^^A Common Octopus (Octopus vulgaris) peers out from its hidey-hole in the reef, on a night dive
The island of Dominica, in the far southeastern reaches of the Caribbean, is a gorgeous emerald gem set in a sapphire sea. Dubbed “The Nature Isle”, this magnificent place invites nature lovers to dive her sparkling waters, hike her verdant slopes (waterfalls galore!) and relax in her rejuvenating hot springs.
But don’t call her the Dominican Republic. That’s a different island, far to the north and west of here. The locals won’t mock you for it – they are far too gracious – but it will reveal how little you’ve traversed the Caribbean.
Speaking of the locals: They are the friendliest I’ve encountered just about anywhere in the world. My two dive buddies and I became fast friends with our boat captain, Stinger, and dive guide, Brenton, both with Dive Dominica. They provided us a wonderful week of laughter and fun as we explored the beautiful Dominican reefs. We will be back to see them again.
If all this wasn’t enough, we saw rainbows every day, like this one I shot just after I jumped in the water:
Below the surface, Dominica is just as enticing. On our night dive beneath the cruise ship pier, Brenton found a Shortnose Batfish (Ogcocephalus nasutus), only the second one I’ve ever seen:
During the day, Brenton was equally adept at finding seahorses and frogfish, like this Longlure Frogfish (Antennarius multiocellatus). His “lure” is the little white blob just above his head:
And this Longsnout Seahorse (Hippocampus reidi):
Not to be outdone, my dive buddy found one of my favorite critters, a juvenile Smooth Trunkfish (Lactophrys triqueter), who bobbled around inside the coral, trying to avoid my camera. I managed to snag one decent shot:
More shots in the gallery below. Enjoy!
nifty
Thanks Bob