October, 2005
Patrol Boat, Hyperbaric Chamber, Site Upgrades...


Patrol Boat

After several delays in the process, the contract to build and provide the much-needed SSMR patrol craft went to DI Marine of Barbados. It will be a 28ft custom built vessel that will serve in the following capacities.

- As a patrol vessel for patrolling the Soufriere/Scotts Head Marine Reserve (SSMR) which was created in 1998 under the provisions of the 1987 Fisheries Act. .
- As a working platform for reef monitoring work, maintenance of moorings and other research activities
- The vessel is also to be used as a learning tool for outreach purposes, as well as any other relevant activity endorsed by the board.
- To assist the Dominica Coast Guard in search and rescue operations within the area and or patrolling the coastline as necessary.

The LAMA Board and management staff is anticipating delivery in the spring of 2006.

Hyperbaric chamber:
The German company HAUX has been awarded the contract to supply and install the hyperbaric chamber at the Princess Margaret Hospital, Roseau.
The acquisition of a hyperbaric chamber has long been a goal of the Dominica Watersports Association. With the achievement of this objective, visiting and local divers can rest assured that they will receive the necessary treatment in case of an emergency. However, treatment for decompression sickness sustained while diving is only the tip of the iceberg.

Believe it or not, hyperbaric oxygen treatments can be used to treat all of the following:
Carbon monoxide poisoning
Gas gangrene
Crush injuries
Exceptional blood loss (anemia)
Necrotizing (cell killing) soft tissue infections
Skin grafts
Burns
Blood flow problems
Diabetic wounds
This list is by no means all….
Because the chamber can be utilized for a variety of treatments, its operation is also fulfilling the promise of the health care system to provide the highest level of care. The renovations at the hospital for the housing of the chamber and oxygen-generating unit are now underway.

Site upgrades
The contract to design and supervise the site upgrades at Champagne, Caribantic, and LAMA/SSMR is underway.
The LAMA board has proposed preliminary designs and it remains to be seen how the contactor and architect can make them a reality. The upgrades will provide changing and bathroom facilities at both Caribantic and Champagne beach areas, in addition to user fee collecting capabilities and shade. The Caribantic building will be renovated to house a snack facility and local vendor area. Car parking for visitors will also be provided at both sites.
The LAMA/SSMR building will provide a much needed interpretation centre, with reception, a place for local guides, restaurants, and businesses to advertise. It will also provide offices for the daily management of the marine reserve and a place for visitors to relax and enjoy the view.

Portsmouth Update
In a multi-year project co-funded by the global environment facility of the United Nations (GEF), and the EU Ecotourism Development Program; talks have begun regarding a holistic management plan for the Cabrits/Portsmouth area.
This project brings together Fisheries and Forestry Divisions, in addition to National Parks and the local stakeholders.
The vision is for a completely managed and zoned system created by the stakeholders, whereby all users have an equitable say in how the area is managed. This includes the Fishermen, Yachtspersons, Dominica Watersports Association, Dominica Port Authority, and key local businesses; restaurateurs and hoteliers to name a few.
A draft plan was presented at the first stakeholder meeting; from which the various community groups have to come up with a fair and equitable plan for management. This will encompass marine zoning for all users, fishing priority areas, some set aside as "no-take no-visit", yachting areas with mooring balls and water taxis, Scuba designated areas, swimming beaches and multiuse zones. Both the project implementers and the local stakeholders are excited at this prospect and the way in which it will enhance the Portsmouth area.
Ft. Shirley will also be renovated to make it more user friendly and self sustaining, giving an overall historical experience.

Mooring balls
Within the next few months, it is anticipated that machinery and materials will be purchased through the Ecotourism Development Program to implement the use of Sand Screws, epoxy pins and Manta Ray moorings coast wide. These long-term eco friendly moorings are used extensively around the world and require little to no maintenance compared to the usual method of concrete block and chain. This will enhance the promotion of Dominica as the green globe island it is becoming, in addition to ensuring there is no more anchoring along the coast. In this plan, 100 yacht specific moorings will be deployed along the coast at Portsmouth, Mero/Castaways, and Roseau to Loubiere. The machinery, once bought, will be housed at Fisheries, where it and a trained crew will be available for hire to deploy more in the course of time.

Dive 2005
The Dominica Watersports Association and National Development Corporation are giving away a free two week vacation for a lucky couple at the upcoming Dive 2005 show in Birmingham UK. It will take the form of a stay at Sunset Bay Club to enjoy the wonderful diving in the central and northern parts of the island, followed by a stay at Fort Young Hotel Roseau with diving provided by Dive Dominica in the SSMR. Airport transfers, hiking and otherwise exploring the island in the afternoons will be provided by KHATTs (Ken's Hinterland Adventure Taxi Tours)

June-July, 2005
SSMR Day & Dive Fest


SSMR Day
Saturday, June 25th was Soufriere Scotts Head Marines Reserve Day this year. Visit our SSMR Page for details.

Dive Fest 2005
Events run from June 25th through July 10th, 2005. Click here for the Schedule of Events

April, 2005
Divemaster Training Program


From an initial 24 candidates the groundbreaking pilot program has now been reduced to 18 topnotch students fully supported by the Dominica Watersports Association (DWA).

This program, the first of its kind in the world, is bringing together all aspects of tour guide training: the National Development Corporation (NDC), Nature Island Standards of Excellence land based tour guide training, the Youth Development Division, personal development, computing & business skills, Maritime Organisation Basic Seaman, PADI Open Water to Divemaster training, Red Cross First Aid & CPR training and DAN Oxygen provider.

The object of this program is to turn out highly skilled persons capable of leading land or marine-based tours with the necessary qualifications to gain employment anywhere in the world.

A. 'Izzy' Madisetti, one of the three senior instructors involved in bringing this to reality said, "All agencies have worked extremely hard to ensure the success of this program. Despite learning a great deal in a short space of time, the students have proven themselves to be exceptionally driven & talented individuals."

This program has been sponsored by:

• PADI who endorsed the program and supplied one full set of manuals.
• The Dive Improvement Program of the Ecotourism Development Program for financial aid.
• The Fisheries Division for the Conference Room facilities.
• Dominica Watersports Association for logistical support and equipment necessary.
• Aqualung USA for supplying one set of basic equipment (mask, fins, and a snorkel) for each student.
• Dive Training Magazine for subscriptions and background assistance.

February, 2005

Boats, chambers, days, buildings, Pirates and more!

Patrol boat:
Soon the SSMR will have a custom built 30ft (9m) patrol boat. Serving as a platform from which to take small groups of school children on educational trips, more effectively patrol the bay, monitoring and maintaining moorings, and also as a dive platform for the wardens who are soon to be trained in Underwater research techniques. This will mean that they and the marine manager will be the foremost research team within the SSMR, dealing with reef monitoring, all data being fed back to the Marine Manager for collation.

Hyperbaric chamber.
The paperwork for the hyperbaric chamber has now left the EU offices in Brussels, and is somewhere on its way back to Dominica for upload to the EU website, and to be sent to interested parties to bid on. This will be a very important step towards complete health care here on the island; in addition to providing a safety cushion for visiting divers, making this truly a premiere diving destination.

DWA, & Youth Development Division collaboration.
The Dominica Watersports Association is to embark upon a landmark project; training 20 new Divemaster candidates concluded on Dive Fest Saturday, 3rd July 2005. The 3 senior instructors who are making it possible are W. "Billy" Lawrence MSDT 59889, (Dive Dominica), S. "Simon" Walsh MSDT 68464, (Nature Island Dive) and A."Izzy" Madisetti MSDT 58627, (Fisheries Division). All member operations are giving logistical and or organizational support to this endeavor. It is hoped that a high-ranking official from PADI will be on hand in July to present the new Divemasters with their certifications.

SSMR Day 2005
Plans are getting underway for SSMR day 2005, hosted by LAMA in Soufriere. Schools are already being visited by fisheries Division staff with the "new look" marine life presentation, and "Coral Reef & You" brochures are being given to each student hearing the presentations. This will all culminate in the SSMR day activities when school children from around the Island all bus down to Soufriere for a marine related quiz and day of marine activities.

Marine Reserves/SSMR building
The marine manager presented draft plans to the PMU on behalf of LAMA, regarding the SSMR/Marine reserves building, from these drafts bids may be made by interested contractors for construction. After several months of hiatus it is now a design that everyone on the board has agreed to and is thought to be the best use of space. It is now the onus of the Ecotourism Development Program to ensure timely delivery of this building, and it is strongly anticipated that the offices will be commissioned and opened ready for SSMR day at the end of June. This will coordinate in with all other developments around this time.

"Sundays in Scotts Head"
In an initiative facilitated by the Ecotourism Development Program, "Sundays in Scotts Head", is being hosted by LAMA volunteers every last Sunday of the month in the reserve. Aimed specifically at school children, Instructors and Divemasters are on hand to teach snorkeling and give guided reef tours for free. This is to promote local marine life awareness and to help generate income to the area on a Sunday. LAMA is now sending a large bus to collect children (and their parents) from specific schools, in this way a different school can be targeted that may not get the opportunity to see life under the surface. It is hoped that this initiative will also bring tourists who wish to spend a day by the beach to the area; local vendors are doing food and local drinks.

Dive Fest 2005
Dive Fest is coming; there's no escaping the weeks of preparation, hard work and frantic running about which make this the biggest marine and Watersports festival for locals (and tourists) in the Eastern Caribbean. This year all member companies will be participating in try a dive, Discover Scuba Diving, Discover Snorkeling, also on offer discounted whale and dolphin safaris, booze cruises, dinner dances. The Dominica Watersports football team will also be helping the "DBS dream team" to wake up to yet another nightmare on the playing field. All monies raised goes towards promoting Dominica as the premiere adventure destination in the Caribbean; waterfalls, rainforests, rivers, whales, pristine reefs, mountain biking, kayaking, river tubing, and of course a wonderful population of friendly people. This year it is hoped a high ranking PADI official will be on hand to officiate at the end of months of hard work endured by the Divemaster candidates, Dive Training magazine will be here as will it is hoped Diver from the UK to cover the events for the US and European dive markets. The hyperbaric chamber will also be installed and operational making this the biggest and best Dive fest so far!

Yachting and Marine Reserve in Portsmouth
Plans are underway to promote the yachting sector along the Islands West coast, including plans from Fisheries Division and Forestry for to the Cabrits Marine Reserve. The implementation of up to 100 yacht moorings along the coast with additional infrastructure for customs, police, and landing facilities will do a lot towards promoting Dominica to the yachting sector and further protecting the reefs along the coast. Plans will also be readied for a marine protected area off the central west coast from Mero to Batalie environs.

Pirates in the Bay!
The Walt Disney company has begun construction at select locations around the island, including the SSMR and Soufriere valley for the filming of Pirates of the Caribbean II & III, the main set is high in the hills above Soufriere and will be a "cannibal village" other areas around the island are also being readied for the film crews and masses of equipment which are scheduled to begin arriving towards the end of February. Dominica is also home to one of the richest undiscovered caches of treasure in the region, dating from the days of the Spanish fleet. Further information on Pirates, and pirate history, around Dominica may be found on www.piratesdominica.com .There is also a treasure hunt organized by Delphis Ltd and the DHTA.

January, 2005
Dominica Rated Highly by Rodales


Readers choice polls in Rodale’s magazines have rated Dominica consistently very highly, considering the small niche tourism the island attracts, and the lack of amenities for the “usual tourist” the island offers, no big hotels, no international airport,this brings a special sort of adventure tourist who wants to dive in the mornings, and watch whales or hike to waterfalls and scenic places in the afternoons.

1998 - Top 5 Best advanced diving, Best topside attractions, Best destination value
1998 - Top 10 Best destination worldwide overall
2002 - 1st place Caribbean for macro photography;
1st place for underwater photography Caribbean/ Central American region
2002 ­ Top 10 worldwide dive destination
2004- best place to see small creatures