I survived the Titou Gorge in Dominica!

MELISSA LAVERTY:
Our itinerary for the Southern Caribbean Cruise was simple – sand, sun, surf. And that’s pretty much what Mike and I did in St. Croix, St. Kitts, Grenada and St. Thomas. But Dominica, nicknamed the "Nature Isle of the Caribbean,” was really the place to explore and take in the unspoiled beauty of the island.

Along with Sarah Paige-Gruber, Rebecca Cross, Dana Kessler, Briana Bostick and our husbands, during our day-long adventure, we fell in love with the island and its people. The highlight was our swim in Titou Gorge, where scenes from Pirates of the Caribbean 2 were filmed. It must have been the prospect of seeing Johnny Depp in the caves that compelled me to jump off a 10-foot cliff into 60-degree water with little room for error. It was one of those “dumbest, but coolest things I've ever done” sort of moments. From there, we swam to and then jumped off a waterfall. Just crazy!

I stopped for a second while shivering, I mean swimming, through the breathtakingly beautiful gorge and looked at the faces of my friends. Every one of them was beaming. Earning a Close to My Heart Incentive Trip isn't easy. It requires hard work, perseverance and commitment. But it’s these shared moments of wonder with people who have become dear friends that make it all worth it. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for us in Costa Rica!!!