Monday 23 July 2007

DiveFest!

We are late, very late and as we wind up and down the road heading almost as far south as you can get I am getting a little concerned we already have missed the DiveFest grand finale event, the annual canoe race in dugout Carib canoes, held in Soufriere, in the middle of the Scotts Head Soufriere Marine Reserve.

But, as my husband keeps reminding me, this is Dominica, we are on the island, island time rules, not clock time, relax, no problem. When we reach Soufriere and park the car, finally finds a spot close to the old catholic stone church where there are also some natural ocean hot springs, the first thing we see are three soaked racers, water dripping from everywhere, coming from the complete opposite direction from where the actual race is held. “I think our captain was a little drunk”, one of the girls says, “the boat capsized before we even got started”. It is probably true, but how they managed to get that far from the race track remains a question.


On the beach in the middle of the village the party is already going on, has been going on for a while, Kubulis are sold in a continuous flow. Chicken is on the grill, fish too. The racing, it has just started.

Almost immediately someone grabs my husbands arm, starts to convince him to form a team with a couple of other guys. He finally agrees and our friend is off to register. We continue down to the shore, try to make our way out on one of the overcrowded old piers, but are forced to turn after a short while. Our son is not interested in anything but to jump straight into the water, with clothes and shoes and everything. No hard grip around his fist is going to work much longer.

Every now and then three or four canoes are off, racing, back and forth to a certain point out in the ocean, several other boats surrounding them, trying to make sure rules are followed, trying to give support, or just make fun of and annoy the serious and not to serious participants.





Every July, Dominica's diver community gathers forces and presents the annual Dive Fest. And it is one intensive week of activities and fun for divers and others interested in Dominica's marine life. Dive Fest saw its first lights fourteen years ago, and was created by the Dominica Watersports Association to give local Dominicans a chance to learn more about scuba diving. Education about the marine environment has always been an important part of Dive Fest, and there are plenty of opportunities for all to try scuba diving or snorkeling. More recently other more advanced activities have been added, like treasure hunt and photo contests for the more experienced divers. Today it is a great festival where tourists and Dominicans together enjoy the island’s great under water and marine life.

Back on the beach again, our son is doing his best to get rid of his clothes, to get into the water, actively hindered by his parents, knowing that it would just be a matter of time before a runaway canoe with a drunk captain aboard would hit him hard. Then our friend is back, annoyed. There will be no racing he says, “and you know why. Well, four fishermen have gathered to race one canoe. Four fishermen!”. As I don’t really understand the problem he vividly describes how they of course would win, “I mean, come on, four fishermen”, thereby making it meaningless to race, no chance of winning the price, the cage of Kubuli beer. And the honor.

So, we head for food, get dried fish and plantain, some fig pudding and of course chicken. Eventually, our son forgets about the missed opportunity for a swim with canoes, and Dive Fest is going towards its end for this year. For us at least. For many others, there are still a couple of hours left, to discuss race techniques and drink more beer.

And, maybe I am stupid, but I think it would have been fun to race the fishermen. Next year, definitely.

More info: The 2007 Dive Fest was held from July 6th to 15th, more info and a complete schedule of the events is available from avirtualDominica's special Dive Fest site. This year the festival are also proud to present its own blog: http://divefest.wordpress.com/
Finally, the official name of the race is of course the Kubuli Carib Canoe Race, what else could it be…

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