Barbara de Pree, the local SSCA rep, came to our boat about eight a.m. and gave us a lot of valuable information. She and her husband have lived on their boat here for nine years and have become residents of the Dominican Republic! I can't imagine anyone who could live in the United States choosing to live in a third world country. There's nothing here but scenery. Prices are high. I sure wouldn't want to stay. Her husband works at the hotel, but I doubt that he makes very much. The minimum wage here is about $70 a month U.S.
Thomas arrived at 8:30, took our jerry jugs ashore, and filled them with diesel. Then Roy had him bring another twenty gallons, so now we have plenty of fuel. It cost $1.50 a gallon, which wasn't bad considered it was delivered to the boat.
After breakfast, Roy and I paddled to town, and I exchanged $40 for pesos. Then we paddled around until we found a good place to leave our Royaks. Walked to the waterfront and ate a too expensive lunch at a restaurant with a lovely view. This place is certainly a lot prettier, cleaner, and more prosperous than Luperon and Puerto Plata. There is a remarkable arched cement causeway going out to a little island. It was built in the 1970's to access a night club on the island, but the night club has gone out of business.
The public transportation here is interesting. The vehicles are called motoconchos, and they consist of motorcycles pulling little trailers that hold six passengers. A ride costs three pesos (about 25 cents). We rode one to the open-air market. It was a lot of fun. Got a good breeze.
What a buy we got on grapefruit! One peso each! Big ones, too. We bought five. Bought a dozen eggs for fifteen pesos, but we got ripped off on the potatoes and onions. Roy and I both understood her to say three pesos a pound. We bought two pounds of potatoes and one pound of onions. She charged us 22 pesos! That doesn't add up in my books, but I stupidly paid it.
We walked to a nice-looking bakery. Bought a loaf of whole-wheat bread and a chunk of pineapple upside-down cake. They also had Canadian sardines for only seven pesos, so we bought two cans. Also bought a quart of orange juice. Then we rode a motoconcho to a market Barbara had recommended and bought some frozen chicken thighs. Stopped at a little cafe for strawberry ice cream. Then we returned to the boat, showered with fresh water, and relaxed.
A bunch of boats from Luperon came in today. Roy talked with the people on some of them and found out two boats had tried to follow us out Wednesday night but had turned back because it was too rough!
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