WTFR WE? : Dominica-Part 1 of 3 - Indian River or "Heaven"

Dominica is drop dead gorgeous. What else can I say? Many scenes in The "Pirates of the Carribean" movies 2 and 3 were filmed here and I can see why... Dominica is still so raw, brutal and lush in its beauty it evokes an earlier time.

On our way into Prince Rupert Bay, Portsmouth Dominica

we were greeted by "Alexis" our emissary/guide/service man for just about anything (including laundry) for our entire stay.

Dominica has a pretty cool system. As you come into port a "boat boy" greets you and guides you in. This boat boy and only this boat boy services your boat exclusively and is very low key. A nice change of pace as at many island harbors a cruiser is constantly "greeted" by various locals in skiffs at all times of the day and night trying to sell their wares.

Indian River

Alexis guided us to our mooring ball and we scheduled a tour with him to the Indian River the very next day.

As we headed in I was prepared to have a nice relaxing time...maybe see a few birds

I was nowhere near prepared for this explosion of dense tropical vines, other-worldly trees thickly populated and pulsing with life and mystery.

Needless to say, I was transfixed. Was this real? Indeed it was. Much of the filming for the "Pirates" movie was filmed here...They had found the perfect movie set. The only man-made addition to this startling scape was this tree house for "Tia Dalma" the voodoo queen. The locals have kept this structure as they take great pride that the movie was filmed here.