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On the trail - steam over the
boiling lake can be seen in the background
I
began to think of Dominica’s boiling lake hike as the almost
impossible trip. At different times I sent a couple of helpers to
check it out. My memory is they left at the crack of dawn and
arrived back around dark, covered in mud and somewhat shell-shocked.
Though both reported it was one hell of an interesting trip, neither
seemed in a rush to do it again. This impressed me probably more
than it should. I also knew two couples that used to speed-walk –
they had visited Dominica together and took the hike to the boiling
lake – one couple made it and said it was no big deal; the other
couple gave up half-way.
I
decided this year was it –I wanted to do it before I became so
ancient I couldn’t.
I
was also somewhat encouraged talking to a hiking cruiser in
Portsmouth. He zoomed off one day to do it for the umpteenth time
and said, “It’s no big deal, and it is only an hour and half
from the trail head”. This did not quite jibe with what I had seen
of other returnees, though this was somewhat explained by a
conversation we had a few days later. He was going to walk round the
north end of the island – a trail I regard as really pleasant.
When he came back I found that he had not merely walked the trail,
but first walked to the trailhead at Capuchin – a six-mile hilly
road. Then, having got to Pennville on the northeast coast he walked
all the way back right over the top of the mountain. That is out of
my league.
Sea
Cat had not been to the boiling lake for a few weeks and offered to
take me. We set off from his base in Castle Comfort early and were
on the trail at 0650.
As
I watched Sea Cat pull on socks and hiking boots, I felt for the
first time a little regret that my only hiking footwear are the
sandals I go to town in.
Being
early in the morning it was cool and pleasant, the day was fine
without threat of rain. We passed Titou Gorge and headed up the
trail. The first part was a steady moderate climb through rain
forest. We passed Chataigner trees with giant buttress roots, and
Sea Cat pointed out a small Gommier (gum) tree Dacryodes
excelsa of the kind used to build pirogues. Some of the white
gum was oozing out – this gum is used to caulk the dugouts.
Looking
at the map you could see the boiling lake is up in the mountains, so
uphill I expected to go. However, we soon reached a ridge and had to
descend quite steeply through the forest to the Trois Pitons River.
Here we stopped for a grapefruit break, before heading uphill, more
steeply this time, on the other side of the valley. The trees got
shorter and more stunted as we approached the top. At one point we
had to cross a narrow ridge between one mountain and the next. I
vividly remember Althea, one of the people who had investigated this
trip for me describing this was a terrifying narrow path with a
precipice on both sides. I could see exactly what she meant, but did
not have to experience it – the forestry division has cut the
ridge down making it wide and safe, but you can still see part of
the old ridge, which was left as a wall on the south side. From here
it was not too far to the highest point of the trail, where an open
area has been made, so you can enjoy the spectacular mountain views.
This point also houses the equipment that sends news of earthquakes
to Trinidad. From here you can normally see the Boiling lake far
below, but today we were lucky, misty cloud were keeping us cool and
obscuring the view to the east, but we could look way back and see
where we had come from. We now started downhill again, at first on
an easy trail, with great mountain views, and then it got steep,
slippery and became a scramble as we dropped into the Valley of
Desolation.
Valley
of desolation, where Sea Cat boils some perfect eggs. Notice also
the the hot mud facial.
Sea
Cat whizzed away – off to boil some eggs in a boiling vent, I took
my time. I think one of my hesitations about this hike had been that
I had imagined we would have to hike for miles though steaming hot
red mud, and fumaroles belching copious hydrogen sulfide. In reality
the Valley of Desolation is a high point of the trip for interest,
but only takes some minutes to walk through. You cross over a hot
river, which has plenty of bathing pools lower down. Scenery that
looks like Dante’s Inferno is not my favorite, but it went up a
notch when Sea Cat produced two perfectly soft-boiled eggs; they
tasted delicious. As we ate them we saw the steam rising from the
boiling lake now uphill to the northeast, and it is a steady hike to
get there. Finally we emerged on a natural platform at the edge of
the lake. Sea Cat had brought along a breakfeast of bread, stewed
salt fish and fried plantain. We ate as we watched the pool and
enjoyed moments when the steam cleared enough see the bubbling
water. We thought about the guide who had lowered himself down on a
rope to try and get a camera that had fallen over. When climbing
back up, the rope became so wet and slippery he slid back down and
crashed partly in the lake before he managed to get on a little
ledge on the side. He was badly burnt and spent months in hospital.
We also thought about the stunt team that planned to tightrope right
over the top sometime in the future.
Sea
Cat could have gotten here in an hour and half, but I took two and
quarter hours, and that was in perfect conditions with no rain. (We
were back at Titou Gorge by midday.) The trail has been much
improved since earlier days making it significantly easier and less
muddy. It is a wonderful hike, varied and full of interest, one the
Caribbean’s best; I look forward to going again, Nowadays it
really is no big deal, but it is just long enough it is worth making
an effort to keep a steady pace. Best save the dawdling for the
return. I took time on the way back to bathe in one of the natural
hot pools in the river. The water was piping hot and cured my aching
calf muscles instantly. I did not feel them again till near the top.
However, I dared not stay in more than a few minutes lest I became
too enervated and dehydrated to move. On the other hand Titou
Gorge’s cold water at the end is perfect. Titou Gorge is a slot
canyon with water in the bottom. You swim back a couple of hundred
yards as it winds itself into various shapely chambers – way above
the sunlight filters through the trees and down the narrow, sheer
walls. At the head is a crashing waterfall; a shower underneath sets
you up for the rest of the day.
From
time to time the steam clears enough to see the boiling water
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