Diverex, the post about Dominica that you saved is one of mine, from about a month ago. I agree with divingyogini, but i'm completely mystified about the luggage delay. The procedure at the tiny airport is fairly simple. They unload the luggage from the twin prop plane, and pile all of it up in the main reception room. There are three or four immigration people to meet each plane. If you have a valid passport, return ticket, have filled out the declarations, and gotten your temp. res. forms stamped, you just walk over and get your checked luggage, wheel it over to customs, explain you are on holiday, have no gifts, plants, prohibited items, etc., and zoom, you are out the door into the car rental/minibus area. It's about as complex as checking out at a supermarket. Unless you inadvertently triggered some concern, like having traveled recently to certain code red areas that have disease/argicultural pest problems, I cannot imagine having your things being held. I have never even had to open a bag for inspection. Dominican officials are very tourist friendly, and I have never heard of anyone bribing the airport officials.
I wonder if you handled your things yourself, or if some hotel was supposed to 'take care of everything.' Certainly, if you were collecting your own luggage and there was a customs problem, the officials would have been very clear about exactly what the problem was. They would never hold your stuff without an explanation. Never. I know of many people who have had luggage arrive on a later flight, and I have personally seen late-arriving luggage hand delivered to the hotel/resort/cottage by airport personnel or car rental employess, with no customs red tape or paperwork at all.
The most high-voltage diving is in the south, around Scotts Head, and also in the extreme north, especially off some small islands(The saintes). Diving on the leeward west coast is much less demanding, but delightful, and different enough and remarkable enough to hold my interest.
A few other points: very few Dominicans are connected with he tourist industry; tourists are a relative rarity, and few places cater to them, except for the cruise boat docking area in Roseau, which anyone with sense will stay away from when the hords of cruise ship people hit town. Dominicans are mostly employed in agriculture, and as a result, do not generally consider a tourist to be a walking target. It's refreshing. The down side is that you are largely on your own, unless you stay in one of the three dedicated dive lodges around Roseau. I prefer not to, but that's because I'm a traveler first and a diver second. I don't want to dive every day, let alone twice each day.
Another point or two: some things in Dominica are surprisingly expensive because the island is off the general trade routes, and many thing come in by expensive small freighters or by plane. Remember to say 'Bon di' or 'bon sa'. A simple smile of greeting goes a long way. Dominicans speake a french-based language of their own among themselves. The power is 50cycles, 220 volts, so bring voltageadaptors, but only in the very unlikely event they are needed. I dont, because camera battery rechargers and such things are dual voltage. You WILL need a plug adaptor: there are two configurations found in Dominica, the standard european round plug, and a huge three bladed number used mostly in some old British colonies. Five minutes of research or a Magellan's catalog will set you right up. Bring anything you may need, like sun block, bug juice, defogger, batteries, etc. You are not going to find such things easily in Dom, and if you do, they'll cost$$$.
Most Americans want a packaged experience, so they miss a whole lot. There are incredible things in Dominica, but you have to work for them. What you are handed on a platter is usually second rate. Doing your own driving and exploring is taken for granted, sine qua non. If you are picked up and carried from place to place, with the resort staff handling the details you might as well go someplace else.
