to make worrying squeaking noises. Fiona bravely set foot on the bridge and started her way across, but with the blood draining out of her face and bile rising in her stomach this was her ‘Bridge too far’ and she had to turn back. This once again left the duo of Iain & Sarah to conquer yet more hills.

The final ‘walk’ really crowned Dominica the hiking capitol of the Caribbean. Iain & Sarah returned to town, dirty and sweaty with their bags full of grapefruit, the whole town seemed to know where they’d been. They were covered in mud from head to toe after all the falls and trips they’d encountered after scaling the aptly nicknamed ‘Hill of 100 tumbles’.

Dominica can consider itself well and truly done and this is now our no 1 island by a long long way. You never know what is around the next headland and so we are pushing north to Antigua and some of the islands we’ve not yet set foot on.


The perfect treatment for aching and tired legs. Hot and cold pools.


Followed by the local brew.


Our first sundowners ashore in Dominica.


Finally calm seas and sunsets.


The Stinking Hole was somewhat underwhelming.


But Larry loved the sound of it.


The waterfalls were anything but underwhelming.


They went down and down and down until they crashed on our heads.


A bridge too far.


The joy of just a little more romping.


All for a little glimpse of the anchorage.


Leaning over sailing.


In oilies and boots. Who thought we’d be dressed like this in the Caribbean.


That was a close escape. The anchor sets within inches of a huge rock.


Larry gives Hans a cheeky surprise.


Rock and roll New Year’s Eve. All in bed by 9pm.


Mr & Mrs Seamstress hard at work.