14 -- 24 June 2009

14 June 2009

The big day.  We left early to sail south to Luperon.  I was underway at 5:20 am.  Positions enroute were:  0906WT 2103 7108, 1304WT 2047 7104, 1752WT 2023 7058.  The weather, wind direction, and sea state were absolutely perfect for the trip, even though the passage we just made is normally quite difficult and is the main subject of Bruce Van Sant’s book “A Gentleman’s Guide to Passages South.”  Seems like the watermelon sacrifice did the trick.  S/V Markelle made landfall at dusk and anchored a few miles west of Luperon at Bahia Isabella.  I arrived at the Luperon harbor entrance at midnight. 

 

15 June 2009

Even though many sailors go aground entering Luperon harbor the first time, I did it in the dark, while quite tired.  Going slow and following the chart allowed a trouble-free entry to the deserted east wing of the harbor.  Then it was time for some sleep between kamikaze mosquito attacks.  Mark and Rachelle showed up at 8:30 and we all went to the dock to check in through Immigration, Customs, Agriculture, and the Navy.  The combined power of all the visiting cruisers recently cleaned up the local corruption, so the check in process was cheap and easy.  Then we ate lunch at Steve’s Place, a local cruiser hangout run by an expatriate who is proud of the fact that he has not been in the United States since 1987.  Rumors are that Steve cannot go back to the United States.

 

16 June 2009

Dropped off a bag of laundry for Steve’s pregnant wife Annie to wash.  Steve seems to take more than his share of siestas, while Annie and the kids keep the place running.  Spent midday talking to another expatriate bar owner nick-named Shaggy for his resemblance to the cartoon character from Scooby Doo.  Shopped for groceries in some of the local stores.  Checked out the mostly dismal nightlife scene in Luperon.  Even though one bar did have shower heads above the dance floor that created something like a wet t-shirt contest full of people dirty dancing.  But, without knowing Spanish, it seems you are simply a dumb gringo.  Someone to take advantage of for a fast peso, but not anyone with other values.  Probably very similar to how we view most non-English speaking immigrants in the United States. 

 

17 June 2009

Listened to the Cruiser’s Net on VHF channel 68 at 8:00 am.  Bruce Van Sant gave the weather synopsis and forecast.  Great to get it straight from the local guru.  In the afternoon, we bathed while swimming in Steve’s shockingly cool, but very refreshing pool.

 

18 June 2009

In the morning, Mark and I walked with a group of cruisers for morning exercise.  One guy’s weight and lack of fitness generated quite a bit of concern as he struggled to complete the easy walk.  When he had breath, he proclaimed loudly about how much he wanted to change his lifestyle.  Later that evening, we went to a cruiser potluck at the Luperon Yacht Club, where the same guy was gorging himself on barbecued ribs, cake, ice cream, beer, and cigars.  Some kind of change is definitely on the way.

 

19 June 2009

Walked for exercise with Mark again this morning.  Then enjoyed either two siestas or one long siesta with a brief period of consciousness in the middle.  Later in the afternoon, bathed in the yacht club pool.

 

20 June 2009

Mark, Rachelle, and I hired a taxi for $41 for an all-day trip to Puerta Plata from a local taxi driver named Nino.  Mark and Rachelle are trying to find out how Rachelle can fly home with her pet rabbit.  The airport sanitation officials were adamant that no rabbits could pass through their airport, even though the airlines say it can be done.  The highlight of the trip was shopping for groceries at the new SuperMercado in Puerta Plata.  We made it back to Luperon in time to attend a barbecue at Shaggy’s Bar.  The food was good, but the musician Shaggy flew in from the Florida Keys was a flop.  Micah, the musician is a rather unpersonable, musically-challenged fellow with a website of www.islandgrass.com 

 

21 June 2009

Went for a morning walk to the lookout point over the Luperon harbor.  Saw quite a few free-range cows, horses, and donkeys.  One particularly stubborn, small donkey was determined to mount a large mare, attempting to make a mule.  On the way back, we stopped by the weekly flea market at the Puerto Blanco Marina.  Then in the afternoon, Mark, Rachelle, and I went snorkeling just outside the harbor entrance.  The place was barren of large fish or lobsters, but it felt good to be in the water.  Even without a wetsuit, I was able to stay in the water over an hour.

 

22 June 2009

Today was our first day of formal Spanish Lessons.  Mark and I went to the “American Institute of Languages George Washington” this morning at 8:00 am for our first formal lesson in Spanish.  Santiago, the sole instructor and proprietor, has taught English, Spanish, French, and German for 31 years.  His thick accent and limited vocabulary make understanding his English quite a challenge, but he is the only professional instructor in town.  His main business is teaching English to the local upper-middle class high school kids, so they can land jobs in the local tourist industry.  He is very proud of all the kids he helps to get good jobs.  Some countries have compulsory English education in their public schools, but obviously the Dominican Republic does not.  After a decade or two, I imagine English training in public schools would provide a tremendous advantage to a poor country in the global economy, and would therefore be a worthy investment of tax dollars.

 

23 June 2009

Second day of Spanish lessons.  In the afternoon, Mark and I returned to town answered questions in English for one of Santiago’s English classes.  The kids were bright and eager to learn, but handicapped by lack of native English speakers to correct their pronunciations.

 

24 June 2009

Third day of Spanish lessons.  A French woman was in our class today, so the total of cruisers formally learning Spanish is now three.  Most of the cruisers seem to only know broken Spanish and prefer to interact with fellow cruisers.  Call me crazy, but it seems that knowledge of the local language is a first step to enjoying life in a foreign culture.  Being miserable is easy, enjoying life takes some effort.  I returned in the afternoon to sit in one of Santiago’s English classes and was impressed by the high-quality grammar the kids displayed, but was again dismayed by the poor pronunciation.  During the middle of the day Mark, Rachelle, and I walked about three miles for exercise and stopped at the beach to swim.  The ocean water was so warm that it felt like bath water.