Dominica is well known as an excellent place to see cetaceans. There are four different types of dolphins and seven different whale species that pass through these waters. A resident pod of female and juvenile sperm whales are usually found doing their thing just a couple of miles offshore. Many in my group were pumped up to snorkel with these gentle giants. Our package included a Wednesday afternoon whale watch excursion on the big boat and our group planned to charter the small boat the next afternoon to do the whale snorkel. The briefing stated that theyve got a 95% success rate. To make a long story short we got completely skunked. Not a single spout on the horizon or a click or squeal in the hydrophone. The whale watch cruise includes copious amounts of rum punch and after a couple of hours of running around looking and listening I retired to the sweltering lounge and napped through most of the rest of the trip. Needless to say we were disappointed and much conflicted about laying out $700 the next afternoon to gamble on the whales showing up. To their credit the management suggested that the pod may have run off towards Guadalupe or Martinique so we cancelled. Also to their credit we were offered a free Sat afternoon watch trip on the small boat. The Misers Dream had picked up a boat load in Portsmouth that morning and was running around all day unsuccessfully looking for the whales. We got out mid afternoon and basically chased the faster big boat which had a more reliable hydrophone. As the afternoon wore on with no sign of a whale the morale on both vessels deteriorated. Then in one of those dramatic turnaround moments a couple of spouts shot up on the horizon. Within 20 minutes wed both maneuvered ourselves to their anticipated surfacing location. The hydrophone rang out with clicks, trills, and squeaks. Then lo and behold a single 35 footer surfaced right between the boats and proceeded to pass right next to our vessel. Although wed all snuck our snorkel gear on board and planned to pile over the side at the first chance we stood there spellbound at the sight of this magnificent animal. Thirty years ago when my sister-in-law sailed into the Anchorage she plopped down the anchor amongst a handful of small yachts at a marina without hook ups, boat slips, or any other service other than a dock. Today the Anchorage Hotel and Dive Center isnt much different. Although theyve put up a couple of new structures over the decades, and theyve got air conditioning in the rooms the sailboats still bob on their moorings out in the bay, the hot springs still roll out into the surf at Soufriere, and the laid back life style of the locals is still running on island time. The Anchorage provided us with comfortable accommodations, good diving, and good value on what is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful islands in the Caribbean. Topside attractions can definitely compete with the underwater beauty for your time and attention. Id go back in a heartbeat. Bottom line: During our week in early May the Anchorage was pretty empty and we basically had a boat to ourselves while Dive Dominica next door went out with their 54ft pontoon deck boat stuffed to the gunnels. Other reviewers have had terrible experiences when the Anchorage was overcrowded. Neither outfit is really equipped to handle a full house and an influx of cruise ship passengers. Id avoid the Oct to April cruise ship season. Water temps ranged from 81 to 83 degrees. Visibility ranged from 40 to 80ft. Air temps were mostly between 78 and 85. Temperatures fall as much as 15 degrees as you ascend into the mountains. The dry season runs from January to May; the wet/rainy season, June to November. We had sunny weather most days with only two bouts of afternoon showers. Our 7 nt. package cost $886 pp on their web site and included daily breakfast, the superior room, 5 double tank dives, unlimited shore diving, a whale watch tour, airport transfers, welcome drink, and all taxes, service charges, & marine park fees. Travel to Dominica is fairly expensive, not always easy and requires a change in planes when coming from the states. Many itineraries force you to overnight in San Juan or Antigua. We flew US Airways from Charlotte to San Juan and then Carribean Sun (a US Air partner) on to DOM all in one day. Cost $651 pp. This was a good deal compared to the $800 it often costs from Atlanta. Dominica uses the Caribbean dollar which trades at 2.6=$1.US but dollars are widely accepted. English is the official language SideBar - Driving Dont even think about renting a car to travel much of the island unless youre a rally car driver with a death wish. A couple we met at the hotel turned in their rental car after two days, preferring to pay their cash for a cab. The Miami Herald did a piece in April on the worst traffic in the Caribbean and Dominica featured prominently. Towns like Roseau and Portsmith were laid out decades ago before there were any cars on the island and parking issues werent on anyones radar. Cart paths were paved into major thoroughfares but were never widened, marked, banked, or in any way improved to provide safe passage. The roads are really only about a lane and a half wide and theyve got to support two way traffic. Ganja pumped drivers careen and swerve past each other, routinely sideswiping and ripping off mirrors. Drive on the left, precipitous drop offs, no guard rails, hair pin turns, and little to no shoulders provide an adrenaline fueled adventure ride that youd pay extra for at any amusement park. Load up with tranquilizers if necessary because youve really got to experience some of the fantastic topside natural attractions. SideBar Topside Adventures Blessed with an abundance of varied climatic zones, ecosystems, lush jungles, flowers, exotic birds, and geological strata Dominica has lots more land adventures to offer than most Caribbean islands. Ecotourism is still in its infancy with no zip-line cable tours as of yet and only a few businesses devoted to protecting their ecology while making a buck. Two of these are the Papillote Wilderness Retreat near Trafalgar Falls and the 3 Rivers Eco Lodge near Rosalie. With most of our mornings involved in diving it fell to our non diving companion to handle the bulk of our eco-touring. She journeyed across the island to Castle Bruce and the Carib Indian village. Nearer Roseau is the largest protected area in Dominica, 16,000 acre Morne Trois National Park. Its diverse sites range from high volcanic mountains, cloud forests, freshwater lakes, to geothermal features. Four distinct climactic zones exist in this park. Popular tours include: the Emerald Pool Hike, Boeri Lake & Freshwater Lake, Boiling Lake and the Valley of Desolation, the magnificent elfin views from the trails and summits of Morne Anglais and Morne Trois Pitons, and the journey to Stinking Hole and Middleham Falls. Even with just the afternoons available our dive group hired local guides to lead us through spectacular jungle with rare plants, endemic parrots, and wonderfully beautiful rivers, waterfalls and swimming holes.