Welcome to the Nature Island: Dominica is a remote and unspoiled island in the Caribbean. Surprisingly, few tourist come to visit and most of those are from cruise ships that allow only an afternoon of exploration. Dominica deserves so much more, even a week on the island only scratches the surface of what there is to see and do. In fact, Dominica is Kim’s top choice for Caribbean islands.
The Diving: The charter operation, Dive Dominica, is conveniently located at the Fort Young hotel. Their modern boats and professional staff will quickly transport you to an array of different sites. Dominica is a volcanic island and underwater, these volcanoes are the source of some dramatic landscapes, creating craters, chasms and sheer walls. A most unusual dive, called the Champagne site, will have you swimming through bubbling water caused by geothermal vents. The water is toasty warm and the sea floor is even more so. Healthy reefs abound, perhaps because of the rich volcanic environment. Soft corals and colorful sponges accessorize the walls. Encounters with seahorses, frogfish, flying gurnards and other rare species are common. Batfish, electric rays, Caribbean reef squid, sea snakes and sea urchins add to Dominica’s list of odd undersea inhabitants. There are three marine reserves around the island that protect the large variety of fish and the healthy reefs. You will not be disappointed here. Plus, keep your ears open for sounds of dolphin and whales. They inhabit the area year around. The Accommodations: Your trip includes accommodations at Fort Young Hotel that is, in our opinion, the best place on the island. It is a charming mixture of historic elegance and contemporary design. Fort Young is nestled on the waterfront and your ocean front room has a spectacular view of the Caribbean Sea. Imagine enjoying a morning coffee or evening glass of wine from your balcony while watching the waves wash the shoreline. All rooms are fully air-conditioned, equipped with ceiling fans, direct dial telephones, flat screen HDTV, terrace or balcony, Service Bar, Tea/Coffee Station, and in – room safes. The Fort Young Hotel prides itself on providing quality customer service and has received may outstanding awards.
The Fort Young Hotel is located in Roseau, the Capital of Dominica. An array of restaurants and shopping areas are within easy walking distance. This area only scratches the surface on what Dominica has to offer. Hiking: Half of the island is covered by rainforest and can only be reached by foot. Close to 300 miles of scenic hiking trails can be explored. Venture to an array of waterfalls or climb to the peak to see Boiling Lake. Many trails wind by giant gommier and chestnut trees that are draped with blooming orchids. Look for native birds, over 135 species are found here, most notable being the endangered Jacquot and Sisserou parrots. Giant frogs, known locally as mountain chickens, inhabit the mountainous forests. Cave bats, agouti (a rodent), and the manicou (an opossum) live in the lower elevations. Dominica is even home to iguanas, boa constrictors, and 20 species of land crab. By the coastline, bananas, coconuts, grapefruit, cocoa and coffee.
Waterfalls, Waterfalls, Waterfalls: Over 300 rivers are found on Dominica and over a dozen form into beautiful waterfalls. One spectacular waterfall had a scene in Pirates of the Caribbean III. Some falls require a significant hike while others are much easier to get to. Either way, wear your bathing suit and bring a camera, it is all worth the effort. Caribe Indians: Dominica is the island in the Caribbean with the largest population of Carib Indians; approximately 3000 descendants of the "Kalinagos" as they call themselves. They live on the east coast of the island, in the Carib Territory, 60 minutes from the city of Roseau. Take a tour to visit the village Barana Aute, where we will learn about and appreciate many aspects of their history and culture, including their dances, songs, language and beautiful and unique crafts. Whale Watching: Dominica enjoys whales and dolphins all year round. Sperm whales breed in their waters and sightings are common. So far 22 different types of cetaceans have been identified including: short-fin pilot, false killer, melon head, pygmy sperm, and humpback whales. In our search for whales, you’ll likely meet huge pods of dolphins leaping out of the water and swimming alongside the boat. Dolphin species sighted include Fraser, bottlenose, spinner and pantropical. You can hear the ‘clicking’ of sperm whales and the’whistling’ of dolphins on the directional hydrophones which are used for locating cetacean activity. |
Package Includes
· 7 Nights at Fort Young Hotel · 5 Days of diving, 10 dives total · Full breakfast daily · Airport transfers · Marine Park Fees $20 included · Hotel taxes and surcharges · SASS T-shirt and Guide · Discounted Nitrox class of $99 vs. $139. Textbook extra. Not Included: $3 per day per person site user fee. Must be paid on site. Cost
Oceanfront Room Diver $1399 Non Diver $946 Oceanfront Deluxe Diver $1449 Non Diver $996 Oceanfront Suite Diver $1859 Non Diver $1407 Payment: A $300 non-refundable deposit is necessary to guarantee space on this trip. Final payment is due September 20. No refunds can be given unless your space can be refilled. If so, there will still be an administration fee of $100 to cover expenses. Travel Insurance is strongly advised.
Optional Airfare: We suggest the following flights. Chicago: $719 (as of 3/15/19) Outbound Nov. 8 American 395 Chicago-Puerto Rico 9:05a-4pm Overnight in Puerto Rico Nov. 9 American #7278 Puerto Rico -Dominica 11:30a-1:15p Return
American #483 Charlotte-Chicago 10:30p-11:28p Detroit: $793 (as of 3/15/19) Outbound Nov. 8 American #647 Detroit-Charlotte 6:29am-8:18am American #1852 Charlotte to Puerto Rico 9:50a-2:23p Nov. 9 American #7278 Puerto Rico -Dominica 11:30a-1:15p Return Nov.16 American #7278 Dominica-Puerto Rico 1:45p-3:30p American #753 Puerto Rico - Charlotte 5:40p-8:25p American #1817 Charlotte - Detroit 10:09p-11:59p Special Note of Consideration: Dominica was hit by a hurricane in 2016. After a 3 year recovery period, we feel the diving will be very good again but you should expect to see some building destruction. |