middle-ground. Photo courtesy Arlington James & Joel Mingo
We all know the popular expression, “Seeing is believing”, and some of us may be familiar with the Kwéyòl equivalent of that expression: “Sa’w pa konnèt toujou pli vyé pasé’w” (What you don’t know is always older than you) and from time to time, we repeat another expression, “There’s always a first time!”
Dominica, being The Nature Island of the Caribbean, receives its fair share of rainfall, and boasts, among other things, rainbows – including double rainbows – which from time to time we admire.
However if, before the afternoon of Monday 8th February 2021, someone had mentioned to me that there is such a thing as a TRIPLE RAINBOW, I would probably have taken that with a big pinch or grain of rock salt. I would need to see the evidence.
That afternoon (8Feb21) the Roseau Valley had been receiving some light showers and about 4:58 p.m. I took a photo of a tree next to part of the arching lower part of the rainbow at the time.
About one hour later, at 5:54 p.m. I was on the verandah of my residence at Elmshall chit-chatting with my ‘padna’ Joel “Birdie” Mingo when Joel drew my attention to the rainbow which was arching over part of the Roseau Valley.
I looked, and had to look again, in disbelief, because I was seeing for my first time ever, a triple rainbow. This was composed of the usual double rainbow, with a third coming from the base of the inner (primary) and stronger bow! The colour sequence in this tertiary rainbow was similar to that of the primary rainbow.
We got a couple of shots with my Canon camera before the bows faded with the intensifying rainfall and fading light.
At least one other person viewed this rare occurrence – photographer Ashton Shillingford. At the time he was driving eastwards through Goodwill, and fortunately, he had his camera with him and so was able to document that remarkable occurrence.
Triple rainbows are incredibly rare, but have been photographed before in the United Kingdom, the United States, Israel and elsewhere. A Google search for information on triple rainbows produced several entries, including the following:
“What happened in Maine (USA), however, is particularly remarkable – a reflected light bow. It forms when a lake, pond or ocean reflects a projection of the sun, which generates another set of bows. Naturally, it’s not as bright, and it is most commonly seen stretching up from the primary bow. Once in a while, a fourth climbs from the secondary arc.”
In the occurrence of 8-02-21 in Dominica, it was the Caribbean Sea reflecting the projection of the sun.
So, the next time you see a double rainbow, look again. You just may see something more spectacular.
Dont be such a kill joy
You must be fun at parties
That’s neither strange unusual nor, a mystery by any means!
Rainbows are caused when sunlight is bounced off of water droplets;
the multi-colored arc always appears directly opposite the sun.
there are nine different types of rainbow!
The rarest type of rainbow starts from the same base; however, they split along the arc to form a primary and secondary rainbow.
Twinned rainbows are formed when sunlight is refracted after coming into contact with two rain showers which have different sizes of droplets from each other.
Multiple rainbows are another very rare type of rainbow which are formed by a double reflection of light inside the raindrops.
Multiple rainbows are defined as when more than one rainbow occurs at the same time in the same place.
Seven blind rats; seven wet little hungry mice among this lone human me; gives me thumbs down; not even understanding the science behind what I wrote!
I challenge any of the idiots who gave me thumbs down to write something scientific regarding the subject of rainbows that can emphatically refute the science that I explained!
I suggest you write your name to whatever you believe can contradict or refute what I wrote!
Prove to me that you seven idiots are smarter than I am!
Try me!
If is one thing I am sure common cigarettes, marijuana nor cocaine has ever touch my lips, and I did not spend too much time on the banana plantation weeding grass, nor carrying bunches of bananas on my head!
My grandmother was a walking encyclopedia; hence she ensured that I spent my time educating myself.
I got the most I could; therefore, I can wipe my feet in your faces academically; most of you are suckers, poor; hungry, and uneducated!
Get lost!