1/15/2000

Even before we arrived at the island you could tell it was paradise. Through misty clouds I saw a surreal world of glowing green. We landed at Melville "airport" in a small, shaky aircraft. As soon as we got off and found our luggage, the Dominicans were already extremely kind - (especially an overzealous porter who carried your bags away quicker than you could tell him where they were going.) Afterward, we rode in a vehicle resembling a bus (it's cool!) all the way up to Springfield Plantation. The roads here are crazy! They drive on the "left side" even though the roadway is very narrow anyway, leaving only what feels like inches from the edge of a steep cliff. The houses are colorful - mostly pastels - and I noticed a lack of street signs, too. One thing I really liked is that all the advertisements on billboards or anything are all painted. It's really neat to see the way of the whole culture. Whenever we ride around a tight bend, the driver has to beep the horn to warn oncoming cars - (or trucks with funky loud speaker systems).

The cold showers are fine, but other than that the Plantation is great! I remember my parents telling me to buy bottled water and other necessities that I forgot to bring when I got here, but to tell you the truth, I don't feel like walking two miles to the nearest Mom & Pop store. That's literally how it is. This place is so untouched by much human interference. In all seriousness, it's so beautiful here it's hard to describe. Everything blends together, fully exceeding my wildest expectations. It's only the first day but this is already an experience I will never forget - it's inspiring. There really is so much more I could say here but I can't fathom the words to tell you all about it. I love this place and I guess I could describe it as isolated peace (if that helps any?!?)

UPDATE: (right now!) [Matt] Long has adapted well - he has now resorted to wearing a grass skirt and drinking out of a coconut cup he carved with a butter knife and a screw driver! (No kidding - really!! Well, just the grass skirt part.)

1/19/2000

This island never ceases to amaze me. Everyday gets better and better. Today, I had a great new experience when I went snorkeling for the first time at a reef called Scott's Head, which is actually an underwater volcanic crater. After receiving all of the gear necessary, one after another we jumped into the deep blue. I was astonished when I stuck my head in the water and could see straight down to the bottom. The water was so clear and relaxing. It was another world all its own, and my first reaction to the group of fish rushing toward me was somewhat overwhelming. It didn't seem real; more like a 3-D movie, but still very hard to describe. I took many photographs (who could resist) of the species I saw, which included Trumpet fish, Sgt. Majors, Barracuda, and Morey eel. I must admit it did take a little time to get used to the equipment because I ended up swallowing some water a couple times, but other than that it was my favorite part of the trip so far, though even that is extremely hard to decide.

After snorkeling for about an hour, we head off in the ship, the Barana, to search for whales. The sun gleamed off of the ocean water, which made for a spectacular view. To find some whales they used a hydrophone that appeared to be made from a salad bowl, duct tape, and some electrical equipment, but worked great. They lowered it into the water to be able to hear, directionally, where the whales were located. Well, we found them! Within ten to fifteen minutes we saw them bursting out of the water. Although we saw mostly Sperm whales and some dolphins, these sightings were especially unique because they included a mother whale and her calf, side by side. We couldn't have wished for anything better (though Mr. Leonhardt always kept his hopes up for more!).

When the ship finally returned to shore, we docked in Ruseau, one of the more flourishing towns of Dominica. Our ship looked quite petite next to a grand cruise ship, which was close to where we docked. We were allowed to split into groups to go explore the town, mostly eating and shopping. Many shops had handmade crafts while others had more tourist merchandise. It was all very nice, including the people and even some extra pushy venders, but everybody needs to make a living, right? I purchased a few items, got some grub to hold me over until we get back to the U.S. and made my way back to the bus, which took us back to Springfield Plantation for a bit of rest to get ready for another fabulous day.