16 replies to this topic

[WreckWench]

We have had a lot of talk about Dominica for 2008. I would love to dive there but currently they have a 50# total weight restriction for checked bags. Yes that is 25# each bag.

This is fairly new and seems to be resulting from the college students on the island. I am working to verify that this is in case the fact. If anyone has experience one way or the other please let me know.

We would like to do a trip there or even a Single's Week.

One suggestion from similar islands is to offer free rental gear to offset the weight of gear. I think some of the resorts are doing this.

Please let me know if you have any information about this as an SD destination or the weight limitations.

[Travelgal]

I am definitely interested in Dominica! Keep us posted about the weight issue...........at least if we are aware of it we can plan to pack less or take things with us we can leave to the islanders so that we are not overweighted when we return!

They should make exceptions for divers in order to promote their diving destination!

[tdtexas]

Another spot that I would truly enjoy!

[Topless]

The weight limit is different on different airlines. I was in Dominica a few weeks ago.

Carib has a 50lb total weight limit, and only allows one carry-on item. I flew Carib off the island and was assured beforehand that the limit was 50lbs per bag. It changed July 1 -- while I was on the island.

I flew in on Liat and the limit was 50lbs per bag. But since Liat and Carib have actually merged, their policy may have changed July 1 as well.

I paid $84 for two overweight bags and to check one of my carry-ons. If you build that into your pricing expectations, you should be fine. My dive bags are 110 lbs, plus 70lbs of carry-on.

Dominica is a gorgeous island, but it is incredibly poor. The rain forest is amazing.

We saw a batfish, 4 seahorses, lots of scorpionfish, flying gunards, several octopi..... lots of cool little stuff. There is nothing big to see, it has all been fished out. The largest things we saw were one nurse shark and a large turtle (3-4 ft). There are BILLIONS of sea urchins.

Also remember that it takes a long time to get to and from Dominica. Getting there I flew Delta from Knoxville to Atlanta to San Juan, then changed to Liat for San Juan to Dominica. The drive from the airport to the dive resorts is a very hair-raising 1.5 hours. My return flights were Carib from Dominica to Guadelupe to Antigua, then Delta from Antigua to Atlanta to Knoxville. It took 16 hours to get home.

[WreckWench]

WOW! Thank you Topless. Great input!


Anyone else?

[secretsea18]

While Dominica and many countries offer diving adventures and the wonderful opportunity to dive on their lovely coral reefs where whales may be seen, they have a dark secret that they do not want you to be aware of....

Dominica, Genada, Solomon Islands, Palau (among many others) have voted in favor of reinstating commercial whaling (coincidentally after receiving $$$ in aid from the most fervent pro-whaling country -- JAPAN). Fortunately for now, those favoring commercial whaling did not win the vote.

To see how countries have voted in the recent St. Kitts & Nevis meeting of the IWC click here.

I am unable to support the economies of countries that promote diving adventures and turn around to vote in favor of reinstating commercial whaling. No chance that I could join such a trip to those places.

Robin

[Ray]

I was at Dominica in 2001 and would like to go back- I do remember the weight issues. At that time it was 75lbs and we did have to get "creative" with how to packing back then. When are you looking at Singles Week? I would like to find some place to go by November for February or March, to get airfare locked down.

Ray

[dustbowl diver]

This is certainly a spot I would like to check out!!

[CvilleBill]

Another destination I'd love to dive!

[tcih2o]

While Dominica and many countries offer diving adventures and the wonderful opportunity to dive on their lovely coral reefs where whales may be seen, they have a dark secret that they do not want you to be aware of....

Dominica, Genada, Solomon Islands, Palau (among many others) have voted in favor of reinstating commercial whaling (coincidentally after receiving $$$ in aid from the most fervent pro-whaling country -- JAPAN). Fortunately for now, those favoring commercial whaling did not win the vote.

To see how countries have voted in the recent St. Kitts & Nevis meeting of the IWC click here.

I am unable to support the economies of countries that promote diving adventures and turn around to vote in favor of reinstating commercial whaling. No chance that I could join such a trip to those places.

Robin

I agree. We as divers can have a great impact on how place like this treat their nataural resources by not giving our tourism dollars to them. We have to ban together and protect the things that cannot protect themselves. Divers are have more power than they think!!!

Ok now that I have said that. I am up for a singles week!!!!

[CvilleBill]

While Dominica and many countries offer diving adventures and the wonderful opportunity to dive on their lovely coral reefs where whales may be seen, they have a dark secret that they do not want you to be aware of....

Dominica, Genada, Solomon Islands, Palau (among many others) have voted in favor of reinstating commercial whaling (coincidentally after receiving $$$ in aid from the most fervent pro-whaling country -- JAPAN). Fortunately for now, those favoring commercial whaling did not win the vote.

To see how countries have voted in the recent St. Kitts & Nevis meeting of the IWC click here.

I am unable to support the economies of countries that promote diving adventures and turn around to vote in favor of reinstating commercial whaling. No chance that I could join such a trip to those places.

Robin

Thanks for posting this Robin. An interesting albeit complex issue. Would more ecotourism $$ make Dominica less susceptible to Japanese "bribes?" Tough call...How 'bout more publicity and/or an organized letter-writing/email campaign in lieu of boycotting a spectacularly beautiful, but very poor country that could definitely use $$, if it's going to the right people/places? Just my $.02. Reminds me of Howard & Michele Hall's Cocos documentary I saw recently, talking about all the shark-finning that's going on in Costa Rica. Talk about a dark secret! Or what about all the blast & cyanide fishing that's pretty common in Asia? All are reprehensible, repugnant threats to the underwater world we all love so much. Ouch, just fell off my soapbox!

BTW, Robin, I posted in your old Anilao thread.

Bill

[ScubaDrew]

While Dominica and many countries offer diving adventures and the wonderful opportunity to dive on their lovely coral reefs where whales may be seen, they have a dark secret that they do not want you to be aware of....

Dominica, Genada, Solomon Islands, Palau (among many others) have voted in favor of reinstating commercial whaling (coincidentally after receiving $$$ in aid from the most fervent pro-whaling country -- JAPAN). Fortunately for now, those favoring commercial whaling did not win the vote.

The only way to stop countries as poor as Dominica from trying these sorts of things is to pump money into their economy. By not visiting there we would be putting them in a more desperate situation and the next time the vote comes up it may pass.

It's like deforestation. Poor people will do what they have to in order to survive, and it is easy to condem those practices from the comfort of our tv rooms. The only way to protect what we love is to help the people of these beautiful places find a better way to make a living.

[WreckWench]

How do we get more exposure for this very important subject? Anyone able to help get a letter writing campaign going? I will publish it in our soon to be released new newsletter and we can start a grass roots effort to make a difference.

Can someone spearhead this???

[Topless]

The only way to stop countries as poor as Dominica from trying these sorts of things is to pump money into their economy. By not visiting there we would be putting them in a more desperate situation and the next time the vote comes up it may pass.

It's like deforestation. Poor people will do what they have to in order to survive, and it is easy to condem those practices from the comfort of our tv rooms. The only way to protect what we love is to help the people of these beautiful places find a better way to make a living.

I'm sure if you asked 100 people on Dominica about the whaling pact, 1 might have an idea what you are talking about.

Dominica is a country of 70,000 people who live in a mountainous rainforest. To grow food, many of them have to slash and burn a small plot of land on a 40degree slope on the side of a mountain.

Telling the people of Dominica that they are wrong to support whaling won't change anything.

These people are primarily concerned about feeding their families, and whales don't put food on the table. They have a 23% unemployment rate and a GDP per capita 1/12th that of the US.

Robin, have you ever been to Dominica? Do you have any idea what these people go through on a daily basis?

Instead of telling these people what they're doing wrong, we should be helping them do what is right.

[ScubaDrew]

How do we get more exposure for this very important subject? Anyone able to help get a letter writing campaign going? I will publish it in our soon to be released new newsletter and we can start a grass roots effort to make a difference.

Can someone spearhead this???

I guess the best way to proceed would be to target the sponser nation. Really the only way to make 3rd world countries more environmentally concious is to show them a better way of life. Targeting Dominica or any other small country wouldn't help. I know little of the specifics here, but if Japan is pushing them to start whaling, Japan is where I would concentrate. Of course I don't think they care what we think.

Letters to newspaper editors, and maybe to places like the Discovery Channel might spark enough interest to get a special on it, and the exposure from that might have an impact.

In the meantime, travel to Dominica and the others, let them know they have value in eco-tourism that would fade if they allowed whaling, spend money there so the people can live better, and hope for the best.