So our story restarted in St Lucia where the guests left and the boat needed to be cleaned um after 9 men lived on her for 18 days...ja well no fine... At least the captain made a start on it for me. But there were all the after party events for the ARC to relax at in the evenings, not to mention the continuous live marimba music and permanent holiday feel

St Lucia, Rodney Bay. Where it all began....again

With just the two of us on board we decided to do two long day sails with a two night stop-over in Dominica so that we could clear customs and of course do some exploring. Anchored outside Portsmouth we learnt just how long and loud the locals can party...that would be: all night and audible right across the bay. We were so tired from the trip it was no worry to us to fall into deep sleep to the reggae beat.

Dominica Island, Portsmouth. Rain, rainbows, rivers, reggae and rest.

The following day we woke to discover that the locals dont actually need sleep and their DJs dont ever lose their voice. Yip, the party was still going with the reggae booming and the crowd being hyped up by the still enthusiastic, louder than the music, same as the evening before DJ. We were then reminded to chose our local contact with the promise that on doing so all the others would leave us alone. That's how we met Albert the local river guide and were persuaded that our one venture ashore should be in a boat.

The Indian River during the 30sec interval that it wasn't raining.

Off we set in Albert's row boat and the rain (Dominica is one massive rainforest) up the Indian River. Here we have another name trying to preserve history: the Indian River is so named for the Carib Indians that used to live there and their food, the Arawak tribe. The Caribs are the tribe of cannibalistic fame, remember them in the Pirates of the Caribbean?

Another local Dominican inhabitant. I'm sure you recognise this one from home. They are everywhere!

We were very shortly informed that this was not simply a tour up a rainforest river on a Caribbean Island, including detailed teachings on the intriguing fauna and flora...no no not just that. This was also a tour of the film sets of Pirates of the Caribbean 2 and 3. 'Do you remember the witches house in the mangrove? It was right there' Apparently the all knowing, persistent Albert and his boat were employed for the filming of the movies, to ferry the stars around and fill in as an extra...

One of the few predators to live on the island (along with the 'None of them are poisonous' snakes) and apparently a vegetarian...???