The full moon had shone brightly all night and as the sun rose, we stirred to prepare ourselves for a morning sail north to Portsmouth on Prince Rupert Bay, where we had heard there was a river cruise worthy of our attention. We made contact with Providence, a recommended guide, who arranged to pick us up at 12:30. A quick lunch later, we were picked up by Providence, also known as Martin.
We headed for the mouth of the Indian River, so named because the original Carib Indian settlers first tried to settle up the river, but the water was too brackish at the mouth of the river. Once we'd entered the river, the outboard engine was cut and Martin proceeded to row with his considerable strength against the couple of knots of current upstream for about a mile. The river was shallow and narrow and was milky blue with good surface reflections.
We had entered a mini-Amazon, an intriguing tranquil world and tangled mess of cypress and mahogany roots, vines, ferns and animal life. The muddied banks provided perfect hiding spots for crabs and Martin used his stealth to pick up one to demonstrate the anatomical differences between male and female crabs and where not to put your fingers! Martin has been doing this work for some 22 years, but his background is in botany and he has plenty of passion for his 'office'. He drew our attention to the well camouflaged water birds including the yellow crown night heron and the elusive blue headed hummingbird. We learnt that there are 180 different varieties of birds on Dominica and that the Imperial parrot, the sisserou, has become the national emblem and can be seen on the Dominica flag. Mullet fish from large to small were visible but thankfully the boa constrictor was not encountered, one of three non venomous snakes on Dominica. What we did encounter up a side stream was a hut on the mud banks that had been used as a set for Pirates of the Caribbean 2 and 3.
Martin really came to life when he reported on the plant life. He talked eloquently about the ferns, trees and flowers, explaining how rain got collected within the large blooms and the hummingbirds were unable to resist the sweet nectar produced. Our greatest photographic challenge has been the hummingbird, a tiny bird with iridescent green and blue plumage, long beak and oh so fast as it darts around foliage. By the time your eyes have focused on the bird, it is gone! At the end of the serenely quiet and scenic boat ride we were in fresh water and low and behold there was a jungle rum bar, where we imbibed coconut rum cocktails and watched Martin strip some reed foliage into narrow lengths which using origami style folding he turned the reeds into hummingbirds. He presented each of us girls with his creations attached to a hibiscus or ginger lily. In addition, Martin had picked a bunch of ginger lilies for us to have on board.
Dominica was first seen by Columbus in November 1493 and hence the name, but he sailed past. It was in the 17th century that the French coveted it, but as with all the Caribbean islands, the British saw the strategic value of the island and so began a century of struggle, although the foes often joined forces to defeat the warrior-like indigenous Caribs. Dominica became English in 1873 but the French hung on until 1805. The consequence of the French influence can be seen in numerous place names and language mix. The island gained full independence in 1967, which was followed by significant political upheaval in 1979. As if that wasn't enough for the fledgling nation, Hurricane David hit the island the same year, causing almost total devastation. It has been a slow recovery with international aid.
A trip ashore allowed us to experience the somewhat gritty atmosphere of Portsmouth township in late afternoon, when the workers were all heading home. There were a couple of 'boom box' cars parading the main drag, which seemed to leave the locals as bewildered as us. Back on board for a tranquil evening, we rested well. Next morning we no sooner had coffees in hand, when Paul emerged from the depths of the bay with enormous lobster in hand! We'd learnt from the locals how to use a knife to the head to end the lobster's life humanely. All appendages were sectioned off to be cooked in the pot while the body flesh was lightly cooked in oil and garlic. Come lunchtime, we would have a succulent feast!
Like all Caribbean destinations, it is always wise to lock up the yacht before departing for shore. However, the notes in the pilot book particularly commented on this anchorage. There are a growing number of courteous tour guides but sadly there are still some very rude boat boys who are known to try to steal yachts. Thank heavens we had been advised to contact Providence!