airport quad cities Now that a causeway connects Pigeon Point to the main island, the St. Lucia National Trust, 758-452-

Now that a causeway connects Pigeon Point to the main island, the St. Lucia National Trust, 758-452-5005, has restored some of the buildings and developed the entire area into an attractive park. You ll want to allow plenty of time to wander along the winding paths, explore the ruins that are scattered over 44 acres, linger on the two beaches, and visit the museum. You will have wonderful panoramic views from many places inside the park, but one of the most spectacular is the same one English troops had of Martinique from the well-preserved fort at the top of Rodney Hill. From there, you can walk less than a mile up to Signal Peak for another sensational view back at St. Lucia and across both the Atlantic and Caribbean waters.

Britain was granted rights to Dominica in the Treaty of Paris in 1763. Within 10 years, they had surveyed all the land, established towns, brought in slaves from Africa to work the plantations, opened free ports, and elected officials. The French continued to be an important part of island life, and vied for political power at every opportunity. In 1778, while the English were distracted by the American Revolution, airport quad cities French troops seized the island and remained in control until the Treaty of Versailles returned British rule in 1783.

The soaring mountains that captivate visitors on land continue below the sea and provide shelter for a tremendous variety of creatures and plants. One of the most popular dives in the West Indies is off the beach at Anse Chastanet, which is part of the Soufri re Marine Management Area, where an underwater plateau starts near shore. This shallow dive, from five to 25 feet deep, is great for novice divers and snorkelers. Brightly colored sponges, soft corals, and large brain corals are found here along with goatfish, parrotfish, chromis and wrasse. Frogfish live in a cave at the base of the reef. Night divers have reported sighting a Loch Ness-like monster in the area, and locals joke about The Thing favoring Anse Chastanet as a vacation spot.