Time pressing on and ready for Puerto Rixo

February 29. 2016

Yesterday afternoon a Dominican national stopped me on the dock and we talked for about 30 minutes or so.  He was from here, educated at North Texas State and married a girl from just SE of Sherman, TX.  We had lots to talk about and he seemed reluctant to end it as did I. Later after dark when Sally & I were walking to the shower in the hotel we passed his dock front condo next to the hotel and were invited in and asked if we wanted the best and coldest beer we had ever experienced.  I very, very reluctantly agreed, followed him into his beer vault (yes, under combination lock) where he had beer in a freezer.  It was not frozen but several drink mixers were which I don't understand and it did not freeze when he opened it like american beer does.  It was absolutely the best tasting beer ever to cross my taste buds.  The beer is Presidente and the man is president of the Brewery.  Sally and his wife hit it off and we had a wonderful visit with them in a luxury condo you won't believe.
Sunday morning, they asked if we would like to join them in their motor boat to go see the humpback whales play.  He had to break my arm again!  the boat is a 40' cc with 3 - 300hp yamaha's.  On the way out he showed us the house his father built on the foundation of the original Spanish fort that guarded the entry to this bay.  We watched whales for a couple of hours and headed back.  They had to go back to Santo Domingo for work but I promised him several times to stop to see them our way back from the Virgin Islands.  Gonna be a hard promise to keep!

I will have to send another email with more pictures cause most recipients email reject more than four pics

rainbow on Kite Beach

infinity pool at Bahia Mar

jerrys love affair With DR

March3, 2016








February 29

I decided the boat wasn't quite ready to leave with the armada that left this morning.  By staying I will be able  to completely repair the damage and brace the boat for the next onslaught from mother nature.  I re-installed the wind generator and restructured the solar panels on the davits for reinstallation tomorrow morning.  If I can complete those and reinstall a rear chock that was ripped out at Ocean World then we may ease over to the south shore of the bay and explore the Los Haitises National Park there.  It is reported to be the most beautiful site in the caribbean (reported by the Dominican Republic) and no one we've met has disagreed including world travelers. The winds pick up to about 15 knots a little after noon and then some pretty good swells & gusts so I must hurry.    We will probably anchor overnight and return here.  If not tomorrow then the next day, but we are going to see the park.  Will have spot on.

The pics are of the Puerto Bahia Marina here, which is about a mile west of Samana and the other pic is looking East from the marina.  The marina charges $1/ft/day and has 2 restaurants, 4 bars, 2 pools, plush showers, free spa, gym, free laundry, free wifi and other luxuries we haven't found yet, oh, did I say 4 bars?   I may have found home, just watch the election!  The hotel attached to the marina charges about $175/night and have whale watching and charter fishing boats at the dock along with scuba diving boats.


Just follow this link to see my location updates:
http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0eIMbKUvmhzIvqZ462GQIbChZ3F2R6XFu


If the link doesn't work, try copying and pasting it to your browser's address bar.

Just sitting on the Dock of the Bay in Paradise Samana DR

February 28, 2016

Yesterday afternoon a Dominican national stopped me on the dock and we talked for about 30 minutes or so.  He was from here, educated at North Texas State and married a girl from just SE of Sherman, TX.  We had lots to talk about and he seemed reluctant to end it as did I. Later after dark when Sally & I were walking to the shower in the hotel we passed his dock front condo next to the hotel and were invited in and asked if we wanted the best and coldest beer we had ever experienced.  I very, very reluctantly agreed, followed him into his beer vault (yes, under combination lock) where he had beer in a freezer.  It was not frozen but several drink mixers were which I don't understand and it did not freeze when he opened it like american beer does.  It was absolutely the best tasting beer ever to cross my taste buds.  The beer is Presidente and the man is president of the Brewery.  Sally and his wife hit it off and we had a wonderful visit with them in a luxury condo you won't believe.
Sunday morning, they asked if we would like to join them in their motor boat to go see the humpback whales play.  He had to break my arm again!  the boat is a 40' cc with 3 - 300hp yamaha's.  On the way out he showed us the house his father built on the foundation of the original Spanish fort that guarded the entry to this bay.  We watched whales for a couple of hours and headed back.  They had to go back to Santo Domingo for work but I promised him several times to stop to see them our way back from the Virgin Islands.  Gonna be a hard promise to keep!

I will have to send another email with more pictures cause most recipients email reject more than four pics

How did we get here!

Thursday February 18, 2016


We left Caicos bright early to cross the banks, sun was out and water was crystal clear. We could see coral heads but had plenty of depth,maps we Approached Ambergris Cay we anticipated the depth and roll of the big Atlantic. Sailing all night the wind picked up and neither of us got any sleep.



And it was the day after my birthday
Jerry bought me a right of passage necklace! a Whale tale made from the stone of the DR

As morning came we could see the mountains of Dominican Republic. What a majestic sight. And you could actually smell dirt.
Having left the desert is,and of Caicos what a change. And we actually had a cell phone signal from 10 miles out.
We came into Ocean World which has one of the most intimidating entrances we have seen.,there are breakers to,your right and big channel markers.
we got checked in easily and to our slip and ready to begin the DR adventure.

We were lucky to meet another couple who wanted to rent a car and see the sights so off we went to Luperon first. That is the town where most of the cruisers stopped. It is now a little smaller community as other marinas have opened.

We rode into the mountains and on. To Puerto Plata. That is the industrial city close by.
One of our other stops was the mountain where there is a
Christ the Redeemer statue, snd that was the most beautiful view of the day overlooking the mountains, the beaches, and the ocean. Breathtaking.

Next day on to Santiago and it,was Sunday and festival Day.

Next day was fun on waterfalls with guide to help,U.S. Walk on the slippery rocks.

We left Ocean World and sailed an all nighter to Samana Bay.  And this was our first experience with the whales. I could only exclaim as the came up and down and gave us a show.

On to marina with a luxurious hotel that we are allowed to use. This is the nicest place we have ever stayed. And I am not sure how I will pry Jerry from this location.



Our next stop will be Puerto  Rico. And back on US territorial soil. Jerry says Cheetos again!
This passage will take us,thrum the Mona Passage which can be treacherous waters. Our departure date will be carefully planned.