LUPERON, Dominican Republic
4.19 Sunday – Domingo.
Yesterday we took the dingy into town to do Laundry. (an all day affair with 3 large bags ~ 60lbs)
Today we went to the Waterfall and squeezed in some killer naps. (wow) enjoyed meeting our Van-o-peeps and sharing the adventure. Everyone on the gig was groovy. Our guides were perfectly suited to our group. Radio and Alex took great care to ‘attempt’ to keep us safe.
Sabado – Saturday 4.18 Luperon wash day.
We took turns ‘watching the stuff’ while the others walked the small village for photos and sightseeing. In addition we carried the laptop into town and used the wireless internet at the laundrymat to catchup. (Captain Steves Place Restaurant & Bar; Billiard, Internet & Laundry Service) So, Laundry and a trip to the bank ATM took from 11am till about 6pm. But the facilities had a bar…
I met countless locals and they ALL let me take their picture. These folks are friendly! (in addition no one asked me for money for taking the shots)
the Beautiful PPL of the D.R.
Domingo – Sunday 4.19 Waterfall ~ 45 min. Van ride into mountains.
Today we first found out that the Dominican Republic is NOT on a different time zone from Miami… (so if you get up at 7am to make an 8:45 meeting and it’s REALLY 6am – you will be the first one there! it seems they do not observe day light savings here.)
So, at the local time of 9am, we meet up with our fellow travelers to go via van to the waterfall…. There were nine of us plus driver and guide. It’s about 45 minutes up into the mountains. Not very far, but you cant get there from here. Next we walk through countless streams, creeks and rivers, followed by a lunch.
The photos tell the story. So I’ll save my thousand words. There are 27 total falls and you ‘can’ see them all. Fortunately our tour only covered the first seven…. So we arrive on site, me with camera, backpack and fully dressed. Our guide then says “please leave all your things in the van – where they will be safe. Change into your swimming clothes and meet over there to get your life jacket and helmet.” Yeah right! I just kept praying without ceasing that we would get up and back down with no broken bones. So this water is coming down trying to drown you while two Dominicans are trying to drag you upstream. On some spots you have good footing and on others you appear like a drunken sailor falling down splat and attempt to wash down stream…
A good time was had by all. VERY cold water – ‘brisk’ and refreshing. It might have been nice in the summer on a less cloudy day.
I am kicking myself now for not taking a photo of the lunch. They had a beautiful buffet set up at the expansive tourist info center-welcome building complex… Two kinds of rice; brown plain and a ‘beans and rice’. Grilled chicken, beef with gravy and salad. Our guide brought an ice chest with drinks. (I had two plates) yummy!
.
Passage to Puerto Rico – THE WEATHER WINDOW is stalled.
Our research shows that we are going to be ‘stuck’ here in Paradise till at least Thursday waiting for a weather window to travel east to Puerto Rico. Darn. Don’t throw me in that briar patch… for safe travel east we need southerly winds. If they come from the North, the seas build up and have massive waves and you cant sail. Period, the end. The Mona Passage is the crossing between the D.R. and Puerto Rico. The mona passage is the toughest sail on the entire trip south through the islands because of the must for perfect weather to get across. You need to have a minimum 3 day window of prevailing south winds to insure a safe crossing. This is what we are waiting for.
.
So we will provision the boat – go to the store. Do some boat maintenance and general work. Maybe play tourist again another day?
.
Hey – who cares. We are here!
Suffering in silence.
.
Xo skip
PS. this just in. Craig says tomorrow we provision boat and plan to sail from Luperon East along the Dominican coast to be ready for the weather window to cross the Mona Passage. pretty sure there wont be further internet till Puerto Rico. we expect 3 night sails to reach the Eastern edge of the D.R. (that's all i know) more news as it happens!
4.19 Sunday – Domingo.
Yesterday we took the dingy into town to do Laundry. (an all day affair with 3 large bags ~ 60lbs)
Today we went to the Waterfall and squeezed in some killer naps. (wow) enjoyed meeting our Van-o-peeps and sharing the adventure. Everyone on the gig was groovy. Our guides were perfectly suited to our group. Radio and Alex took great care to ‘attempt’ to keep us safe.
Sabado – Saturday 4.18 Luperon wash day.
We took turns ‘watching the stuff’ while the others walked the small village for photos and sightseeing. In addition we carried the laptop into town and used the wireless internet at the laundrymat to catchup. (Captain Steves Place Restaurant & Bar; Billiard, Internet & Laundry Service) So, Laundry and a trip to the bank ATM took from 11am till about 6pm. But the facilities had a bar…
I met countless locals and they ALL let me take their picture. These folks are friendly! (in addition no one asked me for money for taking the shots)
the Beautiful PPL of the D.R.Domingo – Sunday 4.19 Waterfall ~ 45 min. Van ride into mountains.
Today we first found out that the Dominican Republic is NOT on a different time zone from Miami… (so if you get up at 7am to make an 8:45 meeting and it’s REALLY 6am – you will be the first one there! it seems they do not observe day light savings here.)
So, at the local time of 9am, we meet up with our fellow travelers to go via van to the waterfall…. There were nine of us plus driver and guide. It’s about 45 minutes up into the mountains. Not very far, but you cant get there from here. Next we walk through countless streams, creeks and rivers, followed by a lunch.
The photos tell the story. So I’ll save my thousand words. There are 27 total falls and you ‘can’ see them all. Fortunately our tour only covered the first seven…. So we arrive on site, me with camera, backpack and fully dressed. Our guide then says “please leave all your things in the van – where they will be safe. Change into your swimming clothes and meet over there to get your life jacket and helmet.” Yeah right! I just kept praying without ceasing that we would get up and back down with no broken bones. So this water is coming down trying to drown you while two Dominicans are trying to drag you upstream. On some spots you have good footing and on others you appear like a drunken sailor falling down splat and attempt to wash down stream…
A good time was had by all. VERY cold water – ‘brisk’ and refreshing. It might have been nice in the summer on a less cloudy day.
I am kicking myself now for not taking a photo of the lunch. They had a beautiful buffet set up at the expansive tourist info center-welcome building complex… Two kinds of rice; brown plain and a ‘beans and rice’. Grilled chicken, beef with gravy and salad. Our guide brought an ice chest with drinks. (I had two plates) yummy!
.
Passage to Puerto Rico – THE WEATHER WINDOW is stalled.
Our research shows that we are going to be ‘stuck’ here in Paradise till at least Thursday waiting for a weather window to travel east to Puerto Rico. Darn. Don’t throw me in that briar patch… for safe travel east we need southerly winds. If they come from the North, the seas build up and have massive waves and you cant sail. Period, the end. The Mona Passage is the crossing between the D.R. and Puerto Rico. The mona passage is the toughest sail on the entire trip south through the islands because of the must for perfect weather to get across. You need to have a minimum 3 day window of prevailing south winds to insure a safe crossing. This is what we are waiting for.
.
So we will provision the boat – go to the store. Do some boat maintenance and general work. Maybe play tourist again another day?
.
Hey – who cares. We are here!
Suffering in silence.
.
Xo skip
PS. this just in. Craig says tomorrow we provision boat and plan to sail from Luperon East along the Dominican coast to be ready for the weather window to cross the Mona Passage. pretty sure there wont be further internet till Puerto Rico. we expect 3 night sails to reach the Eastern edge of the D.R. (that's all i know) more news as it happens!
