Whales, Puppies and Jumping Off Giant Waterfalls

We have been having a blast in Luperon.  Yes, this isn’t where we expected to be at the end of March (we thought we would be in Puerto Rico by now) but we are leaning into the experience of Luperon and it had rewarded us in spades.

A beautiful sunrise in Luperon

Last weekend we took a taxi to see the 27 Waterfalls, a tourist attraction about 40 minutes from Luperon.  This was an awesome time with our good friends Barry and Andrea from the boat Caretta.  Our pup Ocean also came along for the ride, which made for quite the clown car experience in the Camry that served as our taxi.  And on the way, our taxi driver helped me with my Spanish, especially with my accent which is severely lacking.  I got a pretty weird look when I asked about the big onion walking in the field (the word for onion and for horse are very similar!!).

Our clown car with me and Ocean sharing the front seat!

The three amigos ready to tackle the waterfalls

Not surprisingly, the waterfalls tour started with a big hike up the mountain

A tree knot that looks like a turtle's head!

​At the waterfalls, Barry, Andrea and Mike all enjoyed sliding down and around the waterfalls.  Barry and Mike were even adventurous enough to jump off a few!  Dogs weren’t allowed at the waterfalls so Ocean and I stayed in the main tourist area.  No worries though, we still got to enjoy the beautiful scenery.

Mike getting ready to jump!

The waterfalls has lots of levels

The view from below

Mike sliding down a waterfall

​Not surprisingly, it is the people that are making our stay in Luperon so special.  We have become chummy with lots of our fellow cruisers who are also awaiting a weather window to travel south.  Wherever we go, there is a friend or two hanging out, enjoying a beer or watching a baseball game or ready to go snorkelling.  Some of our new friends are amazing free divers so Mike got to learn how to get an extra 10 feet out of his dives.  That got him deep enough to actually hear whale calls under the water (Humpback Whales come to the Dominican Republic during the winter to have their offspring in warm water).  Wow!

Chatting in Spanish with some local kids at the baseball game

Mike off to do some snorkelling with some of our boating friends

Ocean and I waited on shore and checked out the free range cows

Another baseball game where Ocean attracted her usual bunch of local kids

Even Ocean is getting used to having a friend or two around to enjoy the days and evenings.  Of course, there are the friendly local town dogs but a few cruisers have pups too, including our friends on Bye Felicia who just got a little 8-week old Yorkshire Terrier.  Little Rex is definitely ​in love with our Ocean!

Ocean meeting little puppy Rex

Ocean and Rex having some play time

The power couple

Ocean and friends at pizza night at the New Amsterdam restaurant

​Yes, we are ready to keep moving south, but getting the right weather window matters.  We thought we might have found a decent couple of days this week to start travelling east along the north coast of the Dominican Republic but it was really on the edge of our comfort level.  One quick call to our weather router Chris Parker confirmed what we feared.  The window was just a little too tight and salty, leaving no room for error.  We decided to stay.  The good news is that our pod of buddy boats is growing.  There are at least six of us looking for the weather to turn in our favour.

While we wait, we continue to have great fun and both Mike and I are improving our Spanish every day.  I will even get a chance to give back to Luperon for three days over the next week.  The cruising community has arranged a vaccination clinic for all the stray dogs and I have volunteered to load syringes and manage the dogs getting vaccinated.  What an opportunity! 

So, do we feel “stuck” in Luperon?  Not at all!  These are great days and great moments that will stay with us for a long time 😊.

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