Dominica is scenic, lush and mountainous. Today we will dock (no tenders) and shuttles are available for anyone wanting to go to town center, about 10 minutes away. Dominica is the best stop for excursions on this itinerary.

Some of the best Caribbean snorkeling is off the shores of Dominica, and the Champagne Reef Snorkel Adventure operated four times today. My second choice was the 4X4 Waterfall & Rainforest, which included a visit to Ti Tour Gorge, one of the film locations for "Pirates of the Caribbean 2 - Dead Man's Chest."

​

Other popular options include River Tubing, a Wet & Rugged Dominica, a cooking tour, and the one we selected, the new Whale & Dolphin Adventure. This one was extremely easy - we simply disembarked the yacht and took a few steps on the deck to our boat. The crew used directional hydrophones to listen to the clicking of the whales and the whistling of the dolphins. 

 

The crew worked hard attempting to find whales for us. For a long time we had nothing, then we arrived at a spot where one had just breached and went back under water. Close but nothing. Finally, after more waiting the crew heard whales some distance away, so off we sent speeding away over the water.

​

We raced across the ocean hoping to arrive on site before they decided to go back under water. It is important to realize these whales often stay submerged for up to 45-minutes. Success. We found one, we saw float on the surface and finally give us the big Whales Tale dive below the surface. We were able to capture this treasured photo and video. Then the bar opened and we returned to the Wind Surf a happy group.

​

An interesting note is that the Sperm Whale mate, calve and reside in the waters around Dominica all year long. Since we tend to think of whales migrating to warm waters only seasonally we found this interesting. 

​

Mission accomplished. We enjoyed a relaxing yet exhilarating afternoon on the water with beautiful Dominica as our backdrop, whales up close and personal as our entertainment. And photos to prove it.

​

Back onboard we quickly pulled out of Dominica around 4:45. Under clear blue skies the sails raised one at a time while lush mountainous Dominica came into wide view before gradually shrinking in the distance. Sail Away is becoming one of the my favorite activities onboard. It is just such a beautiful site under these clear Caribbean skies. Great opportunity sit back with a favorite beverage and enjoy the show.

​

Tonight we enjoyed dinner under clear skies at Candles on deck. Wonderful menu selections featuring many seafood options.