ROSEAU, DOMINICA

Friday, April 7, 2000

7:00 AM - 5:00 PM

10 Hours - The Ship Will Dock

DINING OPTIONS

Dress suggestion for this evening:  FORMAL - Cocktail dresses for women; suits & ties, or tuxedoes for men.

(Guests are kindly requested not to wear Tank Tops and Shorts in the dining Room at Dinner)

ROOM SERVICE IS AVAILABLE 24 HOURS A DAY

Average Temperature:  85

Language:  English & French Creole

Officially COMMONWEALTH OF DOMINICA, island republic of the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean Sea. It is situated between the French islands of Guadeloupe to the north and Martinique to the south; on its eastern shore is the Atlantic Ocean. The capital is Roseau. Dominica is some 29 miles (47 km) long and 16 miles (26 km) wide. Area 285 square miles (739 square km). Pop. (1991) 71,183; (1997 est.) 74,400.

The Land

Dominica is a mountainous island of volcanic origin, and its main physical feature is a high, forest-clad range that runs from north to south, culminating in Mount Diablotin (4,747 feet [1,447 m] ). It is broken midway through its north-south length by a plain, which is drained by the Layou River, flowing west. There are numerous other rivers and streams, but most are unnavigable. Dominica has a warm year-round tropical climate with temperatures that range from 78º F (26º C) to 90º F (32º C). Rainfall on the island is extremely heavy, averaging 250 inches (6,350 mm) in the mountains and 70 inches (1,780 mm) along the coast.

Dominica's volcanoes are probably extinct, but Boiling Lake in the south and a number of thermal springs provide evidence of some continuing volcanic activity. The volcanic basis of the island has provided it with a rich soil, and dense tropical plant growth has developed in places into rain forest.

Bird life on the island is especially rich, with 135 species, including parrots, the blue-headed hummingbird, and the trembler, a thrush whose courtship involves a rapid quivering movement. There are also iguana, opossum, the agouti, the boa constrictor, and many species of bat.

The People

Most of the people of Dominica are of African or of mixed African and European descent. Other peoples of the island include small groups of European and Syrian ancestry and the main surviving community of Caribs, who were the Pre-Columbian inhabitants of the Caribbean islands. The first European settlers of Dominica were mainly French, and the most common language spoken is a French patois. English, however, is the official language and is also widely used. The people are mainly Roman Catholics, but there are long-established Protestant denominations as well. The largest city is Roseau. Dominica grew rapidly during the 1970s, mainly as the result of a drop in its death rate and despite steady out-migration. Hurricane David resulted in a massive exodus in 1979, but the migratory trend reversed in the 1980s. The population of Dominica is relatively young, with two-fifths of the people under 15 years of age. Most of the islanders live in rural areas and work in agriculture.

The Economy

Dominica is one of the poorest of the Caribbean nations. The performance of the economy through the 1970s was characterized by declining production and reduced private investment and was complicated by devastating hurricanes that struck the island in 1979 and 1980. The economy had recovered by the mid-1980s, in part through foreign assistance from such sources as the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United Nations. Although the gross national product (GNP) is growing much more rapidly than the population, the GNP per capita remains relatively low.

Agriculture remains the most important sector of the economy, in terms of both contribution to the GNP and employment. The banana crop provides the country with its chief agricultural product and its main export. Farms also produce grapefruit, limes, oranges, and vegetables. Coconuts are important and have given rise to industries that produce copra, coconut oil and fats, soap, and detergents. Other industries that derive from agricultural products are those producing fruit juices and rum. Handicrafts are important, and a local industry makes cigarettes from imported tobacco. Pumice, the country's only commercial mineral resource, is mined. There is some livestock raising and a small commercial fishing industry. Hurricane David in 1979 destroyed many of the island's fishing boats, and recovery has been slow.

The Industrial Development Corporation was established in 1974 to promote industrial expansion. Exports include, in addition to bananas, coconut oil and fruit juices. Imports are largely made up of foods, metals, and manufactured goods. The United States is the major import source, and the United Kingdom is the major export destination.

Dominica's rich tropical environment and mild climate provide the island nation with the potential for a thriving tourist industry, but tourism has been slow to develop. Tourist trade was enhanced by the establishment in 1975 of Morne Trois Pitons National Park, a unique tropical mountain wilderness.

A number of steamship services call at the deepwater port near Roseau, which was completed in 1976. Portsmouth is the major banana-shipping port. The main airfield is Melville Hall, about 36 miles (58 km) from Roseau. A secondary airfield, Canefield Airport, just 3 miles (5 km) north of Roseau, was opened in 1982. About three-fifths of the nation's road network is paved.

Government and Social Conditions

Dominica is governed in accordance with the constitution that took affect on independence day, Nov. 3, 1978. It established Dominica as a republic and provided for a Parliament, composed of a president and a House of Assembly, as the chief organ of government. The House is made up of 22 elected representatives, including the speaker if elected from outside of the House of Assembly, and 10 non-elective members (usually called senators) who include nine appointees of the president and the attorney general serving ex officio. Executive power resides in the president, who is elected by the House for a five-year term; he may hold the office for no longer than two terms. The prime minister is appointed by the president to preside over the Cabinet. Dominica is a member of The Commonwealth, the United Nations, the Organization of American States, and the Caribbean Community.

The government is trying to improve social conditions in Dominica, which has serious problems of poverty and underdevelopment. Programs to clear slums and provide more adequate housing are being dealt with through international aid and community efforts. Medical services are provided by the government through dispensaries, hospitals, and health centres. Intestinal diseases, diabetes, anemia, and sexually transmitted diseases are among the most prevalent health problems on the island.

Primary education is free for children 5 to 15 years of age and is compulsory where practical. Most of the schools are government-run, but a few denominational schools are also in operation. Dominica has several secondary schools. There is a teacher-training college and a branch of the University of the West Indies on the island.

Several newspapers are published locally. There is a government-owned radio station, and television broadcasts are received through a television relay station, which brings programs from Barbados.

History

The earliest known inhabitants of the West Indies were two Amerindian tribes: the Arawaks, who migrated from South America, and the Caribs, who later drove them out. At the time of Columbus' arrival, Dominica was inhabited by the fierce, warlike Caribs, who were at war with the inhabitants of neighboring islands.

The island received its name from the Latin dies dominica ("the Lord's day," or "Sunday"), the day on which Christopher Columbus sighted it in 1493. It remained one of the last islands to be explored by Europeans, because of its steep coastal cliffs and inaccessible mountains. The island's strategic position, however, later caused it to become the center of a threefold conflict between the Carib Indians, the British, and the French. Control of the island was contested between the British and French until it was ultimately awarded to Britain in 1783. Subsequent hostilities between the settlers and the native inhabitants resulted in the near extinction of the Caribs by war, disease, and deportation.

Dominica's position in the eastern rim of the Caribbean, where the Windward Islands are off to the south and the Leewards to the west, has caused ambiguity in its geographic grouping. At first Dominica was one of the Leeward Islands, part of a British Caribbean government administered from Barbados. In 1671 Dominica, along with several other islands, was separated from Barbados, and in 1771 it was made a separate government. In 1833 it was united with seven other islands under the government of the Leeward Islands; it was a member of the Federation of the Leeward Islands, created in 1871, but was transferred to the Windward Islands in 1940. In 1956, with three other islands, it formed the Territory of the Windward Islands, which in 1958 joined the Territory of the Leeward Islands to form the Federation of the West Indies. In 1967 Dominica, among other islands, became a self-governing state within the West Indies Associated States, retaining complete control of internal affairs while Britain remained responsible for external relations and defense. In 1978 it became independent as the Commonwealth of Dominica.

Trafalgar Falls and Roseau Highlights

3 hours, $29.00 Adult / $24.00 Child 

Times:  8:45 AM & 12:15 PM

A short distance from the city of Roseau lies one of Dominica’s – and the Caribbean’s – most picturesque waterfalls.  Come along with us as we visit Trafalgar Falls and take in some of the capital city’s main attractions.  You will travel via minibus into the island’s interior, where your driver/guide will lead you on a short (approximately 15-minute) walk to view these two magnificent waterfalls, cascading into a deep pool over slippery boulders surrounded by lush ferns and orchid blooms.  Following your walk, enjoy a cool, refreshing drink at Papilotte Wilderness Retreat overlooking the rugged Roseau Valley.  You’ll then return to town for your tour of the Botanical Gardens, where you’ll see some of the exotic flora and fauna indigenous to Dominica.  Pass by various city highlights as you make your way back to the ship.

Note:  Paths are rustic with steep gradients.

Emerald Pool and Roseau Highlights

4 hours, $32.00 Adult / $26.00 Child

Times:  9:00 AM & 12:00 PM

Discover one of Dominica’s gems – the famed Emerald Pool – as you take in the highlights of its capital city and a special folkloric show.  You’ll join your mini-bus and driver / guide pierside for your drive through the bustling streets of Roseau, making your way to nearby Mourne Bruce for a scenic photo stop overlooking the town.  Then explore the beautiful Botanical Gardens, which features indigenous flora and fauna.  From here, you’ll make your way into the lush rainforest of Trois Piton National Park for an approximately 10-minute trek to the colorful Emerald Pool, fed by a delicate cascade that plunges off the edge of a fern-covered cliff.  Before returning to the ship, you’ll stop at a local hotel to enjoy a complimentary beverage and short Dominican folkloric show by local artists.

Note:  Paths are rustic with steep gradients.

Dominica’s Favorites Tour

4 Hours, $52.00 Adult / $42.00 Child

Times:  8:15 AM & 12:15 PM

Enjoy two of Dominica’s most popular and visited attractions, Trafalgar Falls and the Emerald Pool.  Travel to Mourne Bruce where you’ll make a short stop to take photographs of the panoramic views of Roseau, Dominica’s capital.  The tour continues with a visit to the Botanical Gardens, which form the eastern boundary of the city.  Then it’s on to the village of Trafalgar with a unique view of the falls, which cascade side by side out of the deep gorges they have carved for themselves.  Arriving at the waterfalls themselves, your guide will lead you on a short walk up to an observation platform, where you can view this magnificent site.  Leaving Trafalgar Falls, your tour continues in a northerly direction through Roseau to Springfield Guest House for a refreshing drink.  Then it’s a short drive into the lush rain forest of Trois Piton National Park, home of the Emerald Pool.  Here your guide will take you on a 10-minute trek down to this colorful pool, fed by a delicate cascade that plunges off the edge of a fern-covered cliff.  Leaving the Emerald Pool, you will travel the same route on your return to the ship.

Note:  Paths are rustic with steep gradients.

Grand Tour of Dominica

7 hours, $65.00

Time:  8:20 AM

Dominica’s spectacular natural beauty is yours on this all-day tour.  Traveling via air-conditioned mini-bus, you’ll start with a drive through the streets of Roseau, the island’s capital, as your driver / guide points out the sights.  You’ll stop to take in the panoramic overlook at Mourne Bruce, then enjoy a walk through the island’s Botanical Gardens.  Afterward, you can relax with a complimentary beverage at the Springfield Hotel, marveling at the impressive views, before continuing on your way to Trois Piton National Park.  Follow a pathway through the tropical rainforest on your approximately 10-minute walk to the picturesque Emerald Pool.  Here you’ll find a small waterfall cascading into a natural, deep-blue pool, surrounded by lush plants, flowers and ferns.  Traveling north, you will pass through the Carib Territory, home to the only living Carib Indian descendants, before arriving at the Floral Gardens Retreat to relax and enjoy a cool, refreshing drink and delightful lunch.  Afterward, you’ll take a different route as you proceed across the island to the Etiennes Garden Bar for a brief folkloric show, presented by local artists.  Your return to the ship takes you through the small coastal towns of Massacre and Mahaut. 

Dominica:  Home of the Carib Indian

4 ½ hours, $55.00 Adult / $45.00 Child

Time:  8:30 AM

Dominica is home to the only remaining Carib Indians in the Caribbean, and this tour introduces you to these fascinating people as you explore the length of the island.  Traveling up the west coast, you’ll pass through the towns of Massacre, Mahaut and Belfast, then head to the Layou River Hotel, where a complimentary beverage will be served.  Continuing into Carib Territory, you’ll reach Salybai Village, where you’ll visit a church with an altar made of a Carib canoe.  The church also features primitive murals at both the front and back.  Enjoy a performance by the school choir and see displays of Carib basketwork, and you’ll have a chance to purchase other authentic arts and crafts as well.  From Salybia, drive on to Carbert, where you’ll be entertained by the Karifauna Cultural Group as they sing and dance in their traditional costumes.  Next you’ll travel along Horseback ridge with its panoramic views of Dominica’s highest mountain.  Your final stop will be at the Emerald Pool, where you may choose to walk to the observation point for a view of this famous site; please note that paths are rustic and steep gradients.  Return to the ship with a sense that you have truly experienced the “Nature Island of the Caribbean.”

Layou Valley Scenic Drive

3 hours, $29.00 Adult / $24.00 Child

Time:  8:30 AM

Enjoy a leisurely drive through the beautiful forests and plantations of Dominica’s Layou Valley.  You’ll take in the majestic scenery of mountain peaks carpeted in rich rain forest foliage, and delight in the colorful tropical flowers and many banana, mango, cacao, citrus, papaya and avocado trees along the route.  Traveling via air-conditioned mini-bus, you’ll drive through the bustling streets of Roseau before ascending into the hills of Springfield Valley, getting a bird’s-eye view of the town against the glimmering backdrop of the Caribbean.  Then descend into Layou Valley as you take in the scenery for approximately one and a half hours before stopping at a pleasant hotel.  Here you’ll enjoy complimentary beverages while you’re entertained with local music and dancing.  Reboarding your mini-bus, you’ll then travel along the western coastal road, passing through small fishing villages as you return to the ship. 

Dominica Mountain Biking

3 ½ hours, $59.00

Time:  8:30 AM & 12:30 PM

Take in the lush Dominican countryside and get some great exercise at the same time.  Start with a scenic drive from the ship to the island’s interior, where you’ll be issued a mountain bike and safety helmet.  After a safety briefing and a complete route overview, you’ll begin your guided bicycling adventure.  Dominica is known as the “Nature Island,” and you’ll find out why as you bike primarily downhill through the lush Layou River Valley, which descends through the heart of the island’s rain forest.  The winding road will take you past beautiful vistas, lush tropical countryside and an occasional banana plantation on its way to the Layou River.  Here you’ll stop for a much-deserved refreshment break at a scheduled swimming spot and hot water pool.  Following your brief stop, it’s back on your bike, pedaling toward the Caribbean Sea to meet up with your motor transportation for your return to the ship.

Dominica Whale and Dolphin Watching

4 hours, $72.00 Adult / $52.00 Child

Times:  8:15 AM & 12:15 PM

Erich Hoiyt, consultant to the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, calls Dominica the “closest, most reliable spot for American whale waters to see sperm whales.”  You’ll cruise approximately two to eight miles offshore in a partially covered, motorized vessel in search of marine mammals, while your guide provides a full narration.  Whales and dolphins are usually seen on the surface or located with the use of an underwater hydrophone.  The deep waters surrounding Dominica are a natural breeding ground for the sperm whale, and several species of dolphins are also occasionally encountered.  Afterward, you’ll make a brief snorkeling stop at one of Dominica’s beautiful reefs.  Your snorkeling equipment, safety vest, professional instructions, supervision, complimentary drink and transportation are all provided.

Note:  Actual Whale and/or dolphin sighting are not guaranteed.

Sea Kayak and Snorkel Adventure

3 hours, $54.00

Times:  8:30 AM & 12:30 PM

Explore the rugged Dominican coastline with a guided sea kayaking tour from Soufriere to one of the island’s premier snorkeling sites.  From the pier, you’ll take a short drive through some small coastal villages as you make your way to the town of Soufriere.  Upon your arrival, you’ll receive instruction on paddling your sea kayak, as well as proper use of the snorkel equipment.  Then, paddling at your own pace, you’ll kayak the warm clear waters to your snorkeling site.  This magical coral reef is home to a myriad of marine creatures and colorful corals.  You’ll return to Soufriere by boat and enjoy refreshments before the drive back to the ship.

Note:  Tour space is extremely limited.  This is an active excursion and only suitable for those in top physical condition.

New Waves Champagne Reef Snorkeling

2 ½ hours, $42.00 Adult / $34 Child

Times:  8:30 AM, 8:45 AM & 12:45 PM

Snorkel in the sparkling waters of Champagne Reef, named for the bubbles that continuously rise from this shallow reef.  The snorkeling site sits on the edge of a submerged volcano, and you’ll actually be able to feel the hot water vent from the earth’s depths.  This unique site teams with a variety of small tropical fish, including blackbar soldierfish and several species of parrotfish and damselfish, and such corals as star, brain and finger also flourish in these nutrient-filled waters.  In addition, yellow tube, vase ad giant barrel sponges, along with orange crinoids, can be viewed in water as shallow as 10 feet.  While cruising to and from the site in your motorized, covered catamaran, be sure to take in the picturesque Dominican coastline.  Your snorkeling equipment, safety vest, professional instruction, supervision, a complimentary drink and transportation are all provided.

New Waves Discover Scuba Diving

3 ½ hours, $79.00

Times:  8:30 AM & 12:30 PM

This tour was specially designed for first-time and non-certified divers.  Enjoy a brief taxi ride down the beautiful southern coast of Dominica to the tiny fishing village of Soufriere.  At the dive shop, you’ll receive the necessary instruction and be outfitted with your scuba equipment before transferring by boat to the dive site.  Once there, you’ll practice your newly acquired skills and, upon completion, begin your underwater adventure.  Guided by your instructor, you’ll explore the unspoiled reef, which features a variety of hard corals such as finger, star and brain, as well as numerous sponges like giant barrel and yellow tube.  The reef also abounds with myriad, small tropical fish, including trumpetfish, French grunts, brown chromis and stoplight parrotfish.  Your scuba equipment, professional instruction, supervision, drinking water and transportation are all provided.

New Waves Certified Scuba

4 hours, $82.00

Times:  8:15 AM & 12:30 PM

Certified divers won’t want to miss this exciting two-tank boat dive at one of the premier dive destinations in the Eastern Caribbean.  The first dive site is normally a dramatic, pristine wall, on which an average maximum depth of 70 feet is reached.  The wall is loaded with numerous colorful sponges, gorgonians, crinoids, star, finger, and black hard corals.  This site is truly an underwater photographer’s dream.  Many small tropical fish including fairy basslets, hamlets and squirrelfish share the reef’s crevices with anemones and the occasional spiny lobster or moray eels.  The second dive is on a shallow reef area, where you can look for the graceful spotted drums.  Your scuba equipment, professional supervision, a complimentary drink and transportation are all provided.

Note:  Certified divers must have their certification cards with them in order to participate on this tour.