Today was a busy, busy day. It started off with Don coming by at 9AM, in the rain, with a diver to take me on my 2-tank dive. I have to admit I forgot the diver's name, but he was very friendly and the first local I've ever seen diving. He did have a thick wetsuit shorty on and between the two dives it was raining and windy and he was shivering terribly (we cut our surface time to a minimum as it was much warmer in the water than outside). I felt sorry for Don who had to stay up on the surface and he looked rather cold as well. The two dives were very nice and interesting and I wish my camera had been correctly set, I took some wonderful snapshots that, without exception, were overlighted or out of focus; and I don't know what I did wrong. The diver had a Hawaiian Sling along to catch the numerous large Lionfish we saw and a big Snapper smelled the blood but wouldn't eat a dead Lionfish (with the spines cut off) until we dropped the fish and moved far away.
Shortly after returning to my boat and as I was drinking a nice hot coffee, Alexis came by and asked if I wanted to join an island tour and within a few minutes I was off with two groups, one a German couple on a Bénéteau 57 called “Eau de la Vie” and another couple from the USA living in a hotel on shore. Robert was our driver and the tour was very interesting (I was fortunate to be able to sit shotgun), we stopped for an entertaining show by Mr. Friendly the fruit vendor and then visited the Emerald Pool / Emerald Falls, which are a UNESCO World Heritage site, then had a very late lunch at Islet View Restaurant before traversing the Carib Indian Reservation (3500 of the original Carib tribe that gave the islands their collective name). Unfortunately after that the rains set it, reducing visibility to mere feet at times, and the rest of the island's attraction were hidden from view thereafter.
Sponges [15°34'55.8"N 61°28'40.99"W ]Sponges
I cannot find this creature in my book and cannot remember what the divemaster told me it was; but it was pretty cool indeed, moving around slowly on those appendages. [15°34'55.8"N 61°28'40.99"W ]This moves around slowly with those tentacles
A nice vantage point for looking along the shore at St. Joseph in Dominica [15°24'10.75"N 61°25'25.42"W (facing NW)]Overlooking St. Joseph
This rock formation looks like a mushroom and is just outside of the town of St. Joseph on Dominica [15°24'10.88"N 61°25'25.32"W (facing NW)]Mushroom Rock at St. Joseph
Recent rains swelled the river and caused part of the road we were on to wash out. [15°24'51.24"N 61°23'38.62"W (facing NE)]Layou River
Mr. Friendly, a consummate showman, has a fruit stand in the hills. [15°22'52.35"N 61°21'14.62"W ]Mr. Friendly's fruit
Part of his food supply was coconut, the inner meat removed by banging the half-shell on this larger shell. [15°22'52.35"N 61°21'14.62"W ]Mr. Friendly and his coconut
Emerald Falls through the trees [15°23'51.67"N 61°18'48.19"W ]Emerald Falls through the trees
Mountain stream to the falls [15°23'51.67"N 61°18'48.19"W ]Mountain stream to the falls
Falls in the rain [15°23'51.67"N 61°18'48.19"W ]Falls in the rain
Water cascading down the falls [15°23'51.67"N 61°18'48.19"W ]Water cascading down the falls
Sun coming out on the Falls [15°23'51.67"N 61°18'48.19"W ]Sun coming out on the Falls
Our tour group at the Emerald Falls [15°23'51.67"N 61°18'48.19"W ]Our tour group at the Emerald Falls
Water in front of the cavern [15°23'51.67"N 61°18'48.19"W ]Water in front of the cavern
The water was coming out of every crevice in the cliffside as the sun broke through after the rainshowers. [15°23'51.67"N 61°18'48.19"W ]Water oozing from the earth
Emerald Falls and Pool [15°23'51.67"N 61°18'48.19"W ]Emerald Falls and Pool
Behind the Emerald Falls [15°23'51.67"N 61°18'48.19"W ]Behind the Emerald Falls
Looking through the Emerald Falls [15°23'51.67"N 61°18'48.19"W ]Looking through the Emerald Falls
Gecko posing at the Falls [15°23'51.67"N 61°18'48.19"W ]Gecko posing at the Falls
A lookout point at the Emerald pool falls in Dominica shows the ever-present cumulus clouds. [15°23'51.67"N 61°18'48.19"W ]The clouds are omnipresent here on the mountain
A wonderful view, despite the rainshowers, from our restaurant seats at Islet View Restaurant over Castle Bruce. [15°26'47.57"N 61°15'29.98"W (facing SE)]Castle Bruce restaurant lookout
The fine selection of rums at Islet View restaurant. [15°26'47.57"N 61°15'29.98"W ]Islet View Restaurant rums
Castle Bruce rocks [15°26'47.57"N 61°15'29.98"W (facing SE)]Castle Bruce rocks
Some rock carvings in the Carib Indian reservation. [15°29'24.09"N 61°16'41.89"W ]Carib Reservation artwork
Carib stone carvings [15°29'24.09"N 61°16'41.89"W ]Carib stone carvings