We've Made Our Decision

We got our motorcycle sold, but we're sad to see it go

We've looked at all of our weather sources and we've decided that we have a 48 hour window starting Wednesday morning to make it all the way to Boqueron, Puerto Rico.  Since we will be heading east, and the trade winds normally blow from the east, we won't be able to sail much and so we are looking for conditions without much wind and wave, plus, we want what wind and waves there are not to be from the north because that would put us on a lee shore all the way down the coast of the Dominican Republic.

So, we are just finishing up our last minute preparations and we will check out of the Dominican Republic tomorrow.  It's a hard thing to say goodbye to all the great friends that we've made here.  Especially because we don't know when, or if, we will ever see them again.  Ah well, I guess that's the life of a cruiser.

Be sure to check in on our location by clicking the "Where is Storyville" button on the right side of this page. We should be at sea Wednesday and Thursday.  If all goes as planned we hope to arrive in Boqueron on Friday morning.

This will be our route from Luperon to Boqueron - #14 is the middle of the Mona Passage

This is the waves for the Mona Passage on Thursday when we will be there (0.5 to 1 meter , perfect)

This is the wind for the Mona Passage on Thursday (0 to 5, perfect).

 Everything looks good, we are ready and so is Storyville.  We're really looking forward to the holidays and to moving on to some beautiful, blue water!

We're Back and We're Busy

We got back from Lifestyles Resort where we spent 5 days relaxing and eating and drinking and having fun. We had a great time and it's a good thing we got to chill a little because now that we are back in Luperon and watching the weather, it looks like we will move on next week. We are busying getting the last minute provisioning done and getting a few more projects done on Storyville.

Yesterday Troy removed the forward head in anticipation of getting our other Nature's Head. The Nature's Head is a composting, waterless toilet.  Read all about it by clicking the link. We liked our first one so much that we bought a new one for Troy's head. Yes, we each have our own head. It works out so much better for us that way. Unfortunately, we will be sharing for the next month or so until we meet up with Steve on s/v Alternate Latitude. He's such a great friend that he's sailing all the way to the Virgin Islands just to bring us a toilet!

In the next few days we will be watching the weather closely and deciding whether we will head straight to Boqueron, Puerto Rico, or stop in Samana, Dominican Republic, so check back to see where we are going. Heading to Boqueron would mean about a 48 hour sail. I say sail, but actually, we will be headed into the trade winds, which are always from the east. Since we need to go east, we will be motoring. It's doubtful that we will get to do any real sailing on this leg of the trip. We are definitely looking forward to getting to sail once we get on further down the Caribbean island chain and start to head in a more southerly direction.

We are also trying to keep up with a busy social calender here in Luperon. It's so hard to say goodbye to friends that we've made over the last year. We know that we will be sailing away and we don't know when the winds and tides will bring us back here. I do have a feeling that we will return one day, one way or another. We have come to love this beautiful island.

We had a great time and even celebrated Pat on Illusions birthday

 

Captain Troy getting some much needed rest (and doing it in style!)

Beautiful full moon

Luperon

Luperon will always hold a place in our hearts.  We have spent almost a year here when you add up the months we were here last summer/fall/winter and this summer.  We have made so many friends, between locals, cruisers and other gringos from all over the world that have settled here and now call it home. The cost of living is very reasonable and the Dominican people are so very friendly.  You can't walk down the street without everyone you pass calling out "hola, hola".  And, yes, you must stay it twice.   And between the mountain ranges and the mangrove harbor the protection for Storville and our other cruising friends during hurricane season is unbeatable.

I realize that the word on the interwebs amongst cruisers is that it's not safe here. We love this country, for all the reasons listed above and many more.  In our opinion, having done a little cruising and having visited several different countries, there is theft everywhere. What we see here is mostly petty theft of gasoline, although some of the boats that are in the harbor with no one on board are obvious targets for thieves, and there has been several instances of break ins on those boats.   The frustrating part is that most cruisers are of the opinion that the authorities don't do enough to prevent these type of robberies and, we don't always understand the justice system here. We try to take the normal precautions and we always lock our dinghy when leaving it at the dock and our motorcycle when we are out and about. Of course, we use common sense and pay attention to our surroundings and stay out of any area that might be dangerous, especially at night.  Just like you would anywhere else. Having said that, I want to encourage cruisers to consider Luperon as a "hurricane hole" for the summer if it fits into your plans.  I don't think you will regret it.

As much as we love this place, we are getting really excited about moving on. Storyville's plans, which are carved in jello, are to head out of here in November and sail down the Caribbean to Grenada where we will spend next hurricane season.  Some times we will be sailing with our friends on Pipe Muh Bligh (Rene and Stacy), Island Dream (Pat and Darnell), Illusions (Pat and Lucy) and several others, sometimes we will be on our own.  We are hoping to catch up with other cruising friends that we have met along the way and we are sure that we will meet new friends as we go.  It always works out that way. We will definitely do lots of exploring and snorkeling and swimming.  I just can't wait!

Laundry day in Luperon

Chicharones - I won't miss those!

Naked moto riding - who wouldn't miss that?

The veggie market - definitely will miss that every Tuesday

My favorite veggie market guy

If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay home. ~James Michener

Sunday in Luperon

Rosa selling jewelry and books 

We spent today as we do most Sundays in Luperon.  Puerto Blanco marina has a cruiser swap meet every Sunday.  Some weeks there are more swaps going on than others.  Mainly it is just a chance for all of the cruisers in the harbor to get together and socialize.  The marina restaurant has a BBQ lunch that is very good.  I had the BBQ and Troy ordered the Pico Pollo (a Dominican version of fried chicken).

Sorry I don't have anything more exciting to post today, but it sure was a nice relaxing day! Since we don't have a way to watch the Texans with their undefeated season, a game of Mexican Train with friends was the next best thing.  We spent the whole afternoon playing with Stacey and Rene from Pipe Muh Bligh, Darnell and Pat from Island Dream and Lucy and Pat from Illusions.  I don't need to mention that I won, but I will anyway! LOL

Chicken on the barbie, yum, yum

Bruce Van Sant's books - must reads for cruising in the Caribbean

Pico Pollo

A little Mexican Train

Troy and I with Bruce and Rosa Van Sant - they call Luperon home

How beautiful it is to do nothing, and then to rest afterward.  ~Spanish Proverb

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (Dominican Style)

Glenny, her mom and children

  The other fund raiser that I mentioned in a previous blog post was to benefit a wonderful lady that we have all come to know and love. Glenny works at JR's Bistro. She is a single mother with two young children and she always has a smile on her face. She has been a great help to me with my Spanish and she is learning to speak English really well. Our friends Joe and Kim, former cruisers that decided to make Luperon their home, discovered that Glenny was living in a house with holes in the roof and walls and a dirt floor. You can imagine the conditions of the dirt floor when there is rain. Anyway, thanks to Jerry, Joe and Kim, they organized poker runs, auctions, bake sales and raffles. We enjoyed ourselves while raising money to completely rebuild the roof, floor and outer walls of Glenny's house. No more walking in the mud for her and her children.

What started out as a project to put a new roof on her house ended up being a complete tear down and re-build. Thanks to the hard work of Joe and Kim and to the generosity of the local gringo population. We all adore Glenny and it was wonderful to know that we were able to help such a lovely person. She is the talk of the neighborhood now and it seems like she has been an a Dominican version of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition!

The house still needs to be painted and we are trying to raise a little more money so that she can have a kitchen sink. I will be sure to post an update.

Before

The is the back of the house

Termite were taking over!

Hard to believe the shape the house was in

Getting the new floor

It was a challenge for the guys to get the walls straight

The house looks great on the inside

Glenny - see, she always has a smile on her face

All the neighborhood children are excited

Here is the kitchen - now we need a sink

Nicest house in the neighborhood!

It takes hands to build a house, but only hearts can build a home.  ~Author Unknown

Time for School!

Most cruisers that we know are just like us, they are cruising on a budget. They either have no income, or a fixed income from a pension or other investments. Most of us certainly don't think of ourselves as rich, or even well off. We are just trying to stretch a dollar (or peso) as far as it will go. Many of the locals here in Luperon think that all the boaters have lots of money and, of course, we disagree. We have spent enough time here to learn that, to most of the local population, we do have lots of money. It's was really eye opening to Troy and I to see the conditions that some people live in here and to realize that, while we don't realize it, we are certainly rich compared to them.

We have become great friends with Jerry, the owner of JR's Bistro. Jerry has a big heart and he has connections with local people that know the best ways to help the community. Jerry organized a couple of fund raisers recently and we were very impressed with the generosity of the cruising community as well as the community of gringos that have decided to call Luperon home.

It came to Jerry's attention that children who cannot afford school uniforms are not allowed to attend school. We couldn't believe it! What kind of rule is that? Anyway, through Jerry and with the help of the assistant principal at the school, we collected enough pesos to buy uniforms, notebooks, pencils and a few school supplies for 38 children.

We had a lot of fun passing out the uniforms to the excited kids. I was wondering if the kids “back home” would be as excited about getting school uniforms. Somehow, I think not!

We also had another very successful fundraiser that we are all excited about. I will post about that one soon.

If you think education is expensive, try ignorance.  ~Attributed to both Andy McIntyre and Derek Bok

These girls can't wait to get their uniforms!

Jerry and Assistant Principal Anilda - checking the list

Here you go

Look at all the happy students and parents