Sailing to the Dominican Republic and Being a Gringo!
All the useful details for anyone sailing to the Dominican Republic – selecting the starting spot, choosing a weather window, the passage, what to keep in mind, checking in with the various offices!
Then, let me also tell you about Luperon – the most unique mixture of a blooming cruising community and amazing locals!
If you plan on sailing to the Dominican Republic, you must visit Luperon. Many boaters skip Luperon and proceed directly to Samana. Even though it can be tricky to navigate the Trade Winds, it is absolutely doable and the anchorages along the way are out of a fairy tale!
Here is our episode on Luperon, DR
Planning our sailing to the Dominican Republic
In order to break up the passage from Bahamas to the DR, we wanted to sail as far east as possible, before sailing south to Luperon. Why?
For two reasons – the closer we became to the strong Trade Winds, the harder it would be to sail east, and reason number two had to do with not skipping a cool fun place to visit, we were all on a journey after all!
Selecting Turks and Caicos as a starting point
It is better to sail as far east as possible, while still further north (hence Turks and Caicos), before proceeding south to the Dominican Republic. In the meantime, we enjoyed time at a couple of anchorages along the coast of Turks and Caicos.
Since we journeyed during the unpredictable Covid times, each new country visited would mean additional costs for testing. We were granted permission to not test, and wait for weather, as long as we did not go ashore.
A week at anchor in Turks and Caicos, with friends – bring it on!
We took our time before sailing to the Dominican Republic, waiting for the best weather passage. We wanted to position ourselves as far east as possible. We ended up at Salt Cay, the tiny island on the southeast side of Turks and Caicos. We would then be able to make a sharp right turn and sail south towards the northern shores of the DR.
A few things to keep in mind
Once on the way, or better yet, before you set sail, keep those things in mind:
Check the wind
When you look at the weather app you are using, add another 10 knots of sustained wind around Luperon, during the afternoon hours, you won’t be wrong! It is best to compare two or three weather apps and go with some average.
It may be a long wait for the perfect wind, so just arm yourself with patience and endure those beam winds for an overnight passage. Secure everything well, it is a rocking and rolling ride!
Check the waves
Make sure you check the waves as well, they are what makes passages east a bit bumpy. And not just the height, but especially the period, they do come pretty close together around those shores.
There is also a current along the coast, so everything is stacked up to push you towards Haiti! If you have not planned on going there – move east, while still north, before heading south!
We have had strong winds with waves blocked by an island, and it makes a huge difference! The wind can be managed well, the waves are a different story. Often they would mess up our autopilot, turning us into all sorts of ways we don’t want to head.
Watch for plastic bottles, aka fish traps.
As you approach the DR coast, watch for all kinds of make-shift fish traps, mostly empty plastic soda and milk bottles. They can be hard to spot in the waves. The locals would drop them fairly far from the shore too!
As if avoiding plastic bottles is not enough, early in the morning, there are the occasional small fishing boats and kayak fishermen, who take advantage of the calming land effect and venture out, far from shore. They, too, can be very hard to notice with the bigger waves.
So, put the book/phone down as you approach land and keep your eyes on the road!
The passage – sailing to the Dominican Republic
We sailed overnight, and with the waves and wind on the beam, we did move relatively well, at around 5-6 knots, but it was an uncomfortable passage, even on a catamaran. Just like a bad night shift at work, I kept reminding myself, “This, too, shall pass.” It worked.
Inevitably, the wind and current had pushed us west towards Haiti, so we had to plan our angles and speed, since Haiti was not on our destinations list at that time. For those who like a visual, here is a simplified version of our route below.
With the early morning, the mountainous landscape of the Dominican Republic crowned our horizon. Such a beautiful sight to see and a welcomed change from the flat choral beaches of the Bahamas!
We reached closer to land and turned east fairly early in the morning. By noon, when the winds really started picking up, we had completed out motoring along the East Coast, and into the calm bay of Luperon, DR.
Again, not really knowing what to expect, we opted to sail south first and then motor east. Perhaps, we should have motored further east, while still around Turks and Caicos, in order to spare ourselves motoring along the DR east coast. Then, again, arriving early in the morning, ensured calmer coastal winds and waves.
It is often a trade-off, there is almost never an ideal weather window and an ideal patience window lined up. So, we just pick one we can handle better and go! It is doable, of course, just like any other passage. It is a passage easily left behind, once an anchorage has been reached, let’s put it that way.
Checking into the Dominican Republic
Once arrived in the DR, a boat must clear with the Coast Guard, as well as the immigration offices. There are set fees at the immigration offices, depending on the length of time a vessel will be spending in the country.
Luperon, being a small town, had the most casual immigrations and agriculture offices I have ever seen – in storage containers! The local officers were super friendly and, well, casual. We left with a friendly request for a cheap VHF from America, when we stated our intentions to leave the boat and visit family.
Every time a boat leaves a port, the crew must receive permission from the Coast Guard, in order to leave and arrive at the next port. During our cruising season of 2021 and 2022, one could only leave a port between 6am and 6pm!
A terrible rule for sailors, who need the night’s calming effect of the land winds, to motor east. Luckily, the Coast Guard officers are very understanding. We left and returned to Luperon a number of times. While exiting, we would anchor just inside the bay, waiting for nightfall, before entering the ocean. They did come to check on us once.
What is a Despacho and why do you need one?
Despacho is the official permission to change ports in the Dominican Republic. It is issued by the “Armada”, the Domincan Coast Guard. The Despacho must be handed to the boat captain upon each entry and exit of a named port. The document must be handed aboard the vessel, with a photo documenting the event!
It is not a joke!
A cold coke for the officers is always appreciated, but tips are officially not allowed. Some people recommend tipping local authorities and helpers, but we stayed away from such practices, following the much more official advice to not hand money to officials. One can see such signs at check-in desks at the airport, as well as at local administrative buildings throughout the DR.
While cruising between ports, one can anchor to rest and wait out weather. We were never approached with any questions and enjoyed amazing sights and beautiful water to dive in, after bashing against the waves. It is a great way to break up the passages motoring east from Luperon.
The amazing community of Luperon
After our sailing to the Dominican Republic was over, I was especially glad to arrive in the calm, swampy, waters of the bay.
Our destination in the Dominican Republic was a small town called Luperon, on the northern coast of the Dominican Republic, tucked inside a bay so well-surrounded by mountains that it may easily pass as a lake.
It is a town that any offshore sailor recognizes and few locals have heard of. Being on the north side of the island, Luperon’s lake-like waters are terribly dirty, while the outer shores are at a particular angle to the winds, making them unattractive to tourists with very deep seas, strong currents and rough waves right at the beach.
With everything mentioned above and no all-inclusive’s, Luperon has no tourists visiting. It’s a perfectly protected location, however, making it ideal for boaters during hurricane season. At any given time, there are at least 100-150 boats anchored in the bay. Cruisers have thus adopted Luperon as a home away from home, or even a permanent home.
Gringos in Luperon
Lovingly referred to as the “gringos”, former and current cruisers are everywhere to be seen, in Luperon, with some owning and operating small restaurants and shops throughout town. There is a VHF radio channel devoted to cruisers with classes, activities, charities, events and barter offers broadcast every Wednesday and Saturday at 9:30am.
There is also a Facebook group (Luperon Sailors and Cruisers). Locals are ready with a rental car before you might even need it. However, Luperon is an extremely walk-friendly town. Being able to walk to many grocery stores, markets, a pharmacy and two hospitals is a good deal for us, carless boaters!
Celebrating Pascha (Easter) in Luperon
We arrived in Luperon on Saturday, right before Pascha (Easter). That meant a quick afternoon nap and a midnight online Liturgy! Pascha in the Dominican Republic, on a sailboat, in a poor small town – never have I ever imagined I would be celebrating like this!
The surroundings being so surreal and unusual, made Liturgy feel that much more like home. A great testament that our true home transcends geographic, geo-political and cultural borders. Who cares where I am from or what I am proud of?!
Luckily, cruisers tend to be a bit odd at times, so walking the outside perimeter of the boat, candle in hand, singing, at midnight, three times, must have gone unnoticed!
Downtown Luperon
All checked in and cleared, we joined some cruising friends and decided to tour the town. It was colorful and loud! Most shops and restaurants clearly catering to the gringos. Word traveled faster than our 7 knots and we were greeted by locals with all kinds of offers as soon as we stepped on land! Fresh water delivered, car to rent, bike to rent, bus to rent, boat cleaning, money exchange – right at our fingertips!
We were the new kids at school and there was no way to hide that.
Luperon is a poor town where many houses open right up to the street, some have doors wide open during the day, others lack doors altogether. Sadly, the sugar-coated USA reality has invaded this little town through the cell phones and TV’s present in every home – with or without a roof!
The locals
The gringos are the living dream of many young Dominican people.
The locals are not shy about it, and openly admit their wish to abandon the DR at the first possible opportunity. Having lived through the so called Transition in Bulgaria, after communism and before the EU, I recognize that state of mind very quickly. It is a desire to run away to a place on the other side, where the grass is not greener, it is golden! It must be golden!
If the country is golden, then the people must be rich too! Friendship and favors are readily offered in exchange for a tip. Let’s admit it, we all like opportunities, and sometimes we see friendships that way.
And so it began, our adventure in the Dominican Republic.
Wait to see what happens next – one of a kind laundry experience; the tricks to finding fresh local food and how to exchange money the Luperon way! In our next blog, DR edition!
Related posts
Luperon the Locals’ Way. Guide to Luperon.
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Crossing the Mona Passage: How to do it Safely
Dominican Republic Part 5 – Los Haitises, and a Decision, which Changed Everything!
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