Dominica, in short

My trip to Dominica (in the Lesser Antilles) was part of a greater Research Experience for Undergraduates through the Cal State San Bernardino geology department and funded by the National Science Foundation.

Really, who would say no to being paid to go hang out on a tropical island and learn about volcanoes? Even the post-island lab work was in California -- my 49th state!

Ostensibly, it was an extended course in field volcanology with the added bonus of a research project that came out of it. Four out of ten students (myself included) have continued their work and produced meeting abstracts, papers, and/or senior theses. The three of us (Sarah, Nikki, and I) all did related work on the Grand Savanne Ignimbrite Series. We all presented our findings at the GSA or AGU national meetings in the fall of 2007. My senior thesis (re: my magma opus) was all about the geochemistry and spatial relationships of the series.


I assisted as much in the field as I could once I got my bearings on the island. Our little working group of five people would all pile into an SUV and be on our way bright and early every morning. In addition to the extended Grand Savanne sampling, the other major project was sampling and getting temperature measurements on the hot springs. Since the whole island has extensive geothermal activity, this project was a lot more time-intensive than it may otherwise sound.

One of the most memorable samplings, however, mixed business with pleasure. We had to hike out to the Boiling Lake through the aptly named Valley of Desolation. The Dominican government requires that any visitors visiting the Lake be led by a guide. This practice not only assures that jobs are always available to people who know the trails, but also lowers liability on their behalf -- foreigners apparently had a pesky habit of getting lost, falling into steam vents, attempting to swim in the boiling lake... you know, all the smart stuff like that.

The trail itself was only 12 miles total, but it was by far the most strenuous hike I've ever done. We nicknamed it the Stairmaster of Doom.
I'm a slow hiker and, thankfully, one other in the group was, too. He and I kept our own pace while the others went on ahead. He was also in the Navy, served in Vietnam, and had all these random and useful skills that aided in our endeavors that day.

When we got to the Valley (see picture, left), we realized just how much sampling/temperature recording actually had to be done. The entire area is riddled with hydrothermal deposits, hot springs, hot rivers, not to mention the Lake itself.



On the way out, our guide dislocated his shoulder while swinging from a vine. So much for foreigners being the ones that get hurt. Otherwise, we all made it out safely and got to take a dip in the (cold water) gorge at the entrance to the trail. Interestingly, the gorge is prominently featured in the Pirates of the Caribbean as where Johnny Depp jumped when trying to escape the natives.

On a last and more botanical note, there is a fruit seen throughout the island that is a favorite of the birds and mammals. It is very pretty and puts out an extremely pungent odor. Apparently its extracts have been used as an effective cure for AIDS in multiple tests -- the only problem is its toxicity (so, obviously, I'm holding it in the picture). That's science for you!