Dominica - The Indian River

We entered Dominican waters in the early afternoon, greeted by a bright yellow, red and blue boat with a smiling local welcoming us.  Lawrence "of Arabia" is part of the PAYS system here who provide yacht services like getting your laundry done, taking you on tours, and showing you to customs. 

After our warm welcome, Lawrence joins us again once we have anchored to offer further introductions and direct us to customs.  Within minutes another small boat pulls up offering grapefruit, mangos, bananas and coconuts.  We buy a few grapefruit and mangos for a pittance. The grapefruit is super sweet and the mangos deliciously ripe with juice that tastes of honey that runs down our chins.  I like Dominica immediately.

We organise to do the Indian River tour with Lawrence, who arrives bright and early the next morning to pick us up.  The Indian River is where parts of the Pirates of the Caribbean 2 movie was filmed, in particular where Calypso the witch lives in her haunted looking riverside abode.  We are again struck by how similar the rainforest here is to New Zealand.  We breathe in the familiar smell of wet earth and leaves which could be the Waitakere ranges, the Coromandel or Great Barrier.  

Lawrence rows us an hour up the river, no outboards are allowed to be used to preserve the peaceful sanctity of the river.  He points out exotic birds and plants as we go, his knowledge was extraordinary.  Gary quizzes him on coconuts, when to eat them, when to drink the juice, and how to climb a coconut palm.    I sit back and enjoy the ambiance.  As far as the boats can take you is a little jetty, the only sign of civilisation we have seen yet on the tour.  The Indian River Bar has a tree house feel, with chairs made out of tree logs.  It is surrounded by a garden with more exotic plants.  We hear the Bar is the place to go for jazz and reggae nights which I can imagine are fabulous.

Lawrence of Arabia

Views of Dominica on our way to the Indian River

Where the Pirates of the Caribbean was filmed

The Indian River Bar

We have been socialising with more cruisers and have had the privilege of partying with the locals.  I'll fill you in on this after we attend the Garden Party on Sunday.