Laugh and you will live longer. Let's all laugh and the whole planet will live longer...
- Lauri G. -
Yeah, we're sailing! The passage from Guadeloupe to Dominica was ... what's the word ... LIVELY!
DOMINICA
YEAH, BABY YEAH! We're back in the groove, baby! We're grooving because life is beautiful, because a smile and a laugh is free and because we only live once. The contrast - again - was huge. The local shop keeper among many others in Dominica reminded me of a simple fact: If we have food, shelter and each other, life is a laugh. (some good music helps to get into the groove, baby...)
The sail from Guadeloupe was lively for Aliisa. I just hang on with both hands and Annina wedged herself down against the bed and the wall, with a stack of pillows and some magazines. "Let me know when it's over" - she didn't say but I kinda red it from her overall body language. No probs, only 25 miles and no matter what happens, we'd be there soon. I wish I had the energy to crawl to the front and take a good photo of the weather as it pours over the decks. But I just sat and held on.
Night security in Portsmouth was good. He was also happy and friendly.
Prince Rupert's Bayl. A local fisherman sitting in a boat zooms in as we're approaching the achorage. "Cobra Tours, VHF16". He wasn't a fisherman, though he may have been fishing. "Let me know if you need anything man, welcome to Dominica". "No worries, man, cheers, catch ya later!" He returned to his fishing and we proceeded into the bay, looking for a place to anchor. Enough of this cruising crap, though. Even the dumbest ass knows by now that this story will continue to the point of the anchor in the bottom and us in Dominica. "What about Dominica?" - you say. The cruisers will be already speed-reading through to see if there's any relevant information about a place they might visit. The "have been there's" are reading slowly and carefully, in case I mention something familiar. Something they could agree or disagree with or at least say: "oh yeah, I was there!" or "oh yeah, we did that!". And the rest of you? I don't know what you expect to come next...
Do I look like a man in a need for dope and beautiful women? The offers for the former continued throughout the visit.
By the way, some cruising guides* recommend an anchorage on the south side of the bay. Why? Because you get hassled less by the boat boys. The same cruising guide made an interesting statement regarding some of the local boys: "...they might steal from you...". The author didn't say "they" have stolen or that "they" will steal. But they "might steal..." The world might come to an end. The shop keeper might copy your credit card details? Aliisa's propeller shaft might slide out and the boat might sink. I might die. Today. Nevermind.
*I don't buy cruising guides. I flick through them secretly on other people's yachts. Only OTHER people buy cruising guides. I don't buy crap like that. Ok?
Yes, darling, this is what our rainforest home will be like in Cairns too...
Every cruiser is concerned about the safety and security of the place they visit, at least to some level. Many forget common sense, many come to places safer than their own neighbourhoods with more fear they ever had at home. The reason this issue popped up here, is relating to other places in my mind. I'll talk about other places in my mind at another time, yeah? For now, I'll just note, that there may be and that there are other places in my mind and that there will be other places in this website too... who knows what we're up to next...
Where were we? Oh yeah. Dominica. The first man paddling his surf-ski is Michael. The wind is howling over the hills and the anchorage is full of tiny white caps. Michael has a wet plastic bag full of wet fruit for sale. We get some and order some mangoes, oranges and bananas (if any country has bananas, that's Dominica) for the next day. M also promises to bring a courtesy flag for EC30. (EC1 = 2.6US). I offer EC20 and he accepts. The chinese-made flag sells for EC12 in the shops in town, but Michael has a lot of paddling to do and you can't ask a man to do physical work for nothing. Besides, Obama said it's time to put people back to work. I don't like working, so I do my best to engage other people in this over-rated activity called ... what was it again? As long as it's not me. (Make work your play, and you never have to work a single day in your life. I like playing and I'm known to play hard when it pays well.
While re-building old hurricane damage sometime takes time, there are some busy building of new houses happening in Portsmouth. Done by guys with a good balance and no fear of hights.
Anderson is the next guy. I wish I had done all my business with him. He was funny and cool and although he had nothing with him on his half-submerged paddle ski, he had the best products to offer: Dope and beautiful women, maaan. And he offered them both with the true sincerity and smile of a true friend. I can't blame him. If you would look at Aliisa from Anderson's point of view, from that proximity, grabbing that rusty toerail and seeing me at 10am with a rum-coffee in my hand, you too would think: "This guy needs weed and women!"
But I don't need either. I quit smoking (cigarettes) over two years ago and though my weed-smoking has always been very occasional, smoking anything is now been and done for me, forever. As far as beautiful women go, I'm all for it! All the better if they are also smart and clever, beautiful inside-out. Sexy and attractive? Oh yeah! Sorry, Anderson, I've got the full package onboard, the best woman on the planet is here with me. "Ooooooh...(he puts his hand over his mouth, realising that Annina heard his offer)....sorry" We have a giggle and Mr. A paddles away without making a sale. Then come the pro's. Alexis, Eddison, Raymond the Ravioli Lover, Albert....
Yes, darling, this is what our rainforest home will be like in Cairns too...
The tourism in Dominica is well organised. What is often called the "boat boys" is actually a group of small-businesses, each guy being a member of an organisation. These dudes - distinguished by their nick name painted on the side of their boat, by a 40hp Yamaha on the transom and usually a Icom M31 on the hip - are running a yacht service I have only been dreaming about in the past. They are not a charity and they are not some monkeys begging for a favour. They are proud and professional, keen to keep their promise and provide a good time for the people that bring a few extra bucks to the growing economy of one of the most beautiful eco-destinations on the planet. (What the fuck do I know about eco-destinations on the planet? But it sounded good...) Anyway, there's no need to baulk at the small dude, he's trying to make a buck - something we're grown up to respect and admire on those who make tonnes of them.
Man, I gotta tell ya. I'm getting so sick of trying to find a friggin free wi-fi, I'm going to get one of these. The dude in this house is surfing from the free wi-fi he picks up from a hotel in Miami...
I cautiously ease into the groove. The locals - both on water and in town - are again displaying the qualities that I first saw in the South African blacks: pride, respect (to self and others), opennes and friendliness. They were laid back with a sense of humour, perhaps sometimes feeling sorry for the fact that many yachties had a reserved, untrusting attitude toward them. It was an excercise of building short-term relationships based on mutual trust and mutual benefit. Raymond organised a day-trip for us, a full day with the "Original Max" on his 12-seater. Yo, maaan it was a nice day. A swim in Emerald Pool, a chat with Stephen-the-Carib and a brief introduction to the twelve million hundred thousand fruit-, root- and spice varieties that grow on the road side. (Mostly behind and between abandonded car wrecks that dot the roads of Dominica by the thousands).
Yes, darling, this is what our rainforest home will be like in Cairns too...
After Raymond had to go and get a tooth pulled out in Roseau, we let the senior tour-guide-trainer Albert do the Indian River tour. All this was rather extravagant for us but the island of Dominica was covered by such a heavy blanket of rainforest and national parks that it would have been seriously a shame not to spend a buck with a guide. Albert was hangover, good with all tree and fruit species and particuarly familiar with Pirates of the Caribbean filming sites and Johnny Depp's footprints. After all, he had been working on the river one day with the crew and the stars.
The real Dominica was a reflection of the ancient spirit of African pride. Apart from one or two pain-in-the-ass sleeve-pullers and "gimme a buck" or "buy a necklace"-guys, the locals were friendly and cool. In the two weeks of our stay, we never locked Aliisa or our dinghy. A night security patrols at night (if he's not drinking rum on Aliisa) and the place is ... groovy, man. It's good. It's a good place. Go there and enjoy.
A quick dance on the footpath of Portsmouth during the Carnival opening attracted this lovely lady who asked if she could have a dance with me. "Oh, the carnival has been so much fun ever since I was a little girl".
Time flies when you're having fun. The days we didn't do anything else, we hang out in the cyberworld, inter-web or something. Yeah, the local hotspot was fast and the signal was good enough to do all the surfing at home. But we have a few places to go, a few things to do. Must go. Bugger....
A mere 16 miles down the coast took us to Roseau, the capital. Even with dirty bare feet, they thought I was from a cruise ship. No man, I'm not going to buy your chinese souvenirs. Oh yeah, can you believe it? I was in shock at the markets! The markets were loaded with necklaces and "hand-made" jewellery, t-shirts, dresses, caps, bags and every item you could think of. It all said "DOMINICA" in the front and Made in China on the back. Jeesus fuckin christ, man! Dominica made in China? I checked on the back of the "authentic", "hand-made", "traditional" Carib-Indian carving. There was no markings. It is carved from the stalk of a giant fern that grows locally. But then again, they may send the ferns to be carved in China. Nevermind. Never been to China, you know, but got myself a whole lotta souvenirs from there allright!
Peter the Potter, making chicken-shaped clay pots and lots of other things beautiful and planning to open a small B&B one day.
"The Original Max", tour guide and bus driver. Like the guys working on the water (Raymond, Albert, Eddison and others) Max understood what it takes to survive in the tourist industry: reliability, professionalism and friendliness that comes from the heart. (The last one of the list was typical of all Dominicans)
Africa meets Caribia. The black population of the Caribbean is mostly decendants of African slaves. Here's Max having a laugh with a good mate of his, Stephen, one of the 3000 decendants of Carib Indians living on Dominica. They're both lovely, though they say that the Caribs still get pretty violent when given enough rum. Like the Aussies. And the Finns. Ugh. Lauri G has spoken, let's drink to that.
Each day hundreds of people in the town of Roseau pack thousands of little souvenirs in their vans and drive down to the the streets lining the the cruise ship dock. Each day thousands of people pour out of the massive floating palaces to take a peak of a world foreign to them. The vendors come from Dominica. The buyers come from America. The souvenirs come from China. This is where they all meet.
Hard Facts
Dominica:
Population:
70 000, including 3000 of the last remaining Carib Indians who live in their own land in the NE of the island.
Clearing in:
Officials are friendly and a 14-day clearing costs EC 20, with no further visit to the office required within that period.
Water:
Runs down the hills and available in public taps on the road sides. Drinkable and clean
Diesel:
Available in both Roseau and Portsmouth
Good times:
Yes, sure.
Groovy:
Yep
Temperature:
Absolutely wonderful and warm
Climate:
Changing, like everywhere else, this January being the rainiest in living memory
Internet access:
Yeah, my favourite topic. Available at US 30 per week or 50 per month through HotHotHotSpot Wifi. Accounts valid in many other Caribbean locations. Signals are strong, very strong. BYO external antenna for home-surfing.
