We hate paperwork. The US we all have to go in to check in, Canada we call in via phone, The Bahamas we all have to go in to check in (new from last year), the BVI only one person has to check in. We have a crew list with everyone's info on it to try and cut down on the writing. I don’t know if you’re like us but because we type more than we hand write we get all cramped up in the hand. Sad sad problem. Well now you go to the Dominican Republic (DR) and it’s a whole different ball game.
In Samana we were at a marina and were not allowed off the boat until we were boarded by the immigration (Navy), customs and the DEA. They were onboard for over 30 minutes and all kept asking the same questions. They would jot down our details on a little note pad no bigger than the palm of my hand. The DEA officer would come inside and do a bit of a check in all the cabins and some draws for drugs. We then paid $130 USD to enter the DR. Two days later we were tracked down at the marina by the Navy and had to pay an additional $10 USD per person for tourist cards. 4 days later we needed to check out with MORE paperwork. Once again immigration, customs and DEA officers came onboard with their tiny note pad and took down all the same details again. Our boat got searched once again for drugs.
We sailed from Samana to Luperon and checked in once again and this time 5 officials came aboard. The boat got searched by 3 people for drugs but they looked more likely to be dealing drugs than us, sporting bling and gold teeth. MORE paperwork and were onboard for over 30 minutes, at least this time we didn’t have to pay any money. We had to produce our tourist cards or else we would have to purchase more. They told us upon leaving we would need to see them again. Well this is when it really got fun.They wouldn’t come to us for check out so Carl dingy’d in at 9am with all our paperwork. We were trying to make high tide to leave and given ourselves a few hours to get the boat ready.First stop was immigration (apparently) but big problem because we never cleared in with immigration, but what were the 5 people for. He’s pissed with us, but in Samana we were told not to clear in with immigration just customs. 20 minutes of crazy Spanish communication – we don’t speak Spanish. Carl was sent to another office and the lady collected more money, maybe around $30 USD, but who knows what we paid for. Then we got hit up again for tourist cards, Carl didn’t want to go back to the boat to get them so he deflected a little and got out of it. Meanwhile another boater around his 60s had himself a local girl maybe around 20 with him and Carl described her as the “service orientated” type of girl. There was another local lady going wild in Spanish. Her mum? Who knows. Carl got pulled into another office by maybe a health official with MORE paperwork. At that point he kept getting told to go to the Navy captain. Up the hill, over the bridge, down the road he finally found the captain. There were all out the back playing dominos. But then the Navy Captain left to deal with the older man and younger “service” lady. Carl was told to wait for the Navy Captain to return. Amongst all the chaos Carl said that all the guys were extremely friendly but very disorganized. Carl got brought down to the Navy Captain surrounded by all the officials, police and the maybe mum, young girl and older boater. All yelling in Spanish. This point Carl realized the boater was sent off to his boat to retrieve the young girls stuff. Navy guy grabs Carl with DEA and other officials and head to the dingy dock. They all jumped in our dingy to head to our boat. On the way they asked to detour to the older man’s boat with the girl. More Spanish “communication”. Carl tried to ask what the deal was with the older boater and younger local and all he got in reply was “crazy American”. Then back to our boat for MORE paperwork and a boat search. 3 hours later we were cleared to leave. Leaving we ran aground on a shoal and barely made it out, cursing Lurperon all the way to George Town, Bahamas.
Luperon wasn’t all bad, check more out here.
If you go to the DR park your boat and don’t move. It’s really not worth the headache.
