Luperon DR

[Eventide]

one more thought, sailorboy1 - the rio dulce is a huge freshwater basin so there is no saltwater and no barnacles. that might be worth a thought, eh?

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Eventide

one more thought, sailorboy1 - the rio dulce is a huge freshwater basin so there is no saltwater and no barnacles. that might be worth a thought, eh?

It is, for some other trip.

[Boatguy30]

Was there a month last spring. A month was long enough for us as we're pretty active and not being able to get in the water except at the semi crappy beach which is a long walk wasn't that much fun.

If you mostly hang out on your boat during the day and hit up a happy hour in the afternoon, Luperon might be just the place for you. Also, the moorings rent so cheap that the vendors can't really afford to maintain them properly.

Anchoring is nearly impossible due to the very poor holding in most area. Although some did get a set over on the S side of the channel.

[sailorboy1]

Think I'm going to accept the “Boot Key on a Budget” description as that works fine for me.

[seriousailor]

Here is a link to a site that has facts about Luperon (and the entire region by location) its a great resource https://safetyandsecuritynet.org/, and here is a link to info about DR/Luperon. Its as good as it gets info wise and you can even subscribe to their Free email ALERTS! https://safetyandsecuritynet.org/cat...ican-republic/

[sailorboy1]

Don't post that on Luperon cruisers facebook page, they go nuts.

But it is standard thief stuff and that guy is still in jail apparently. Guess it doesn't go over well when someone starts messing with the ducks laying the golden eggs.

[hpeer]

I actually read that as GOOD news. Sure their is crime, no place has zero crime. But the rate is low and it is petty. That’s not near as bad as the crime report from my community in the states.

At one place I lived over 4 years each and EVEY time I forgot to lock the car it was ransacked. Once in a driving torrential rain storm with thunder and lightning. The point is that EVERY night someone was checking the locks on my car. One night they got into my work truck, stole a pry bar, and used it to smash the window of my neighbors car. Embarrassing.

A neighbors Father passed away. While they were at the internment someone came into the house and stole valuables. They watch the obits.

Very nice Suburban neighborhood In NJ.

[sailorboy1]

So when the NJ crime gets too high, move to Luperon

Only crime I've experienced was at a secure marina in Jacksonville with a shrimp boat captain trying to steal my dinghy off the davits.

Im not worried about crime in Luperon.

[Ndavies]

I passed through Luperon in March/April of this year. I was looking forward to it as I had heard good things. But I must admit I really did think it was a bit of a sh*te hole to be honest! Yes, it was cheap......so I guess that's a big attractions for cruisers. We had made several stops in the DR - so were used to the check-in/check-out bureaucracy - which is a pain. We had heard stories of having to bribe officials, but the only place we actually experienced that was in Luperon where we had to pay off the DEA. And no - we didn't have drugs on board.

See this for more info https://midnightsunii.blogspot.com/2...our-taste.html

I for one will not plan on going back there. As for a hurricane hole - yes, pretty well protected, but many derelict boats and most of the moorings are sketchy at best. I know of much better places to be in a blow!

[sailorboy1]

so I read your blog account

What it comes down is a $20 "tip" and then you left for the Bahamas and I'm sure paid the $300 official government fee.

On the other hand I now have read lots of blog entries of Luperon cruisers and yours was the first "tip". BTW was the guys name Lauren?

[Ndavies]

Sailorboy 1 - I didn't catch the guy's name. There were 3 of them, with one of them being the spokesman. Pretty intimidating when they are sat on your boat packing guns and showing no signs of leaving. But I did enjoy giving them a very rough dinghy ride back to the dock.

Yes the Bahamas was about $300 - but tell me upfront what the price is and then I have the choice as to whether to pay it. And the dockmaster and officials in the Bahamas (Great Inagua) were the nicest most accommodating people. We traveled through 7 countries and territories on that trip, and the DR was the worst by far.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Ndavies

Pretty intimidating when they are sat on your boat packing guns .

well I thought the same about the USCG boarding my boat last month

In the end that guy asked for a tip and you gave it. I've now read lots of blogs etc on Luperon and yours was the first that wasn't a "years ago" that got a "tip" request. I'm sure you could have just not paid it. OTOH Americans are used to "tipping", they just don't like to asked for it even though they know they expected to do it.

[seriousailor]

yes, agree about facebook. most of the carib fb groups have turned into propaganda sites, churning out pro business by the biz owners/operators (who don't identify themselves and their interests) . and echo chambered by the "resident" never gonna move locals. a waste of time to sort thru for any valid, useful (unbiased) info. best to ask for info from those who have visited (and left !) recently. actual CRUISERS.

[Dulcesuenos]

We were in Luperon In 2018 on our way tocuracao and really enjoyed it. The moorings wont hold In a bad blow and boats drag moorings around from time to time. But it is surrounded by mangroves so it's better then rocks.
We did back down on ours with both engines to 2500 and it held so felt pretty good. It is very affordable there. The water in the harbor seems much cleaner then a few other places we've been and officials were very friendly and we paid no bribes at all.
We've been in the Rio Dulce for last H season and I have very mixed feelings about it.
The water is disgusting, and very polluted with a nickel mine upstream and nothing but waste from Fronteras and every marina pouring Into it. There is no clean water other then 5 gal jugs of purified water (not that pure) the marinas dock water is simply filtered river water not potable and is nasty. Probably best to run your watermaker and have alot of prefilters on hand. The workers are someties affordable but this has been ruined by people over tipping them etc, so in many cases they charge US prices for very substandard work. And often there are many that have their deposit disappear before any work is done. It is a good place to store a boat and go land travel or head home. If you enjoy Pot, and bad food and water it may be paradise.
I'm not saying Luperon is better but it is not worse.

[sailorboy1]

Spoke to a cruiser the other day who has been a few times, including just 2 months ago. He had nothing but positive things to say about the place. So much so that I'm not even going to continue to research.