southern boating

divers. The arduous slope of Dominica continues underwater
creating a haven for cetaceans including dolphins and
whales. A resident pod of rare sperm whales—as many as 14
have been spotted together—patrols the west coast about a
dozen miles off Roseau.
Snorkelers and scuba divers, too, will find a vibrant
seascape. Though the water visibility can’t match other

Caribbean waters—streams regularly wash sediment into

the bays—the waters are nutrient-rich. Seamounts are plush

with large sponges, and schools of jacks and tuna hunt in the

strong currents.

An hour’s drive north of Roseau is the quieter coastal town

of Portsmouth. The bay there offers some of the quietest

and most picturesque moorings along with a full-service

Previous pages: Waterfalls and natural hot springs pool at Papillote Wilderness Lodge;

whale watching for resident sperm whales that inhabit the deep waters of Dominica;

Catholic church in the seaside village of Soufrière on Soufrière Bay; cannons at Fort Shirley,

a reconstructed 18th-century British fort in Cabrits National Park

At left and above: The famous boiling Lake of Dominica, a flooded volcanic fumarole in

Morne Trois Pitons National Park; view of Morne aux Diables (Devils' Peak) from the north-

east coast

86 s SOUTHERNBOATING.COM s MARCH 2016