After sailing offshore for 3 days from South Caicos Island to the Dominican Republic, we docked at the Ocean World Marina outside of Puerto Plata. They were expecting us, and sent a group of people to greet us- first came the dock hands to catch our lines and help us secure the boat to the dock. Next came an excellent Spanish-English interpreter, two more marina employees, and a young man from the Dominican Navy. They came aboard and took down our personal information (names, passport numbers) and boat information (length, year, make). Then they left and a group of three gentlemen from the Dominican Republic's drug enforcement agency came aboard and searched the boat for illegal drugs. They were also accompanied by a courteous marina employee.
After that, Adam visited the Customs office (to declare that we carried no commercial merchandise) and Immigration office (to check and stamp our passports). The total cost was $73. At that point, we switched our yellow Quarantine flag for the Dominican Republic courtesy flag on our starboard spreader. We were clear!
The process did not end there, however. Before leaving Puerto Plata for another city on the north coast, Luperon, we had to be checked again by the drug enforcement personnel and pay the Navy $20 for a domestic despacho (dispatch) to travel to a new port.
Upon arrival in Luperon, we were checked by all the agencies that we visited in Puerto Plata. Tomorrow we plan on visiting all of them once more to clear out of the Dominican Republic before setting sail for Jamaica. The thorough process ensures that nobody slips through the cracks and every boat that visits the Dominican Republic is checked for contraband weapons, drugs, and stowaways.
SOG
