Samana, Dominican Republic

Michael and I took an excursion during the Silver Spirit’s visit to Samana, a beautiful bay and peninsula on the north coast of the Dominican Republic.  The Dominican Republic, nominally a democracy, is poor yet is much better off than Haiti with which it shares the island of Hispaniola.  The Samana region has been set aside as a national park and ecological preserve.  Cruise ship passengers are offered tours of the park as part of the country’s developing eco-tourism efforts.

Silver Spirit anchored in the bay.  We took a tender to Samana pier and then boarded a speedboat for a fast trip across the bay to the nature preserve.  We saw birds in plenty, motored slowly through mangroves and were conducted through two different caves that had pictographs and petroglyphs (painted and carved respectively) made by the pre Columbian Taino Indians.  It proved a fascinating glimpse into the past and we saw unique plant and animal life.  What could be more fun than a hike in the rainforest with caves and a speedboat ride? These photographs are taken with my small Fugifilm camera.  I didn't want to risk my good camera.

Starting off in the Speedboat

Pelicans at Bird Island

Limestone Formation - Many Caves are Hollowed out Here

Stalactite meets Stalagmite

We Enter the Cave Lit Only by Flashlights

Taino Indian Pictograph, Somewhat Fuzzy by Flashlight

Large Mangrove Roots

Approaching the Second Cave

Cave Rock Drapery

A Walk in the Rainforest

Birds Perched on the Remains of a Pier

Dominican Fishermen

Fast Ride and We are Back to the Silver Spirit