STUDENT ENTRY

We are on the island of Dominica. Today we went on a twelve mile hike to the boiling lake. It took us three hours to get there, and three hours to return. The terrain was rough and it felt like we climbed (and slipped) up and down a million steps. The hike involved crossing a river called the breakfast river because usally people start the hike real early in the morning and when they get to the river they have breakfast there. After crossing the river we got to a peak. The view was absolutely amazing. We were able to see the tallest peak on the island, the small village we started from, the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, and many other mountains and forests. The view was breathtaking. Once we left the peak we got make our way to the boiling lake. The area took the shape of a volcano but instead of lava inside, huge bubbles of steam erupted and the chilly wind was interrupted by a steam bath. Watching the steam roll over the mountains was unlike anything I had ever seen. Also, along the way to the lakes we got to swing on vines and put mud on our skin, which felt weird but our guide said it was healthy. On the way back from the boiling lake, we stopped at hot baths where we swam. They were set up like steps, and the higher the bath, the hotter it was. The only way to get between baths was to climb vines. To get down we had to either slide or climb.

Once we got back, we jumped into this cavern with freezing (but refreshing) water. Parts of Pirates of the Caribbean II were filmed here, when Captain Jack tried to escape the cannibals. We swam back into the cavern with high walls, climbed up a mini-waterfall, and found a pool with a big waterfall to swim under. The day was full of fun and memories to last a lifetime.

John

Harwich, MA