While in Dominica, I was reading Black and White Sands, a fascinating and humorous account of colonial life on the island from the 1930s to early 1960s. Written by Elma Napier, who with her husband and children moved to the island from England in 1932, it talks of their bohemian lifestyle in the then remote northern district, where they built a wooden house on a clifftop, above black and white sand beaches, went exploring the mountains, forests and rivers of the interior, learnt the habits of the locals and entertained artists, writers and aristocrats. Elma went on to become the first woman to serve in any West Indian parliament, and during this time she visited Amerindian villages in the Carib territory on horseback and supported the otherwise left-out villages of northern Dominica.
By chance, I found out that the Napier home at Pointe Baptiste is still in the family and rented out as a holiday guest house. A couple of days later, I took a minibus up the west coast from Roseau to Portsmouth and then another across the northern tier to Pointe Baptiste, just beyond the coastal village of Calibishie.
When I arrived, I met Alan Napier (grandson of Elma), who was busy cutting open cocoa pods to remove the beans. After being brought up in Turkey and France, with summer visits to Dominica, he moved to Pointe Baptiste two years ago to manage the estate.
As he showed me around, he recounted stories of family adventures and pointed out features of the house and garden which I recognised from the book.
On the path to the main house was a bike and trailer, used by Alan to collect provisions from the village.
The house, built in colonial island style, is entirely of wood, with massive beams inside, shingle sides outside and galvanized roofing.
At the front, it is shaded under a large Ylang Ylang tree, native to Indonesia.
Its fragrant flowers are distilled into an essential oil for use in aromatherapy. Interestingly, Alan mentioned that at Pointe Baptiste they also make their own oil from bay and cinnamon leaves.
The house, with its large veranda and shuttered windows, is surrounded by gardens originally planted by Lennox, Elma's husband (who also designed the house). It looks out to sea, over a red rock headland and towards the islands of Guadeloupe, Les Saintes and Marie-Galante.
Inside, it felt as if little had changed here since the 1930s, with the original woodwork, furnishings, books and artwork. Its a real island heritage and wonderful to see that some things don't, and shouldn't, change.
Just outside, there was a small vegetable garden, where I was surprised to see basil amongst tropical herbs.
And all over the place, including in a separate orchard, there were tropical fruit- mangos, guavas, custard apples, passionfruit to name a few. Below is a soursop, similar to a custard apple but less sweet and more fragrant, which has become my favourite fruit of the islands.
There are also two wooden cottages, with their own kitchen, for a couple. This infact was the original cottage, in which the Napiers lived while the main house was being built.
Alan and I wandered along a path, through coastal forest, until we reached the top of a cliff. The view was magnificent. This is the white sand beach, with its shallow waters ideal for snorkelling.
Then we walked down another forest path, in this 25 acre property, which led onto the red rock headland.
Peering into a large eroded gully, Alan pointed out a cave which they had once dug out. It reminded me more of Petra than anything else.
Across the sheltered bay, we could see the main house above the cliffs and amongst trees. Below was black sand beach, which can be reached via a separate trail.
At the far end of the headland, we looked down onto crashing waves, where local fishermen sometimes venture.
In the distance were the mountains and high cliffs of extreme northeastern Dominica.
The red rock headland, with its intense colour is unlike anything else in Dominica, where the black and dark grey of volcanic eruptions predominate.
Back on the 70 foot veranda, as we talked and looked out to sea, Alan offered a memorable lunch made entirely from produce grown on the estate- boiled bread nuts (which reminded me of chestnuts) dipped in olive oil, plantain juice and passionfruit. It was amazing to think that Elma, Lennox and the children were probably doing exactly the same back in the 1930s, from this very same veranda.
At Pointe Baptiste Estate, the 1930s main house can be rented out for US$270-350 per day (depending on season), for six people, including taxes and a cook. Likewise, the two cottages, each for two people are US$80-110 per day. For further information and reservations, please see www.pointebaptiste.com
At Pointe Baptiste Estate, the 1930s main house can be rented out for US$270-350 per day (depending on season), for six people, including taxes and a cook. Likewise, the two cottages, each for two people are US$80-110 per day. For further information and reservations, please see www.pointebaptiste.com
