Dominica

[02REDZ28]

About 16 months ago, I move to a tiny island in the Southeast Caribbean called Dominica. No, not the Dominican Republic..... Dominica is part of the Dutch West Indies that lies between Guadalupe and Martinique. I moved here to take advantage of the opportunity to attend medical school in one of the most beatiful, secluded corners of the earth. Known as the Garden Island, its considered to be one of the more pristine reservations for tropical terrestrial and marine life in the Southern Caribbean because of its lack of tourism. Moreover, I'm fortunate enough to live about 2 minutes away from the beach and a beautiful reef. Living at the center of Prince Rupert Bay creates the perfect opportunity to have a lagoon type reef with little wave and surge action. Gorgonians, Sea Fans, and Sponges litter the sea floor with thousands of fish and other invertebrates surrounding the underlying structure.... It's something really special to be able to go snorkling on a moments notice and be the ONLY person in the water in the whole bay! For those of you who haven't been able to live on a tropical island, I suggest you do it if you ever have the opportunity. Yes, I had to sell my reefs, but this suffices nicely.

 

[02REDZ28]

Look for the eyes in the hole! Octopus!

 

[02REDZ28]

 

[02REDZ28]

Basket Stars here live in the big barrel sponges.

 

[02REDZ28]

 

[02REDZ28]

I'm in my last week on the island. I'm moving home on the 21st to start work at Covenant Hospital System in Saginaw.

Here are some pics of my recent dives. I'm gonna try to squeeze in 2 or 3 more trips this week.

I love finding colonies of A. palmata here. They're fairly uncommon, but appear healthy.

 

[02REDZ28]

 

[02REDZ28]

 

[SushiGirl]

Very nice! Man, you're gonna miss that LOL.

 

[reefpeeper]

awsome!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[ackee]

Thanks for the pictures. I'll be in Dominica for the 14th time in February. I've spent a lot of time there, snorkeling, scuba diving, and exploring the interior. You are, I assume, connected with Ross. I've dived all along the west coast over the years. I like to snorkel just north of where you are, and along the Salisbury cliffs.
The scuba diving in Dominca is different from other Caribbean islands; not always better, but unique. The untouched mountainous rainforest interior is a treasure that makes all other Carribean islands pale in comparison.

I know you'll be back. I was hooked after my first visit almost 14 years ago. I still dive elsewhere, but I always try to return to Dominica when I can. The fact that there are no safe sandy beaches (killer currents on the sandy east coast) and the need to take a puddle jumper from an intermediate destination like San Juan keeps most tourists away.

The average sand and sun tourist does not appreciate Dominica's lack of fancy food, drinks, accomodations, and very difficult roads. Cruise ships bring most tourists for only one day. The place is a paradise, excellent diving and an incomparable topside. By now, Dominica is like a second home to me, and I'm making some progress learning the French-based patois.

 

[ackee]

Domina's correct status

Domina's correct status

Dominica is part of the British Commomwealth, and is totally and completely an independent nation. It was never part of the Dutch WestIndies. Never.

Its ties to the British Commonwealth are marginal, dealing with commercial matters and some legal appeal issues. The local patois is French, because Dominica belonged to France before the English took it away from France 230 years ago, and also to a certain extent because the French settled there as farmers, merged with the mostly African population, and brought Roman Catholicism to Dominica, still the prevalent religion. The French in general treated the population much more kindly than the absentee British plantation owners. Many of the local priests are French.

 

[02REDZ28]

My mistake... I should have just called it part of the Lesser Antilles. I know it was never under Dutch control.

To be frank, I'd say Venezuela, China, and Cuba have more influence here than the British Commonwealth. Venezuela brings in the fuel, China supplies workers to build roads, and Cuba supplies professionals like Doctors.

 

[Cj923]

Nice pics man

 

[ackee]

Of course China, Cuba and Venezuela have more influence. Ever since the Grenada invasion the US has provided no assistance to Dominica. Britain never really did, even when Dominica was a colony.

When the US used its brute economic force a few years ago to nearly bankrupt Dominica's tiny banana economy to make gigantic American agribusiness in Central America happy, the small economic gains made by Dominica were wiped out. It was one of the stupidest and cruelist things the US has done in the Caribbean, and there unfortunately are a vast number of actions of that type from which to choose.

China has a continually growing influence in Dominica, using its gigantic cash reserves to secure fo itself all possible future sources of raw materials throughout he world. The long term implications for Dominica may be environmentally disastrous.

Venezuela supplies cheap oil to many nations in the region, and God bless them for it. Similarly, Cuba supplies virtually free health care to many poor nations in the region, including Dominica, the second poorest nation in the Caribbean. The US government does not do as much for its own citizens.