Samana for Holiday Season

This past month has been just the reintroduction to cruising life that we needed to fuel our fires for adventure.

Truthfully, I wasn’t sure how I’d feel when handed in the keys to our Cabarete rental and moved back on board in Luperon. We had settled in Cabarete and made a comfortable life for ourselves there. As much as I was ready to travel and see new things, I couldn’t help but remember our hardships from the first year, specifically the last sail we had done, crossing from Turks and Caicos to the DR. I still shudder thinking about that sail.

We provisioned and readied the boat, waiting for the first weather window to Samana, and we jumped on it, tossing lines at around 1 a.m. to begin our passage in calm seas. The 30-hour sail east and around to Samana Bay was just perfect. The seas were settled enough that Claire and I avoided getting seasick on our first passage out in months – a miracle! And the winds were enough to allow us to sail with the engine off for almost the entire trip. We pulled into our slip at Puerto Bahia Marina at around 8 a.m. and settled in for a wonderful three weeks of luxury while we waited for our window to cross to Puerto Rico.

Puerto Bahia Marina was true decadence, with more than five pools at our disposal, a gorgeous open-air lobby, a billiard’s room, a kid’s club, tennis courts, restaurants and more, all at a reasonable daily rate. We rented a car and drove to El Limon to hike to the biggest waterfall in the DR, enjoying a well-deserved late lunch in Las Terrenas afterward. We sailed across the bay to anchor in Los Haitises National Park for two nights and enjoyed absolute paradise. We swam off the back of the boat, paddled in breathtaking bays and up rivers through mangrove forests. We explored caves and took an epic dinghy ride to Paraiso Cano Hondo, an eco-resort carved into the mountainside on the edge of the park.

We celebrated Christmas with dear cruising friends and spent New Year’s Eve dancing like crazy twentysomethings with old friends and new friends we had met in Cabarete who came to ring in the new year with us.

And as we recuperated after our celebrations, the weather gods aligned, and our window to cross to Puerto Rico opened up. Crossing the Mona Passage is something we had read horror stories about, something I, at least, was dreading. There are numerous sites that explain what makes the Mona so treacherous far better than I could succinctly impart here. Even in the best of weather windows, we were told, be prepared to be uncomfortable. And as usual, anything could happen out there – as it had for our friends just a week prior.

But once again, we were blessed with a wonderful passage. We left our slip at Puerto Bahia at 3 p.m. and sailed out of the bay with a beautiful sunset in our wake. The winds were light, which is part of what made it a desirable weather window, so we motorsailed for the duration of the 24-hour run. And sure, the seas were confused and uncomfortable at times, with some bigger swells – Claire and I both felt it. But in the big picture, it was as uneventful as we could have hoped for. During our night watches, a bright moon and starry sky lit the way. We rounded Isla de Desecheo in the early afternoon and dropped the hook in Puerto Real, Puerto Rico well before sunset.

I was sad to leave the Dominican Republic. It’s a country that has settled in our souls, where we felt at home, and where every place we found was more beautiful and more memorable than the last. We made wonderful friends there and made that invisible transition from visiting to just being. As we readied the boat for these passages, though, my wanderlust kicked in, my desire to see new places and explore and get out there.

That sadness melted away because of a simple fact that became so clear. We are not done with the DR. We will be back – maybe for next hurricane season, maybe to set up camp when we decide we are done cruising. I don’t know in what way, but I know the DR is already written into what’s to come.

For now, a whole new season of adventure is off to a perfect start.

So began our beautiful hike to El Limon waterfall. More than an hour uphill through muddy, rocky paths filled with horse manure. But it was worth it!

Part of the path, crossing the river

The smaller waterfall on the way to El Limon

El Limon

After our hike, we drove to Las Terrenas for lunch, and this cute little cafe called Good Food was true to its name and just my style.

Christmas on Clarity!

Testing out her kitty headphones. These have already gotten tons of use during passage, when that pesky loud engine drowns out pretty much everything.

Our sail to Los Haitises National Park, where we spent two nights at anchor

Clarity at anchor in Los Haitises

Our friends on s/v Moxie!

Our first day, we took a gorgeous dinghy ride up a river through a mangrove forest to an eco-resort.

Once the dinghy was secured, we had a 15-minute walk to the entrance of the resort.

Welcome to Paraiso Cano Hondo. We had no idea what to expect here and we were absolutely blown away by the unparalleled beauty here.

Visitors are encouraged to swim in all of the pools at the bottom of these waterfalls, which weave their way throughout the entire property.

The lodging is built into the mountainside, with hiking paths all around. This is just one of countless breathtaking views.

Can you spot Aaron and Claire?

This seems like a good spot to relax before our walk back to the dinghy.

The landing dock to explore some of the caves in the park. We got here early and had it all to ourselves before the tour boats from the cruise ships in Samana descended.

The paddling here was the best we’ve ever done, all accessible right from where we were anchored. Picturesque coves, majestic cliffs, secret rivers…. A whole other world.

Me ducking to clear branches in the secret river.

Finally, we were able to swim off of our boat! The water in Luperon wasn’t clean enough and we were in a marina in Samana, so this was an absolute treat.

Our sunset sail back to the marina.

Fun floaty time at just one of the many pools at the marina!

Claire contemplating chess with her good friend Mojo from s/v Freedom.

The second-story pool overlooking the marina.

Exploring Samana by motoconcho!

Samana bay

Our marina even had tennis courts, with racquets and balls for guest use. It was our first time on the court in at least two years, but we had a blast!

New Year’s at the marina! We had some wonderful friends that we met in Cabarete come and celebrate with us.

How many kiddos can we fit in Clarity’s salon?

New Year’s Day chinese feast at the restaurant in town.

One of many gorgeous Samana sunsets…