Dominica

We arrived in Dominicao this morning at 8 am amidst clouds, rain and fog in the mountains.  We prepared for our trip ashore, whale & dolphin watching, with ponchos  and cover-ups and by the time we had breakfast and it was time to disembark, it was sunny and hot. But that's the Caribbean.  We went on a catamaran about 3 miles off shore and waited along with another boat.  The 4 crewmen were hilarious and we did see several sperm whales.  It was just great to be outside and off the ship for 4 hours. As soon as we couldn't see any whales, however, the girls mostly clad in itty-bitty bikinis, lay down on the net and sunbathed.  I think Rick has more photos of them than of whales.


Dominica is located in the circle of islands which include Barbados in the south to Monserrate in the north.  We sailed outside the circle where the ocean is very deep, 7000 meters.




The night before we dock in any port, there is a mandatory pre-port meeting in the Union with about 800 students, facultly, staff and LLLs.  One speaker, an architect/ historian was especially interesting as he asked us to note how similar the architecture is in Dominica as it will be in Ghana, one of the centers of the slave trade selling slaves to the Caribbean countries. And it is.


 But the funniest presentation was Dr. Bill, who is a hoot anyway, and his nurse, whose power point presentation didn't work so they wrote on big signs.  Their advice to students always includes warnings while in port about excessive drinking, drugs and of course on a ship full of 20-year-olds, sex. (If you're too young. or too conservative to read about protected sex, STOP HERE. The first thing he said was that he had invented  a "total body condom, and proceeded to show us how it worked.   He first put a mask and snorkle on the nurse's face and then covered her from  head to toe in a clear plastic bag.  Needless to say, the entire auditorium was in stitches.  But he made his point, that the only way to have safe sex was to use a condom, which by the way, are given away free outside the Health Center.


Then they had signs of things not to do: Don't get BIT; don't get HIT; don't do IT; don't get LIT and don't eat SHIT! (Fecal matter on food).  The students got it all which was his intent.

We all have to take the Global Studies course which is self-explanatory and I'm sitting in a Bob Cecil's class, Geography and Developing Countries.  I can't say enough about the caliber of students on the ship. From here out, we are advised not to drink the water, ice, fruit with skin, milk products like ice cream, and a long long list.  We have access to the Faculty Lounge which is very quiet during the day, for the Faculty, and the bar opens at 5 pm  Students are not allowed in the Lounge.  There is another big bar on the top (7th) deck where students with vouchers can purchase a limited number of drinks.  They cannot bring alcohol on board and are backpacks are searched coming on.  We however can bring alcohol on board that we buy in port or at either bar.  The swimming pool, more like a kiddie pool, is on the 7th deck also.  The food is  very good, considering, with a pasta dish at every meal, and eggs at every breakfast.  That's enough for now!  Going ashore. Phone no longer works.  Having problems with this computer and we're praying it doesn't crash.  Rick is taking it to the IT lab Monday morning where an IT man is going to look at it.  Sayonara!  Joan