Caribbean - Diary - Volume II - No. 8

24.12. – 31.12.2024

Caribbean Christmas, a birthday, and then off to the New Year…

There's plenty of space for us at the Bahia Samana Marina, so we can easily moor in a berth, and help is also available. After the formalities are cleared, we explore the marina – there's no Christmas menu at the marina restaurant – all the tables are booked. So we cook our own Christmas menu on the boat – there are several courses, the table is beautifully set, and a few scented candles are placed on the table to celebrate the occasion – making it a cozy Christmas Eve, even with the clothes rack behind us...

Infinity pool Marina Bahia Samana — Infinity pool with sea view.

For Christmas Day, we booked a couples massage at the marina. After breakfast, we enjoyed a Dominican massage in the sophisticated marina setting – which is highly recommended – and spent the rest of the day at the infinity pool. It's not very Christmassy, but it's very relaxing, especially since there are also cocktails and a delicious lunch at the beach restaurant.

The minimarket in the marina isn't convincing, and we can't book a rental car either—everything's already booked. So, after two days, we leave the marina with a four-day dispatch for the Los Haitises National Park in Samana Bay. "We can't stay any longer," says the Bahia Marina official, and then we have to report back to the marina.

So, after breakfast, we set off and head to the town of Samana to stock up on provisions. We spent a few hours here a few years ago on the "Aida"... When we reach the town beach in the dinghy, we are immediately waved to a jetty where we can moor the dinghy. A bit of climbing is required, and then we're on our way to the supermarket in our dinghy. We look for familiar things; some we remember, but much is new and unfamiliar.

Bernd in Samana Bay — We stop in “Samana” to do some shopping.

The town has been upgraded for tourism, and the bridge—and a footpath leading to two small islands—is also new. We don't want to stay here long, though; we'll do some shopping and move on—we have to reach the national park today, after all... We'll definitely return to Samana on our way back. We stock up on groceries, buy some pineapple, papaya, and watermelon from a farmer's truck, and set off again.

We sail deeper into the bay on our catamaran. More and more trash is coming our way on the water… although there are a few plastic cups and plastic bottles bobbing on the water – and there are also tree trunks that we have to dodge. Storms and rain are washing a lot of it from the land to the sea…

Bernd in Los Haitises — We explore the coast where “Jurassic Park” was once filmed by dinghy.

Towards evening, we reach Los Haitises National Park and drop anchor. We are surrounded by an impressive and bizarre island world, where "Jurassic Park" was filmed.

So we set up our newly imported projector for a TV evening with the motto: – Movies in authentic locations – and watch "Jurassic World." This puts us in the right mood for our planned excursions for the next few days...

The next day, we saddle up our dinghy and cruise along the coast, past impressive rock formations and lush vegetation covered in tilandsia. There are two caves to explore, one of which features petroglyphs by the Taino Indians. The following day, we travel a considerable distance along the Yuna River to the ecolodge, where we can swim in various rock pools fed by the waterfall...

Bernd on dinghy tour in Los Haitises — With our dinghy “Soeckchen” we are individually mobile.

On Friday we'll be back on the birthday boat and celebrating Toni's birthday - so we'll head back to Bacardi Beach - but our attempt to have dinner at the Iselresort in the evening fails - only house guests are welcome - well, with an overnight price starting at USD 800, it's better to keep to ourselves... So all we can do is chill on the beach.

Chilling on Bacardi Island — Joline is chilling in front of the Bacardi Island.

On Saturday, we have to report back to Bahia Marina with our dispatcher. We decide to stay for two days and celebrate the New Year. We don't want to attend the marina's own party after all, given the $155 ticket price. We plan to spend the last day of the year at the pool – but then we realize we can't leave the boat – it's high tide, and Joline is swimming with a rocking motion high above the concrete jetty… We don't want to take the plunge…

Height difference tide in the marina — With the tide coming in, Joline is so close to the concrete jetty and so choppy in the harbor that we don't want to take the plunge... The only way out is to disembark in the dinghy.

So we launch the dinghy in the marina and head for the next ladder... spend the day by the pool – and treat ourselves to lunch at the beach bar. Towards evening, the tide goes out again, and we can now get back onto our Joline from the jetty.

We spend the evening on board with champagne, games and good food and enjoy a free live band, fire-eaters and fireworks from the marina bar.

Prospero Ano 2025...