Share this on
The legendary freediving platform in Dominica is located inside the scenic Soufriere/Scotts Head Marine Reserve with logistics provided by Nature Island Dive. The custom-built freediving platform is just a short 5-8 minute swim from shore or less than two minutes by boat. Water temperatures don’t drop below 26°C and visibility averages 20-30m. The reason why Soufriere Bay is so special is because of its calm conditions, protected from the neighboring Atlantic ocean. It is located in a massive, 150-meter-deep extinct volcanic submerged crater that provides its steep dropoff. This unique bathymetry allows for no waves, no thermoclines, no current, and pristine visibility which is what makes Soufriere, Dominica your very own freediving paradise. This means that you won't have to change your sessions based on water conditions, meaning you can make the most out of your freediving trip to Dominica. This is seriously the place to be if you want to dedicate time to your overall progression as a freediver. Personally selected by Jonathan Sunnex are world-class, 100+ meter instructors including Jimmy Jeantot and John Fane, who you can join in private coaching sessions and monthly, week-long training camps with Blue Element.
What’s the best part of living in Dominica as a freediver you may ask? To start this list off, it would have to be the accessibility to the island's hot springs! With nine volcanoes, Dominica is literally built on geothermal activity. You can find hot springs all across the island, some require a decent hike to get to the pools, but many are only a short walk away to get your sulfur to soak in. If you're coming to Dominica for freediving, that means you’re most likely going to be staying in or near the Soufriere Guest House. The beauty of its location is that it is only 10 minutes away from the Caribbean sea and in the other direction, a 10-minute walk from a beautiful 36-40 degree hot spring, granted Soufriere is located in the valley of a dense rainforest covered in volcanic rock, so that’s not much of a surprise. The sulfur minerals are excellent for the skin (especially the volcanic clay at Screws hot spring that we slather ourselves on each visit) containing sulfur, iron, and calcium. It can help ease eczema, and rashes and leaves you silky soft. We freedivers enjoy these hot springs after long days of training and enjoy the minerals that soothe our dry skin and mask-tanned faces. Also, if you've had a long session, take those tired, lactic muscles on a short walk to the springs after a session. Since there is no fee to enjoy these springs, you can go as often as you like and reap the rewards of a hot mineral bath.
If you want to try out your spearfishing skills, come hunt for lionfish in Dominica. Not only do you get to have tender, beautiful white filets of lionfish after a successful spearfishing session, but you are also doing the ecosystem a big favor. Known to prey on over 70 different species, lionfish are particularly adept at eating juvenile fish, like parrotfish, who consume algae that grows on coral reefs. These fish play an important role in keeping reefs healthy, and without them, entire coral reefs, like ours in Dominica, will be decimated. Also, Lionfish reproduce year-round. Mature females release 50,000 eggs every 3 days for the rest of their lives. Most reef fishes only spawn once a year, so lionfish can rapidly outnumber native fish populations. Between coral disease that has traveled here from Florida and these fish, The Caribbean is in danger. Freedivers do our part to help. Lionfish are relatively sedentary since they are apex predators here, making them easy to hunt if you're new to spearfishing. There is no need for a speargun as they dwell under rocks and won't move even if you come face to face with them, a short - mid-size pole spear is a perfect and easy-to-carry weapon. When we go out to hunt them, it is not far from Soufriere. You can go all around the island to hunt lionfish, but our go-to location is the beautiful reef in Scotts Head. We leave close to sunrise or sunset - this is when they come out to hunt.
There are two things you must be careful of when you are spearing lionfish: their poisonous barbs and losing a lionfish once you've shot it. The polespears we use here don't have barbed prongs, this way you do not have to touch the fish and risk a sting when you deposit it into your catch bucket. What we do worry about is lionfish escaping once they've been shot. When this happens, they adapt to having predators. This is starting to happen more and more with inexperienced spearfishermen and the clever ones have begun to go deeper.
I've heard Dominica called, "Jamaica 40 years ago" - you'll understand what they mean once you get there. Not polluted by tourism, yet still friendly to visitors and true to the island's roots. Some of my fondest memories of my time on the island are from spending time with the locals. It is a place where everyone says hello, and everyone knows everyone. They’ll stop to chat out of the window as you drive by and wave to you no matter how many times you've passed! It's lovely to see how close-knit the island’s community is, one of the things I'm looking forward to most when I return this September. In general, I found people to be friendly and welcoming. They love to eat together, drink together, listen to Soca music and enjoy Nature Island more than anyone. They are also not afraid to speak their mind and add a lot of passion to their conversations this way. They are proud of their homes and keen to share their stories with you. This leaves me with a real feeling of warmth toward the island.
The local cuisine is what you would call soul food. With lots of flavor and recipes passed down from generations. Dominica is heavy on exotic fruits which include bananas, breadfruits, avocados, guavas, oranges, passionfruit, limes, and tangerines. Something is always in season. Depending on when you come to the island, you can pick these fruits straight off the tree to enjoy. People from Dominica also plant a variety of fresh herbs and spices and use them generously in their food. The main source of protein for most is seafood. They also consume a large quantity of lobster and octopuses caught by local fishermen. In the mountainous areas there are crayfish and frogs, also called mountain chickens. People from Dominica prefer spicy dishes with vegetables and greens combined with fish or seafood. Plus lots of palm oil is used for beloved fried chicken and bakes. Meat is one of the main elements of most Dominican dishes. Having cured or stewed meat is often part of dishes. Safe to say, you won't go hungry in Dominica and may discover your new favorite meal, made by your new friends on the island.