Dominica

Friday, March 7, 2025

Dominica was one of the ports I was most looking forward to on this cruise. I had such wonderful memories of our visit in 2013 and basically wanted to re-create that day so that Jon and Michelle could experience and get a taste of what made Dominica special to us. That didn't happen. In fact the day couldn't have turned out any more different than what I had planned and I learned a valuable lesson...I have aged a lot in the last dozen years. Things that were easy back then have gotten more difficult. And what was difficult back then has become impossible. But let's start at the beginning...

The guide we had used in 2013 was no longer leading tours but with a little research I was able to find a company that had a very similar island tour and would visit some of the same places we had enjoyed previously. Booking the tour required full payment up front and without even knowing too many details, Jon and Michelle agreed to go based on my recommendation.

The Eurodam docked right downtown in Roseau, Dominica and our tour met just across the street from the dock. The four of us were part of a bigger group that were picked up in a large van. The all day tour was to visit multiple places but we were to begin by snorkeling at a place called Champagne Reef. As we were driving to where we would get into the water I started to remember what a hard time I had snorkeling there before. 

On our way to Champagne Reef.

We each had brought our masks and snorkels but used fins that the tour guide provided. We were also required to wear a snorkel vest which I find very uncomfortable. There was a bit of a walk from the road down a hill to the rocky beach. I held onto Bob to keep my balance with my bad knee. After taking off my shoes, it was very painful to walk across the stones barefoot but I made it to the water's edge where Bob helped me get my fins on and walk backwards into the water so I didn't trip over the fins. This was when I started remembering how stressful it was to get OUT of the water the last time. The waves had pushed me up into the rocks to the point I couldn't stand up and when I could, it was so painful I couldn't get across the stony beach to find my shoes. My anxiety started to build.

The tour guides were pointing out some fish and coral as we got into the deeper water and then we started swimming. I hate being in a large group of snorkelers because it is so easy to get kicked in the face so I hung back a little...but then I was always too far away to see or hear what the guides were talking about.

I did get close enough to see a turtle swimming by but missed a puffer fish the guide grabbed. I caught up with the group to see the "champagne bubbles" which are caused by volcanic gasses leaking up through the ocean floor and I enjoyed floating above the area for some time. The guide swam down and captured some of the bubbles in a tube and then would pour it out into our hands so we could feel how warm the water was. Luckily Bob was willing to use the GoPro camera to get some photos and video.

Sea urchin and coral.

The "champagne bubbles" coming up from the rocks below.

Fan coral

Puffer fish.

Good bye little puffer!

Sea turtle

There was one guy who was struggling and had gotten way behind the group so when the guide offered to go back to shore with him I asked to follow along. My mask was leaking a bit and I was starting to get that claustrophobic feeling from the mask and snorkel. Michelle was nearby and decided to also join us. It was interesting to experience a drastic drop in the temperature of the water as we left the "bubbles"!

I was leisurely swimming (mostly on my back) when I started to get strong leg cramps. The guide told Michelle and I to just grab onto the life preserver he had and he would pull us. I felt like the guide was pulling dead weight so I tried to help by kicking but when I did, the cramping got worse. 

At that point the extra exertion caused me to struggle to breathe and then I started coughing. By the time we got close to the shore I had begun to panic and couldn't get my breath. Getting out of the water proved to be just as hard as I remembered from the last time and my anxiety grew even greater. 

The guide offered to go up the steep hill to get me a drink of water. There was a small food tent on the beach and some very kind man told the lady to just get me a bottle of water and he would pay for it. I sat down at a picnic table to drink the water, but the coughing and shortness of breath continued. I was having a full blown panic attack.

Michelle sat with me until Bob returned and helped me up the steps to where the minibus was parked. Several times in the relatively short distance I had to stop to catch my breath. I have had panic attacks in the past, but never to that extent and it was scary. Bob is a retired paramedic and was able to check my pulse and was convinced it was just anxiety causing my symptoms. 

When one of the guides offered to take me back to the ship I agreed. I had started to breath a little easier by then, but felt like I was in no shape to go on with the tour. We insisted Jon and Michelle continue but I just felt bad that I had made such a mess of the day...and Bob returned with me to the ship so he missed out on everything.

When the van dropped us off right at the ship, a gal from the tour company was there to meet us as well as a staff person from the ship shore excursions department. Even though we weren't on a Holland America tour, he insisted that I ride in a wheel chair back to our room. I think by that point I could have walked OK, but I didn't protest. He asked if I wanted to be taken to the medical center but I declined.

When I got back to our cabin, I showered and changed out of my swimsuit and then crawled into bed for about an hour. Bob was getting hungry and suggested we go get something to eat at the buffet. I chose a bowl of ginger chicken vegetable soup that was so good and really hit the spot. But by the time I finished I was so tired I could hardly wait to get back to our room. I fell asleep while Bob was watched a movie.

When I woke up I was feeling pretty good and I encouraged Bob to go out and explore the city for awhile. I felt bad that he had missed out on the tour and wanted him to see at least a small part of Dominica. The botanical garden was one of the stops we should have gone to on the tour (and J & M did go there) and it was close enough Bob made it on foot. Here are some of the photos he took there:

Jon and Michelle didn't get back until just a few minutes before all aboard time. Besides the botanical garden, they had gone to Titou Gorge (where Pirates of the Caribbean was filmed), Trafalgar Falls, and some sulfur hot springs. From their description of the tour, I think I made the right decision by going back to the ship. Michelle said there were lots of stairs to climb and the swimming in the gorge was very difficult. I really should have gotten some of their photos, but I didn't.

The captain made an announcement just before sail away saying that they were going to do an anchor test right after the ship left the dock. He said they were going to drop the port side anchor and then pull it back up immediately. Bob and I heard a loud clanking noise so I'm sure it was the anchor being retrieved. The distance to the next port of St. Kitts is fairly short and the captain said we would only be traveling at 11 knots. This cruise continues to be the smoothest we have ever done.

Bob was tall enough to see over the top of the lifeboat in front of our window and snap this photo of a rainbow over the island.

Bob and I went down to deck 3 and watched as the ship sailed away from Dominica. 

The four of us had dinner at the buffet and then played cards in the Crow's Nest. I was feeling very tired, but otherwise fine. I was hoping after a good night's sleep I would wake up feeling rested and back to normal. I do know that going forward my snorkeling days are probably over. That helpless feeling I had in the water was frightening and something I don't want to experience again. 

Dominica Part 2 - December 13

Driving from one attraction to another gave us a chance to see the island of Dominica. The mountainous areas receive up to 350 inches of rain per year and are covered with dense foliage. Several times we passed through brief sprinkles, but otherwise we had been so fortunate to have great weather.

Levi was a good driver, but the switchbacks and hairpin turns were still a bit frightening…especially when they drive on the “wrong” side!

Bob was excited when we stopped at this roadside stand…carved masks are a favorite souvenir of his. (Thank you Southwest Airlines for not charging us for our extra bag!!)

Trafalgar Falls was our next stop. Here is another excerpt from the Bumpiing Tour website:

Trafalgar Falls: (two waterfalls in the same area) 10 minutes walk one way up a few steps. The walk is not too difficult but can be a bit challenging if one has any major problems with their backs, legs, hips or if one is short in breath due to lungs or heart condition. After the ten minutes walk, you get to a platform where you view the waterfalls and take photos. There is an optional extra two minutes walk where you can soak in the HOT mineral water (natural hot spring). This part of the tour is not for everyone since it’s a bit challenging getting to the hot spring (uneven and slippery). Visitors should take their time walking to and around the hot spring since the area is a bit rocky, slippery and steep. Climbing to the base of the waterfall should be avoided as much as possible because of the danger involved.

This description might be “slightly” misleading. The “few steps” had me huffing and puffing since they were up a steep hill…and more than what I would define as a few. You can see some of the steps in these photos…

The effort to get up to the falls was worth it. There are two beautiful waterfalls side by side that can be viewed from a covered platform. 

Bob hiked down a short distance to get a closer view, but you can see why the info above said this should be avoided…the terrain was very rocky.

Levi gave us the option of going to the hot springs if we wanted…not all from our group did. The spring was a very short distance from the viewing platform, but not all that easy to get to…just as the tour description stated. The ground was muddy, very steep, and it was easy to lose your footing.

The reddish colored rocks are actually minerals deposited as the water flowed down the hill. The minerals also caused the water to be a milky color.

After our very active day, sitting in the hot water spring was like being in a spa. We stayed for about 10 minutes but I think all of us could have easily stayed much longer.

From the spring, we could see out over a deep valley. While we were sitting there it began to rain. We watched as the rain moved across the ravine…first a light rain and then a downpour. The jungle canopy overhead kept most of the rain from reaching us so all we felt was a light sprinkle. What a magical experience to be sitting there in a hot mineral spring in the middle of a rain forest! One of those special memories that will stay with me.

Just as quickly as the rain began…it stopped. (It almost felt like this was an orchestrated attraction that you would experience at Disney World!) A look back at the spring as we were leaving…you can see the steam rising from the hot water.

The day had been full…but we still had a couple more things to see:

Botanical Gardens: (There you will see different plants trees and flowers grown on the Island) 5 minutes from Morne Bruce. (drive through)

Morne Bruce: (an area where you can see the entire city of Roseau from the top of a hill) 7 minutes drive from the ship. (Great for taking photos) (optional) 

Although the botanical gardens were nice, it only took a short while to drive through. I believe this was called a “sausage tree”.

The most interesting thing we saw was this school bus. It had been crushed when a Boabab tree fell on it during Hurricane David which devastated the island in 1979. The tree was left and it continued to grow!

Knowing that back home in Minnesota the weather was cold and snowy made these flowers even more beautiful!

The last stop was at Morne Bruce…a spot that overlooked the city of Roseau. There were some small souvenir stands set up here, but they were closing down for the day. It was hard to get a decent photo because we were looking directly into the sun.

Levi dropped us off at the ship around 3:00 (tour had started at 9:30 am.) All aboard time was set for 5:30 pm…it was nice to have such a long day in port and not feel rushed.

I have always arranged independent tours when we cruise and the Bumpiing Tour was definitely one of the best! Although there are other Bumpiing guides, we were very lucky to have spent the day with Levi! We paid Levi for the tour, said our goodbyes and headed back to the ship. 

(I had to get one photo of Levi's awesome hair!)

We were tired and desperately needing showers and decided dressing for the MDR was just too much effort! 

After cleaning up and taking a quick rest, we watched the sail away from our balcony (AKA the Terrace Pool!) and then headed to dinner in the Horizon Court. 

“Disco…Blame it on the Boogie” was the evening entertainment in the Princess Theater. 

After the performance we walked around the ship and stopped in at Club Fusion to watch karaoke. The club was almost empty but we waited around and listened to a couple of the singers. They were so bad…and we were so tired…we called it a night. Arrival at Grenada the next morning was scheduled for 7 am and we needed to be onshore bright and early for our tour…or so I thought.