SISTERS SEA LODGE

On our first visit to Dominica, passengers on our final leg to the Island offered advice about things to do and places to visit. Since we were staying at the Portsmouth Beach Hotel, we were told of a bar located on the beach which served fresh fish. After several days of exploration, we discovered Sisters Sea Lodge only a short walk to the north and this became our regular retreat for lunch and dinner. The bar, owned and operated by Harta and Elka, sits along the edge of the shore on land that is only several feet above the high water mark. Several palm trees are located between the bar and the beach.

Everytime we visit the bar there are new improvements or changes. The stools and chairs were once made of sections of palm trees. The tables were slabs of tropical hardwood. Today these have largely been replaced by chairs and tables. The bar was partially damaged by hurricanes in 1996. The floor has been rebuilt and tiled. There is now a "patio" to the north beyond the concrete "knee" wall which has been rebuilt and is still adorned with seashells and other treasures. There is wrought iron grill work above the bar and entrance with fish shapes throughout.

It is delightful after a day of hiking or swimming to sit at the bar and watch the sunset over the Caribbean Sea, looking for the famous green flash as the sea extinguishes the sun. Apparently a perfectly clear and cloudless sky is required for this phenomenon. A rum punch or coconut milk in it's natural container with a shot of rum greatly help in the process.

The chief cooking device is a weber grill for preparing the fresh fish that is caught daily on the nearby reefs. If the fish selection is plentiful, Harta brings a tupperware container to your table and you select the size and species of fish for your meal. The fish selection often includes dolphin or Mahi Mahi, tuna, mackerel and snapper. If you are lucky, the menu might contain the delicious spiny lobster. Grilled fish is usually served with two types of grilled bananas, one is plantain. Your meal is served on a palm frond. This is heaven! During holidays, Harta and Elka may prepare a special buffet with callaloo soup, rice and vegetables. For hot pepper lovers, don't forget to use the Bello's hot pepper sauce, which has a delightful base of mango.

There are new additions to the menu including octopus, mountain chicken or crapaud (pronounced cwa-po; frog legs), crab backs (seasonal), pizza, salads and sandwiches. Herta now serves breakfast. Gallon bottles of clear rum now line one of the shelfs in the bar, each with it's own special blend of seasonings such as cinnamon.

During daylight hours, one can frequently observe several species of hummingbirds in the nearby flowering trees and herbs. The most delightful is the Crested Antillean Hummingbird. The males have a green crest with a brilliant iridescent blue patch on the front when the angle to the sun is just right. From this location looking eastward, the highest mountain on the island can be seen, Morne Diablotin, with elevations over 4000 feet.

At the Fishbar, you are guarenteed to meet people, both visitors from a variety of countries and local islanders. During our last visit, I overhead friends of Harta's talking about coral reef fish, and since salt water fishing is one of my favorite hobbies, I invited the contingent over for drinks. Of course we shared fish stories and I just happened to have photographs of New England fish such as bluefish, striped bass and codfish. Dominicans are pleasant and wonderful people. We learned that one of the contingent was an artist who had a variety of hand painted T-shirts. One day on our way back from Cabrits, we stopped at his house in Portsmouth and bought some wonderful T-shirts.

Harta and Elka can be reached by telephone or fax at 767-445-5211 or email.

Sunbathing and Swimming and Snorkeling
From the Fishbar south to Point Ronde, there is about 1 and 1/2 miles of sandy beach. The first pier south of the Fishbar is associated with the Portsmouth Beach Hotel. The best place for snorkeling is on the north side of the pier where there is coral reef.

Coconut Beach
Further south is Coconut Beach, shown in the adjacent photograph. The restuarant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Some of the more unusual island cuisine can be found here such as Crapaud, the large mountain frogs and crab backs, from the large 'terrestrial' crabs. In the adjacent picture, Point Ronde is the hill in the background. This is a favorite anchorage area for sailboats.

Coconut Beach restaurant was damaged by tropical storms and today is a modern and even air conditioned.

Point Ronde
It is a delightful and easy hike to this point. South of the Coconut Beach, the beach disappears and becomes rocky shoreline. This is a good place to look for sea shells. The trail follows the upland in front of a few homes and then descends to a short stretch of beach north of the Point. There is a small stream that discharges in the Sea at the end of the beach. Across the stream is a grass topped hut or shelter. Above this is a large, wide growing Mango tree.

Cabrits National Park
Cabrits lies across Prince Rupert Bay and is a landing for cruise ships. Drive there if you have rented a vehicle or ask the Sango's to arrange a water taxi. On the north side of Cabrits is one of two underwater marine parks called Douglas Bay. Here there is an underwater trail for snorkeling and diving.

Syndicate Forest and Morne Diablotin
Hire a guide and see some of the world's rarest parrots in Syndicate Forest on the slopes of Morne Diablotin or hike to the top of Morne Diablotin. Guides are a must for tours like this! Try to enlist the services of a knowledgeable naturalist for the parrot tour.

Indian River Tour
In nearby Portsmouth, hire a guide for a boat trip on the Indian River. This is an estuarine river, nearly 1 mile in length.

Breakfast and Groceries
Breakfast is now served at the Fishbar. Other locations serving breakfast and meals include Coconut Beach Hotel and La Flambeau Restuarant has reopened. There is a large grocery store across from the former Portsmouth Beach Hotel and the Ross Medical School.