It was motorsail overnighter from Big Sand Cay to Luperion(of course). You could smell the nice earthy smells coming way out to sea. Arrived before daylight so had to wait to see entrance between mountains. So different, mountains that really screw up your depth perception. Coming in like coming into a jungle river which I guess it was except it is salt water.

Got in and was intercepted by Papo who led me to a bouy (only $2/night and he had DR flags at $10). Dingied to the dock and walked to customs. A long 4 stop process for a total on about $96. It's Spanish here and a good thing most of them speak some English.

It's true culture shock here, first of all you have to find a bank and ATM to get pesos. Exchange rate was 38.1/1 us. Walking down the street everything is in Spanish. The meat markets have whole pigs heads for sale on the sidewalk. Vendors dive along in trucks and you can get local tomatoes, bananas, pineapples & etc.

Met a lot of a lot of expatriots who now live here. The livings is very simple and cheap. Even Bru Van Sant who wrote 'Passages South' lives here. Got to ride in the country with a lady who wanted me to meet her sister's American boyfriend. Super fine people and enjoyed their hospitality. Jamie and Charo are their names. The ladies cooked a fine lunch while Jamie (Lobo) and I talked. What a wealth of info he was.

Marianna and a friend of hers brought a vegetable over to the boat on my last day there and prepared lunch. Whatever the veg was it tasted just like mashed potatoes only orange in color.

kWould like to come back one day and tour the whole interior. A very beautiful place.

Well six boats leaving to go down the coast and do the Mona Passage to Puerto Rico.