Checking into the Domincan Republic

We had a great sail through the windward passage, the wind behaved as forecast and we had a downwind sail in 20-25 knots and it went pretty quickly. We found light winds on the second day as we rounded the South West tip of Haiti and started the engine, sadly it was on for nearly 24 hours not our favorite way to travel. Once past Ile a Vache we were able to sail again although it was tacking up the coast. It got pretty hard after a while as wind and seas built and we had increasingly difficult progress. So we turned more to shore and found much better wind and seas and sailed much better.

Fishing in Sail boats in Haiti

Rounding the SW tip of Haiti - lovely mountains

 We arrived at Bay of Eagles which is 17 49.85N 71 37.81W after 3 days of sailing and motoring in the early sunrise. This is a beautiful bay, very easy approach and anchorage - head straight for the beach and find a patch of sand in 15-20ft and anchor, there are some rocks around and weeds. Coast Guard arrived to check our papers, no issues. They did ask for a drink of Coke but we had Dr Pepper and they had that. Only 2 guys came and a fishing boat brought them. They asked if we had gas as they were leaving, we said no. We read that the fisherman wants gas to compensate for bringing them out. There is no facility to clear into the DR here so they just do a paperwork check.



 

Bay of Eagles

Fishing tour coming past

Local Fishermen transiting for Isla Beata

Local fisherman setting traps for lobster

We met a nice American couple Jennifer and Daryl with a son Dante on board Beneventos and had a lovely afternoon visiting with them and sharing cruising stories and the things we had both learned.



Beneventos

Jennifer, Daryl and Dante

Punta Falso

 

We left Bay of Eagles for Isla Beata and anchored for 1 night by the small fishing village that is here. Again the Coast Guard, 3 men this time, arrived to check our papers, no issues here either. We met some Kiwis who arrived early that morning just before we left and Jonathan came over to chat and even rowed back to give us their unwanted SIM card for the Caribbean. Such a nice thing to do and we gave him some cold beers as a thank you.

Isla Beata anchorage off the fishing village

Fishing boats on the beach

Sudoeste - Kiwi flagged

CG station ashore

We had a wonder sail all the way to La Salinas overnight and cleared in at La Salinas, DR and anchored at the Hotel opposite the docks, very obvious once you’re here. It was $83 complete to clear in. It took a bit of doing as the CG did not come to the boat so we walked to their office at the point where you enter the harbor and they came the next morning with immigration to the hotel docks and we picked them up in the dinghy. It’s a nice town very friendly and safe according to a US local we met. The hotel owner/manager, Jorge (George), speaks English if you can find him.

Arrival at La Salinas - entering the harbor

Flying the Q-Flag to clear in

Customs and CG coming to Moosetracks

The bay at Salinas
 

 On our walks around Salinas we found lots of stores and a lot of bars. The town is very small for such a lot of bars and restaurants due to it being a local tourist spot.

Children practicing for Independence day parade

Main Street

Bars & Restaurants on main street

A small local store for fruit, veggies, bread and eggs

Another bar/store

Our favorite bar in the middle of town

 The second evening we invited Gerard and Lis of Sylpher a Dutch boat over for drinks on Moosetracks and shared stories of our respective visits to the DR so far.

Gerard & Lis

We did a little shopping mistake here when we forgot our egg cartons. They sell everything individually and that included eggs so you get nothing to carry them in, but we managed to make it back with all of them intact!

Intact eggs

 

The local fruit and veg lady

We have had a wonderful time in La Salinas and taking a short trip into Bani by bus. We left the boat at 7.15am. When the bus arrived it was full! But not really, it seated about 20, so those already standing were pushed in a little further and the boys had to hang off the outside, at the next stop, the girls getting on, got on pushed in a little further but did not fit, so more boys were taken from inside the bus and more windows opened so the boys could hang on the outside and have somewhere to hold on, and so it went on. Back packs were passed in the windows and more hang off. We didn’t have anyone on the roof, and the chicken were put on the front and not inside the bus with us. Thankfully Devin was not expected to hang off the bus. Returning it took a while to find the bus stop, and we did get on the right bus.

Cathedral in Bani

Town square in Bani - lots of children on their day off

A very good veggie store on the road to Bani

It was Independence day the day before we were here so there was a parade in Bani to celebrate and hopefully we got some good photos.

The Navy parading

Police, Navy, Army, Marines and Parachute regiments

Addressing the men

Spent the last evening with 2 other cruising boats, Unicorn, Sweden (Anna and Hakan) and Koza, Australian (Carola and Jim), at the local bar in Las Salina, it was a good night and a fine finish to a great stop over.

Liz, Hakan, Anna, Jim and Carola

We have just got our despacho for Salinas and it was really easy and free, so no problems. So we plane to leave here today at 5pm for a night sail to Boca Chica and take a mooring there. From there it’s a trip to Santo Domingo and some more relaxing with our friends on Unicorn who also plan a stop there to provision.