Happy to report I have returned safe and sound from a two day jaunt to the Dominican capital of Santo Domingo. I launched out of Luperon with the Brown family, Jenny, Otis and there two kin Sammy (2) and Ben (5) and John and Jani from SV Another Adventure. We hopped aboard a big ole Greyhound style bus for the 5 hour trip across Hispanola to the south coast. I've said it before and will reinterated the island is visually magnificent. The highest mountain peak being 10,000 feet is impressive. So the bus made its way across the mountain range and deep into lush green valleys. We passed through tiny villages fraught with smiling people but extreme poverty.

We stayed in a Youth Hostel/Hotel at 50 dollars a night. The accomodations were just fine as far as I was concerned. Hot water, cable TV and air conditioning. Beautiful! The city is very very old with a rich history steeped in all things Columbus. The Spanish influence is everywhere. The "Zone Coloniel" has tons of restaurants lining cobble stone streets where you dine outside and watching the hundreds of people stream by. Mostly local Dominican and some tourists in my estimation. The Browns and I spend the touring a gigantic fort make of stone that was Diego Columbus (Chris's son) seat of power when he was the Govenor. Very impressive museum. Now the picture is the Statue of Christopher Columbus pointing toward Spain. The Church in the back round was the first to ever hold a Mass in the New World, circa 1493. The picture was taken near one of the restaurants that line the area. So you now have an idea of what it's like to sip your coffee or Beer and watch all the folks stream by in the tropical sun. On Thurday morning we all caught the Bus back to Luperon. An uneventful trip save for the crowing rooster an old man had in a bag under his seat.

So onto the weather picture. It seems to be shaping up nicely. A caravan of 14 boats are all planning on leaving Luperon this Saturday night to make the run to Puerto Rico. I will speak more about the specifics of the weather tomorrow and it will one day closer and therefore the forecast will be more accurate. Right now the Mona Passage is forecast to be 10 knots or less on Monday. Near perfect conditions. The transit along the north coast of the DR appear to be doable. I figure about 55 hours to Puerto Rico non-stop. That is a long way. So I will have alternatives in place in case it is to much. But more on that later. Gotta jam.

Capt Chris