We are all overwhelmed by the positive experience we had in Luperon. Much like Coconut Grove, we were surrounded by caring, kindhearted, and thoroughly entertaining people. I was pondering writing the entire story of our stay, however it would most likely revert to sentimental rambling. Instead, let me tell you about the people we met.
Then imagining putting them all in one room together.
Dominican Port Authority:
Benjamin - We never quite figured out what his official role or title was, but he certainly kept himself busy hassling boaters. Upon our arrival, he quickly hopped on our boat and while displaying an annoyed authoritative tone, ordered us to raft up to the stern of two fishing boats on the commercial dock for an inspection (according to other boaters, no one else has ever received this kind of special attention). He still had a grudge against us during our departure formalities, even getting into an argument with the Commandante. Benjamin normally inspects boats about to leave before handing over the 'Despatcho,' however, the prospect of a romantic rowboat ride changed his plans. After one last attempt to extort a 'tip,' he handed over our paperwork at the dinghy dock and went on his way to hassle another American boat that had just arrived.
Commandante: An official from the Navy assigned on a rotating basis to oversee the harbor. This individual filled out our final departure forms, while at the same time keeping Benjamin at bay. He was very professional and amiable towards us.
Immigration Officer: Although Luperon is a popular cruising destination, the actual volume of individuals entering the country is low. This official often sat in a lawn chair at the end of the dock, often engrossed in mild conversation with anyone who wished to stop and chat. Very nice on a daily basis, he seemed a little annoyed when we caught him on a break in town and requested his services so that we could leave the country.
Cruisers:
Captain Bob Daly: A very personable bearded cruiser, Bob was enlisted by Benjamin to bring him to our boat when we first arrived. As Benjamin climbed onto our boat, Bob shot us a look of warning from his dinghy. We would later catch Bob all over town, always cheery and ready for a chat. He's very proud of the size of the holding tank on his boat.
Moe: The first cruiser to introduce himself to us, Moe stopped into Luperon for a one week stay seven months ago. An avid Curious George fan, Moe has a wry sense of humor and is proud of having only one friend on facebook. Moe and his ketch 'Wadda' will be departing soon for Cartagena and the Panama Canal. Hopefully we will cross paths again.
Shaggy's Mom (Lynn): Enlisted by her son to help run his restaurant in town (Shaggy's Barstool Sailor), Lynn enjoys meeting new cruisers in the harbor almost as much as she likes hanging out with them at Shaggy's. Her personality could best be described as a cross between opinionated and sassy.
Shaggy: Not satisfied simply cruising, Shaggy, opened and operates one of the most popular hangouts in town. The most casual atmosphere you could imagine, you feel like you're hanging out at a friend's house rather than a business establishment. He hosts an open mic night on Wednesdays, complete with a Dominican friend on bongos (whose skills can only be described as epic). I brought my guitar out and had the best 'gig' of my entire life there.
Bruce: A man who literally wrote the book on sailing the thorny path, Bruce Van Sant (with his wife Rosa), is a Luperon fixture. Much more self-assured and disorganized in person than in his book, striking up a conversation with him yesterday evening was one of the most entertaining things I've done in my life. I'm eagerly anticipating the release of his next book: a how-to guide for naïve young men looking for love.
Donnie: An American from Florida, Donnie's jean shorts and mullet scream 'I'm here to have a good time.' The Dominican Republic has not disappointed him.
Dave: A karaoke and radio DJ in his prior life, Dave's penchant for entertaining is still strong inside of him. Besides being a true pleasure to play along with at open mic night, Dave runs a heck of a karaoke show on Friday nights.
Pennywhistle Canvas: Miriam cruised and then settled in Luperon several years ago. She operates a canvas/chart business in town. She helped us get set up with charts for our next legs, and her proper english accent is delightful. Trevor is planning on framing his picture with her.
Al: Having grown up in Gloucester, Virginia, Al's first job was at Crown Pointe Marina (then called Cook's Landing). Small world!! During the regular Sunday afternoon jam session at the Luperon Yacht Club, Al joined us on banjo, mandolin, guitar, and harmonica. He even met up with Alan the next day to give him some banjo tutelage. We were thrilled to hear his pitch-perfect guinea-talk.
Jeffrey and Lucy: This pair needs special mention. We first met them at the jam session at the yacht club. Lucy plays flute spectacularly and can throw a beautiful riff on top of almost anything. Jeff plays guitar and, having grown up in London as a self-admitted 'mod,' you can see a certain glimmer in his eye when he talks about The Who, The Rolling Stones, and Led Zeppelin. The pair met in Luperon, and two people couldn't complement each other as well as they do. Whether around town, at open mic night, or at karaoke, it is hard to describe how pleasant their company is.
Jeffrey had requested that we contact him on the radio before leaving town. After spending our last pesos, taking care of clearance formalities, and prepping the boat, we did just that. What followed was very surreal. He announced our departure to the entire harbor, wished us well, and then broadcast a beautiful sea shanty over the radio. Upon its completion, there was a chorus of well wishes from other cruisers. We were only in Luperon for a week, however we felt nothing but sincere love from everyone we met.
Once more, the hardest part of sailing around the world is saying goodbye.