Guadeloupe & Dominica : 12th to 27th march 2004

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In Guadeloupe, a friend accommodated in us. We rented a car to Gosier at Raoul and Antoinette hopuse who offer good price : http://www.ifrance.com/raoulantoin/. They even rent boat. Twice, we were guided by a local ornithologist (Anthony Levesque). That allowed us to discover some interesting sites like the Anse du Canal Reserve.

We stayed 4 days in Dominique. We were based at Ophelia's home. It's a place away from Roseau where we saw some interesting birds. We rented a small 4WD with Courtesy Car Rental. We had a flat tyre the last day just before boarding and we had no supplement to paid, what we appreciated a lot. So, I advise this renter without moderation !

We saw few mongooses in Guadeloupe (India species introduice at the end of the XIXè century), Lizards and Iguanas and two snakes in Dominica : a Boa constrictor crushed on the road and a small snake during a walk.

Here' s our trip below. If you want more information, you can contact me : jpparis but replace the (at) by @ !

12-mars Guadeloupe Orly ; "Pointe-à-Pitre" ; "Dampierre".
13-mars Guadeloupe VTT des mers from "Vieux Bourg" in the north of the "Grand-Cul-de-Sac Marin". It's similar to pedal-boat. Very interesting and one of the best way to see mangrove birds (http://www.vttdesmers.com/).
14-mars Guadeloupe Morning with Anthony ("Pelletan" and "Anse du Canal") ; "Sainte Anne" ; "Saint Félix" beach.
15-mars Guadeloupe Walk around "Pointe des Châteaux" and the "Grande Saline". Very nice sights of Tropicbird !
16-mars Guadeloupe
Drive in the "Grands Fonds". Visit of the Pointe de la Vigie.
In the afternoon, walk between the "Porte de l'Enfer" and the "Trou du Souffleur".
17-mars Guadeloupe ; Dominica Boat for Dominica. Roseau
18-mars Dominica Roseau ; discovery of the island in car : Pont Cassé, Bells, Pagua Bay, Caraïb Reserve ; Castle Bruce, Emerald Pool.
19-mars Dominica
Starting early for Syndicate Estate for seeing the two endemic parrots.
In the afternoon, visit of Porthmouth, Indian River, north of the island.
20-mars Dominica
A walk of 6 hours to the Valley of Desolation and Boiling Lake. We took a guid in a great Hotel at Roseau : very expensive for a fast walk with twenty other people and only a half hours stop at Boiling lake. finally, we waited for half an hour the bus ! I think it must be better to find a guid near the Indian River : but be careful about swindle! If you're used to walk, you can try without guid but few pass are not easy to find alone.
At the end of the afternoon, snorkel near Head Scott : nice site but pebbly beach and few rubbish.
21-mars Dominica
Walk to Fresh Water Lake and Boeri Lake.
Snorkel to Champagne site before return to Guadeloupe.
22-mars Guadeloupe
Rest day, "Grande Anse" beach.
23-mars Guadeloupe "Saint François" and boat to "Petite Terre Island" : Iguana and hundred of hermit Crab. Antony showed us a Piping Plover wintering here.
24-mars Guadeloupe
Walk to the"Soufrière" Moutain which stayed clear all the morning.
At the end of the afternoon, beginning of the track to the third Carbet Fall: a good place for forest birds.
25-mars Guadeloupe
In the afternoon, cetacean trip with "Les Heures Seines" from "Pointe Noire". After more than two hours, we made very good observations of Sperm Wahle and more later we met a big troup of pantropical spotted dolphin. We also saw Brown Booby and Red-footed Booby.
26-mars Guadeloupe
Walk around the "Grand Etang". View point to the first and the second Carbet Falls (no walk possible).
In the afternoon walk to the third Carbet fall.
27-mars Guadeloupe "Pointe de Petit Havre" ; Restaurant at "Sainte Anne" ; "Pointe des Châteaux" and snorkel to the "Grande Saline"

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