Bernd – Page 64 – SY Hullu Poro

👍…Boiling Lake…👌

On March 9, 2023

According to Mr. Green, my 20 year old tour guide organized by Mr. Seacat for today’s hike, you get 2-3 days like this per year! A result of the trade wind games described earlier. What a fortune! The Boiling Lake shows up on the left side of the photo, miles before we got there, which was a hard bit of work.

The cost for this tour comes close to 4000kcal. Well, if I believe my Polar Sport Tracker. The same device tells me we have done 15.71km over 950m altitude. Komoot is right on this special track as per the data below. So whatever the cost for this tour will be, I am going to relax, recharge, remember and enjoy the pain in any case!

Fair winds…

…trade wind games…

By Bernd

On March 8, 2023

In Dominica

A strong low pressure system northeast of Bermuda is pushing the trade winds south. The no wind zone in between moves also south and becomes prevailing for the Antilles – the Lesser- and the Greater Antilles! This means less wind and more heat, which creates some thermic winds from increasing air over the islands. This increasing air is generating westerly winds during the day, sucking it in from the sea. Most anchorages in the Lesser Antilles are open to west and therefore unprotected. Depending on the weather model, the west wind shall peak on Thursday afternoon around 10-15kn. We have seen 12kn westerly winds before and it was manageable.

Following some consultation with Volker and Jan, I have therefore decided to stay a bit longer here in Roseau albeit being on my toes, in case I feel uncomfortable and prefer to leave. Rather spend the day at sea then compared to a rolling anchorage with a shore in my neck and mooring buoys….?!? I will keep monitoring as I am also tempted to do another hike tomorrow.

We shall be alright though. Let’s see.

Fair winds…

👍…Trafalgar Falls…👌

By Bernd

On March 7, 2023

In B(H)iking, Dominica

Text to follow!

…Titou Gorge Waterall Cove…

By Bernd

On March 7, 2023

In B(H)iking, Dominica

Text to follow!

…Freshwater Lake…

By Bernd

On March 7, 2023

In B(H)iking, Dominica

…stressed in paradise…

By Bernd

On March 6, 2023

In Dominica

No sleep at all last night! Instead, nasty swell rolling in from West with the increasing tide combined with my mooring too close to the shore. On top of that, a drifting catamaran (my neighbours) with a broken mooring line in the late afternoon hours. Root cause remains unclear. The team around hero Volker got it back under control. Amazing. My head is spinning. All not fun and too much to phrase down! Can you trust these moorings? I remain sceptical but no real option.

I have now changed to a mooring buoy slightly further out to get away from the close shoreline. There is thermic wind from West coming later this week als0 creating more unpleasant swell from West. Not sure we can stay here at all. SY Hexe has left today, moving North. I might follow earlier than planned caused by an unusual trade wind spread.

The picture above taken this morning is misleading. The swell ceased from 4:18am onwards, after the tide reached its peak. It might come back, most likely.

We have to monitor and decide but for now I am tired and will catch up on some sleep. Sailor’s destiny. At least immigration this morning went smooth and I am legally allowed to stay on in Dominica. Good night for now.

Fair winds…

Champagne Reef !

By Bernd

On March 5, 2023

In Dominica

Volker invited me for a snorkelling trip to Champagne Reef, a place, which has been praised by other sailors before as well. It is just off Scotts Head and part of a huge National Park. Special are the hot bubbles coming out of the ground ascending to the surface. The planet is boiling here. Fair winds…

…my morning view…

By Bernd

On March 5, 2023

In Dominica

☝️…Dominica 🇩🇲…🙋‍♂️

By Bernd

On March 4, 2023

In Dominica

A pleasant sail took us to Roseau, the capital of Dominica. After some zig-zack course around Sargassum carpets, I got a playful welcome from a dolphin group just before passing Scotts Head, the southern tip of the island. Hard to catch on the camera this cheerful gift of the ocean.

I had booked a mooring with SeaCat and it all worked out as expected. Upon arrival, I got escorted to the reserved mooring followed by their help to fix the line to the buoy. They offer all kinds of service, which will help me to enjoy “The Nature Island” as that’s what Dominica is called.

My sailing friends from SY Hexe, Cornelia and Volker, have already enjoyed some spectacular activities on the island the last couple of days. After Volker also assisted during our mooring process, the bar for the arrival beer and sundowner became common sense. We took a quick dinghy ride into town to the “Hi Rise Beach Bar”!