*ON04 FINAL-2.indd - Wavelength Paddling Magazine

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esorts. We wander though the village,stopping for fresh chinola juice. Therewe meet Juan, a tiny, ancient man with aseamed, leathery face brown as a nut. Juanoffers us horses at 100 pesos a day. That’saround three dollars. At hotels, a ride canbe as little as twenty dollars, so this is ano-brainer. We canter along the beach,surf splashing around us, hair blowing inthe wind. Then up the ubiquitous windingdirt roads, where we pass men on burroswith fresh-cut sugar cane, and women withenormous bowls of fruit on their heads.The author’s sit-on-top brought a whole new realm to her boating experience.new shelter. Our ride-on-top kayaks, sosoothing in calm waters, are squirrellyin the waves, rolling and twisting as wetraverse the surf along the exposed coast.In Puerto Isabella, Columbus built tinyhouses (the foundations remain) for his mento live in while he sailed back to Spain foradditional funds. During his absence, thesailors managed to accomplish what centuriesof effort had failed to achieve: unitingthe warring tribes of the island. The Spanishmen treated the natives so brutally thatthe enemy tribes joined forces, attackedthe settlement, and massacred every one.HORSES ON THE BEACHOver the next few days we make it toPunta Rusia, a stunning coastal area filledwith beaches and coves where a localvillage sits cheek-by-jowl with upscaleWHITEWATERWe also take a quick trip by guagua (localvans that carry passengers and chickensfor $1-2 each—if inclined, you can go allover the country this way) into the interiorof the country for whitewater kayaking inJarabacoa. Here we choose from Class II-IIIrapids or III-IV. We pick the Rio Yaque, thelongest river in the Caribbean, which offersboth challenges and easy stretches. Whenwe confess to only one whitewater kayaktrip in our pasts, they provide a quickrefresher and we’re off. We have a feelingthings would be less casual elsewhere. It’sa great and terrifying time getting throughcute features like ‘Mike Tyson’, a 12-footvertical drop, where we both end uphanging head down in the pool below thewaterfall and have to be rescued by ourguide. We bounce off boulders in ‘TheCemetery’, a stretch of rocks sticking uplike tombstones, and gratefully reach somemeandering curves of calmer water foreasy drifting. Fortunately November isn’tfull rainy season, or we’d really have beensurprised.2004 RENTAL FLEET ON SALE NOW16 www.WaveLengthMagazine.com Oct/Nov 2004
FloridaCubaSantoDomingoEditor’s Note: In a few of the ‘southern waters’ photos and ads in thisissue, paddlers are not wearing lifejackets. Clearly, warmer water lessensthe risks to some degree. Nevertheless, wearing a lifejacket is the firststep in taking responsibility for one’s own safety and we urge you towear one at all times.DominicanRepublicThis is as far as we make it, but in Jarabacoa, you can also signup for waterfall-climbing (complete with guide, wetsuit, harnessand lines and lessons for hauling yourself up against the currentand rappelling back down), and mountain climbing nearby PicoDuarte, the second highest mountain in the Caribbean. So we’llbe back next year.With service from major airlines—United, USAir, Jet-Blue—the Dominican Republic is just a few hours fromNorth America, and with a smattering of Spanish (or agood phrase book), it can offer the adventure of a lifetime.RESOURCESwww.dominicanrepublic.comwww.thedominicanrepublic.netADVENTURES• Rancho Baiguate: 809-574-4940, kayaking or rafting $95/day,waterfall $65/day, mountain trek $400/person for three days (alsooffers pleasant rooms for $35/night)• Franz Lang Adventures: 809-574-2669, kayaking $65/day, waterfall$45/day, mountain trek $300/person for three days• Colonial Tour Rafting: 809-688-5285, rafting $95/day, waterfall$45/day• Iguana Mama: 809-571-0908, kayaking or rafting $85/day,waterfall $55/day. ❏© Barbara Gail S. Warden is a US freelance writer who is on asailing adventure in the Caribbean with her partner.Enjoy FallPaddling!We have a greatselection of Neckymodels in the mostpopular colors!Oct/Nov 2004 www.WaveLengthMagazine.com17
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Page 5 and 6: Paddling the Other Side of the Worl
Page 7 and 8: Paddling Tenacatita Baywalk along L
Page 9 and 10: MEXICOLa Manzanilla(Tenacatita Bay)
Page 11 and 12: ment will remain unspoiled.Access t
Page 13 and 14: The Wilderness of Bustard HeadPaddl
Page 15: Kayaking the Dominican RepublicFor
Page 19 and 20: Limestone islets in crystal clear w
Page 21 and 22: TROPICAL WILDLIFE WATCHING FROM YOU
Page 23 and 24: More of the north shore of Virgin I
Page 25 and 26: snorkelling. It was my first time s
Page 27 and 28: winter and early spring. The herrin
Page 29 and 30: Mothership Meandering—Alan Wilson
Page 31 and 32: Paddling through nature’s art gal
Page 33 and 34: per I immersed myself in Mark’s c
Page 35 and 36: Holey SolesSometimes it seems as if
Page 37 and 38: The UltimateGuide toWhitewaterKayak
Page 39 and 40: NEWSPUERTO RICO MARINE RESERVEPuert
Page 41 and 42: On Friday morning paddlers sang sun
Page 43 and 44: the very survival of endangered pop
Page 45 and 46: 1-800-889-7644VARGAS ISLAND INNAffo

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