Dominica
We entered Prince Rupert's Bay at first light, an anchorage ideally suited for the age of sail. It has deep water, from the volcanic origins of the island, is naturally protected by rugged headlands, and has a wind gap in the hills that enables sailing vessels to sail both in and out of harbor. It is not surprising that a long list of famous sailors have brought their vessels into the bay from the time of Columbus' second voyage in 1493, at which time the island was given its Spanish name from the day of the week on which it was first sighted. The English and the French fought for possession of the island that changed hands several times before settling under British control in 1815 at the end of the French Revolutionary Wars.
It was the English who named the main settlement in the bay Portsmouth. English is the official language of the island and of its education system although a majority of the population is Roman Catholic rather than Anglican and speaks Creole, which in large part derives from French. The largest residual Carib population in the Caribbean can be found in the northeastern part of the island although they too now speak Creole, the last native Arawak speakers having died out in the first decades of the twentieth century.
Rare fauna featured prominently on our morning walk along the Syndicate Nature Trail, with sightings of the red-necked parrot, known locally as the jacquot. Together with the imperial parrot (sisserou), it suffered great losses from recent hurricanes and laudable efforts have been made to raise awareness of these birds and to conserve their habitat in the rainforest. Other bird sightings included the blue-headed hummingbird, the scaly-breasted thrasher and the mountain whistler.
The flora of the forest was lovingly described by our guides, whose enthusiasm for the rainforest was infectious, from the massive gommiers and chataigniers to the smallest epiphytes and orchids. Our drive to and from the rainforest was no less interesting with a variety of agricultural crops on display, such as bananas, oranges, grapefruit, mangoes and yams.
In the afternoon we visited the impressive remains of Fort Shirley, a massive British fortification built to protect the harbor currently under restoration. In the tangled undergrowth away from the main site, old cannon, British and French, lay on the ground amidst the ruins of barracks and old roadways. It was all very atmospheric and appropriately evocative of the age of sail, which in the Caribbean was synonymous with international conflict.
We entered Prince Rupert's Bay at first light, an anchorage ideally suited for the age of sail. It has deep water, from the volcanic origins of the island, is naturally protected by rugged headlands, and has a wind gap in the hills that enables sailing vessels to sail both in and out of harbor. It is not surprising that a long list of famous sailors have brought their vessels into the bay from the time of Columbus' second voyage in 1493, at which time the island was given its Spanish name from the day of the week on which it was first sighted. The English and the French fought for possession of the island that changed hands several times before settling under British control in 1815 at the end of the French Revolutionary Wars.
It was the English who named the main settlement in the bay Portsmouth. English is the official language of the island and of its education system although a majority of the population is Roman Catholic rather than Anglican and speaks Creole, which in large part derives from French. The largest residual Carib population in the Caribbean can be found in the northeastern part of the island although they too now speak Creole, the last native Arawak speakers having died out in the first decades of the twentieth century.
Rare fauna featured prominently on our morning walk along the Syndicate Nature Trail, with sightings of the red-necked parrot, known locally as the jacquot. Together with the imperial parrot (sisserou), it suffered great losses from recent hurricanes and laudable efforts have been made to raise awareness of these birds and to conserve their habitat in the rainforest. Other bird sightings included the blue-headed hummingbird, the scaly-breasted thrasher and the mountain whistler.
The flora of the forest was lovingly described by our guides, whose enthusiasm for the rainforest was infectious, from the massive gommiers and chataigniers to the smallest epiphytes and orchids. Our drive to and from the rainforest was no less interesting with a variety of agricultural crops on display, such as bananas, oranges, grapefruit, mangoes and yams.
In the afternoon we visited the impressive remains of Fort Shirley, a massive British fortification built to protect the harbor currently under restoration. In the tangled undergrowth away from the main site, old cannon, British and French, lay on the ground amidst the ruins of barracks and old roadways. It was all very atmospheric and appropriately evocative of the age of sail, which in the Caribbean was synonymous with international conflict.
