Friday, April 30, 2010

Isla Beata, DR April 18 – N18.12 –W70.32


This quiet bustling little fishing village located 3 miles off the mainland used to be a prison island altho only the foundation remains of the prison are still visible.  The island now is houses a Navy station albeit very small…and a couple of dozen fishing huts kinda joined together like row housing…all with their individual style…and it was only recently that they have allowed women and children on the island.  There are a number of dogs and a few good size hogs and every day you can see the fresh catch hanging in the sun to dry.  Kaija and Doc scoured the beaches from one to the other and she was happy with her find of beach glass which is a lot harder to come by than one might think.  



This is also home to a protected species of Iguana a rather large Iguana looking rather like it belonged on the set of Jurrassic Park.  Kaija enjoyed taking photos as they seemed to enjoy posing and Doc wasn’t quite sure what to make of it all.

This is the perfect staging spot for our final run to Salinas.  From here one can walk over the island and see the state of the sea swell caused by the depth of water offshore rising over 3000 feet in the matter of a mile, an underwater mountain if you like.  It is this swell and the heavy winds that make this coastline reputedly dangerous.  We can pick our weather wisely, however Luis and Sofia are excited about returning after two years sailing in the Carib and Sofia’s son and wife are expecting their first child so she as Grandmamma is excited to say the least, so there is a little pressure to make the home stretch sooner than later.

We didn’t have long to wait, as we departed the following afternoon for the overnight leg to Salinas.

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