Animals of the DR: Cabarete Spotlight on DCDR
In recognition of International Animal Rights Day, which is celebrated annually on December 10. Are you a dog person or a cat person? With this charity, it really doesn’t matter, everyone is welcomed! Dogs and Cats of the DR (DCDR) does amazing work to look after animals around Cabarete. These heroes rescue furry friends in dire need of care and nurse them back to health. DCDR find new loving homes for their cats and dogs. They also spay and neuter strays in town to keep the dog and cat population under control. If this weren’t already incredible, Dogs and Cats of the DR visit and assist pet-owners who are living in impoverished neighbourhoods. They educate owners how best to care for their pet and provide essential medication for the animals. Take a look at the stray dogs around Cabarete, you’ll notice they all look pretty healthy and happy. This is in large part down to DCDR’s efforts since 2013. Animal protection legislation The DCDR are also doing important work to urge the government to bring dog and cat abusers to justice. In the Dominican Republic it is against the law to harm or neglect an animal, but these laws are rarely enforced. In fact, dog poisonings are relatively common occurrences here. Sometimes, these crimes are even carried out by the authorities to clean up areas for tourists. Education and more awareness of how to treat animals is sorely needed in this region. Help a pet in need You can support the work of Dogs and Cats of the DR by sharing their animal transformation stories and spreading the message that pet abuse is not okay. Check their wishlist of supplies for something you could bring to donate. You can join their Facebook page to keep up to date with the Cabarete rescues, or browse their adoption album. Get in touch with DCDR if you are flying between the Dominican Republic and the US and Canada, especially New York. There might be a chance for you to make a difference by transporting a pet to their new owner abroad! Plus, you get a cute furry companion on your trip. Win-win. You can donate and find out more about their important work through their website.
Manatees in the Dominican Republic
Manatees, sometimes adorably called sea cows, are marine mammals that like to hang out in slow moving tropical waters. And you can see manatees in the Dominican Republic. Rumor has it that even one lives at Kitebach! These gentle giants are about the size of a small car. They can grow to 4 metres (13ft) long and weigh up to 600kg (1,300 pounds). A manatee’s lifespan is just a little shorter than a human’s, they live 60-70 years. In the coastal waters and river mouths of the Dominican Republic, manatees can be spotted, playing in the warm water. A century ago, there would have been far more regular sightings than today. The best place to see them in the DR is the Marine Mammal Sanctuary (Santuario de los mamiferos marinos) in Estero Hondo, on the North Coast. Estero Hondo lies west of Cabarete, passed Puerto Plata, but is very much reachable for a day trip. There are a couple of trails you can hike that will take you to the protected lagoon, where you can climb a tower and look out for manatees. The sanctuary is also a protected space for many species of tropical birds, so there is plenty of wildlife to observe. According to Dominican legend, there was a 16th-century chief who befriended a manatee, and it would carry him around on its back wherever he wanted to go! Manatee Behaviour Manatees are friendly creatures that move in slow motion and rarely fight. Herbivores, they survive on plants they find in the water. They have powerful tails that they move up and down to propel themselves through the water. Their fins act as rudders to steer them around. Manatees can sort of walk on land by flopping one fin forward, then the other, though it’s a pretty slow way to get from A to B. Manatees live in the water, but they still breathe air. When they’re moving, they have to come up for air quite frequently, every three or four minutes. When they’re still, they can hold their breath for around fifteen minutes. You might wonder how they sleep, if they need to come up for air. Manatees have adapted to slow their heart rate and breathing rate down a lot, so they use less oxygen. Like David Blaine when he does his breath-holding stunts. This allows them to sleep for around 20 minutes at a time. Manatees have gained Internet popularity because of how sweet they look when they sleep, which is for around 12 hours a day. Their sleeping positions vary: sometimes they will lie on their backs on the sea floor, or bury their nose in the sand. A she-manatee’s pregnancy lasts for 13 months. Once birthed, the mother will carry her calf around in her arms and breastfeed it for two years. Can manatees get any more adorable? Manatee Conservation Despite the introduction of laws that ban manatee hunting, illegal poaching and hunting remains a problem. Manatees are sought after for their meat, which is said to have seven different flavours, and bones which are used to make medicine and crafts. Today, the West Indian manatee is sadly a vulnerable species. The three surviving species of manatee (West Indian, African and Amazonian) are all struggling with decreasing populations. Thanks to conservation efforts to protect the West Indian manatee and its habitats, the species was downgraded from ‘endangered’ to just ‘threatened’ in 2017. This sounds like good news, and it is. However, now the manatee will not receive the high level of protection of an endangered species. The manatee is a peaceful creature that has been part of Caribbean culture for a long, long time. It will take a big effort to look after the manatee into the future, so be sure to report any sightings to FUNDEMAR, the Dominican foundation of Marine Studies. In Cabarete, there was a rumoured manatee sighting a couple of years ago on Kite Beach, though unconfirmed. So, kiters, keep an eye out for manatees and turtles: you never know what wonders you might see in the water!
Marine Life in the Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a tropical paradise. Watersports fans and beach-lovers are not the only ones who enjoy the warm Caribbean waters. We are lucky to live alongside some truly amazing sea creatures, including whales, dolphins and turtles. You can take a close look at the bustling underwater world by diving or snorkeling. The DR has rich, colourful marine habitats, teeming with life. Serious conservation efforts are needed to counter tourism’s negative impact on the ocean and on marine life. It’s not enough to use marine resources wastefully and take all these beautiful animals for granted. If we don’t actively look after sea life, it will not be around for much longer. (Check out our post on ocean conservation in the DR for more info.) Be sure to always approach the ocean and its wildlife with respect and care. The animals are not in a zoo, they are wild and do not belong to anyone. With the right attitude, you can observe the lively delights that lurk just under the surface, and leave only bubbles behind! For now, though, let’s explore some of the larger species that live in the waters around the Dominican Republic. Whales Samana Bay is world-famous for its humpback whales. Every year from January to March, around 3,000 whales make their way to the bay to breed and calve. It’s one of the most breathtaking natural spectacles on the planet. WWF rates Samana as one of the top places in the world to whale-watch. You can watch them from the shore or take a boat tour to see these majestic creatures up close. Tours usually run for around two to four hours, so you’ll almost definitely get to see your share of whale shenanigans. There are a set list of boats authorised to take whale-watching trips in Silver Bank (Banco de la Plata) in Samana. This is so the protected whales aren’t crowded by too many people, and they can go about their mating event undisturbed. The DR take the safety of their whales very seriously. The 650-square-mile area of Bancos de la Plata y de la Navidad was declared a protected marine wildlife sanctuary in 1986, the first of its kind in the Caribbean. We’re lucky to see humpback whales at eXtreme, as they pass Kite Beach in their hundreds. Seeing a humpback whale splash and roll around on the water is not an experience you’ll forget any time soon. Don’t miss out on this humbling and awesome chance to see some of the biggest mammals on Earth. Dolphins As you’ll see, there are many opportunities to ‘swim-with-the-dolphins’ in the Caribbean, including in Punta Cana. However, as an eco-hotel, we at eXtreme cannot condone this activity. A photo of you kissing a dolphin might be a cute souvenir but if you care about dolphins, do not swim with them. Dolphins are wild animals and not suited to being kept in captivity. If you’ve seen Blackfish (it’s on Netflix), you’ll know about the well-documented abuse of killer whales in SeaWorld. Sadly, the treatment of dolphins is no better. The normally docile animals turn psychotic with frustration. They are kept in tiny, concrete pools and are forced to perform tricks many times a day. Captive dolphins are often malnourished from poor-quality frozen fish, and some even have sunburnt skin because of their shallow pools. The message is clear: Don’t swim with dolphins. They’re not happy, and being a good, responsible eco tourist means not supporting animal cruelty. On the bright side, there are many species of dolphin that you can see in the wild off the shores of the Dominican Republic. Bottlenose dolphins hang out off Playa Dorada in Silver Bank and by Saona Island, as do playful spinner dolphins. Risso’s dolphins like to be close to land, so you can see their leaping forms from the shore. I just love guilt-free dolphin-watching. Turtles The DR is home to Leatherback, Loggerhead, Hawksbill, Olive Ridley, and Green turtles. On the North Coast, where we are, you’ll tend to see more leatherback turtles. The green ones live on the South side of th island. Kitesurfers in Cabarete report seeing turtles swimming around them out on Kite Beach, so keep an eye out for them in the water! Leatherbacks nest on Cabarete Beach between May and July. Watch them dig themselves into the warm sand to lay around 80-90 eggs! March to November is turtle nesting season in the DR. Leatherback, Hawksbill and Green turtles lay their eggs on the shores of Jaragua National Park and Saona Island. Their nesting grounds are protected but, still, all the DR’s turtle species are critically struggling for numbers. Leatherbacks mainly feed on jellyfish, which is why plastic in the ocean is so very dangerous for them. They mistake plastic bags and other floating plastics for jellyfish and choke on them. Their survival is also threatened by getting captured or having their eggs stolen. Eggs and turtles are sold as food for humans, and as material for crafts and souvenirs for tourists. Turtles can become entangled in fishing nets, both in use and discarded nets. Turtles are stunning creatures that have played a part in human spirituality and folklore for millenia. For some reason, we tend to feel a connection with turtles. However, this semblance of understanding has not protected them from being exploited by humans for profit. If you are lucky enough to see a magnificent sea turtle, please enjoy it and marvel at it! Just keep your distance. Dive in! As well as large marine animals, there is a whole world of life buzzing around the coral reef. The reef itself is alive, and can be compared to an anemone or jellyfish. It houses hundreds of species of bright tropical fish, including clownfish (yes, Nemo), trumpet fish, lionfish, Atlantic sailfish, and barracuda. Manta rays, moray eels, sea urchins and sponges also inhabit the coral reef. All round, it’s a magical underwater scene! Sosua is the next town as you head West from Cabarete.
Dominican Amber on Cabarete Beaches
Cabarete beaches are well known for their active watersports scene and kickass mojitos. But did you know that little lumps of amber wash up on our shores? If you go hunting on the beach among the seaweed, preferably after it has rained, you could stumble across pieces of prehistoric treasure. Now is the time of year to get your amber hunt on. Hurricane season is upon us, which means big swells bringing in big waves to surf. The powerful swells also break up the amber in the seabed and wash it up to shore. Get going to find yourself a memorable Cabarete souvenir! Let’s learn a bit more about amber to prep for our treasure hunt. What is Amber and how does it form? Once upon a time, amber used to be tree resin. The gloopy resin from the Hymenaea protera tree trickled down into streams and rivers, making its way into the ocean, some 25 million years ago. And there it stayed, down in the deep, deep blue, in among the layers of silt, sand and clay. Sedimentary rock is made by particles of sand, clay, other rocks which are compacted together under a lot of pressure. Like, on the ocean floor, or buried beneath layers of mud. Most amber is found inside sedimentary rock, as it was buried and compressed along with other organic material. The resin crystallises over a long time, and forms a hard, compact fossil. Fossils in Amber Sometimes, insects and plants from millions of years ago are trapped in the resin and preserved in the lumps of amber. Using these fossils, experts have been able learn about prehistoric ecology. They have built up a picture of the plants and animals that used to live in a massive, long-lost tropical forest in the DR. If you’re interested, you can check out the Museo del Ambar Dominicano in Puerto Plata, or the Amber World Museum in Santo Domingo. They have some amazing collections of creatures and plants preserved in amber. Fossilised amber chunks are pretty valuable, so they make for particularly exciting finds on the beach! Dominican Amber The North Shore of the Dominican Republic is nicknamed the Amber Coast. There is a lot of mining that goes on all over the coast, some of which can be very damaging to ecosystems. The Baltic Region has the largest known amber deposit in the world, followed by the DR. Dominican Amber tends to be more transparent and glassy than Baltic Amber, and you’re more likely to find creatures fossilised in the amber in the DR. Dominican Amber comes in many colours. As well as the classic yellow and honey varieties, keep an eye out for red and green shades of gem. The rarest amber is blue and fluorescent, and has a stunning otherworldly quality, as above. Definitely pick that up, if you come across it. Go on an Amber Treasure Hunt! OK, so you know what amber looks like and how it came about. Now, it’s your turn to go discover it for yourself! It does take a bit of patience, but going on a little amber rekkie on the beach is a great way to spend a morning in Cabarete. If you’re not into watersports, you can work up an appetite while you walk, and maybe even find some treasure! Though the HP tree has been extinct for a very long time, it’s pretty cool that we can still enjoy its life force today in the form of the beautiful amber gemstone.
Why Cabarete is Protected from Most Hurricanes
Hurricanes are big tropical storms that form over the Atlantic or Northeastern Pacific Ocean. If you follow the news, images of hurricane devastation and loss will likely jump to your mind. Yes, many Caribbean nations have been affected very badly by hurricanes in the past. But, if you are worried about travelling to Cabarete in the autumn and winter months, there are some things that might put your mind at ease. (For more info on hurricanes in general, what they are, and how they are classified and named, check out our post Hurricane Season: What You Need To Know.) In Cabarete, we are actually very sheltered from storms by our natural surroundings. Big storms tend not to hit us, here, as they are bounced away by some pretty helpful geographical features. Fun fact: The DR is actually nicknamed the Garden of Eden. The magical spot it occupies is free of dangerous predators, shielded from hurricanes, and grows tropical fruit in abundance. Time for a little geography lesson. Let’s learn the basics of why the North Coast of the Dominican Republic is so protected from tropical storms. The Mona Passage The Mona Passage or Canal de la Mona is the 130km strait of water that runs between Hispaniola (DR/Haiti island) and Puerto Rico. It connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Caribbean Sea. Though it is an important trade route, it is known as one of the most difficult passages of the Caribbean Sea to sail. The strong tidal currents can change direction unpredictably. This is down to the two large islands on either side, and the sand banks that extend far into the strait. The strait has powerful surface and internal tides. In certain circumstances, these can double up to produce hair-raising 40-metre waves! In hurricane season, however, the dynamic currents of the Mona Passage are a lifesaver. They force storms out to the north or the south of the island, so the worst weather is pushed away from us. Sailors in the area often take shelter from storms in the DR because of its history of relative safety. We Got Mountains (feat. Pico Duarte) Our mountain range would provide high ground in the unlikely case of flooding on the island. But better than that, the high, large landmass actually deters hurricanes. Hurricanes hate mountains. Tropical storms need warm water and wind to live. Big, tall land poses a threat to their survival, so they will tend to steer clear. The difference in pressure and temperature from the cool mountain air and the warm, sunny beach air creates a hostile environment to storms. If they do come near, they are deterred or weakened. High ground is like their kryptonite. And we are lucky to have the highest peak in the whole of the Caribbean on our island. Pico Duarte stands at 3,098 m (10,164 ft) and is only a few hours’ drive from Cabarete. It’s gruelling, but if you’re feeling adventurous on your trip, you can climb it! Just ask our friendly hotel staff, they’ll sort you out. Shallow Reef Our coastline is made up of shallow coral reef that drops into deep water pretty sharply. There’s no gradual slope of land out into the sea, which means big surges of water are stopped in their tracks. Stormy waves hit the wall of coral and break on the reef instead of powering on into the island. Analysis of 250 studies revealed that reefs can dissipate up to 97% of a wave’s energy, as it comes into shore. This is a big deal for coastal communities around the world, and a major reason to feel safe in Cabarete. Check out this article for more info on just how effective coral reefs are as natural protection against flooding. Weigh it up We should note that the DR has been affected by a few hurricanes in the past, and there is no absolute guarantee of safety. It’s mostly been minor damage, even the giant Hurricane Irma did not devastate the coast in Cabarete. Hopefully, being aware of the risks and also the elements at play in hurricane activity, you can make an informed choice. Check out the US National Hurricane Center website for up to date news. And, as locals know, big Atlantic swells mean big waves here in Cabarete. The height of surf season stretches across the fall and winter months, here. So, come on down and catch some epic overheads!
Exploring the North Coast of the Dominican Republic on a budget
This past weekend eXtreme Hotel’s Taino Organic Farm decided that we wanted to start Exploring the North Coast of the Dominican Republic on a budget. After a bit of planning and research, the crew headed out on a roadtrip adventure on the north coast of the beautiful Dominican Republic! We decided to head to Samaná to go whale watching, see the Salto de Limón Waterfalls and explore the peninsula. Renting a car: Samaná is about 180km from Cabarete so rather than taking the usual Gua Gua transportation, we opted to rent a car and drive. To keep it low budget, we got some WWoofers from a nearby farm to join in on our trip and split the cost of renting a Honda Pilot between nine of us. The car rental was $9500 RD for two days and two nights. Including gas to and from Cabarete and Samaná, the car rental and the $1000 RD toll for taking the newer route (I highly recommend doing so as it is shorter, beautiful and not so rough on your vehicle) we ended up paying about $1500 RD each. Tip: be sure to get insurance on whatever car you rent, it’s not uncommon for things to go awry on the roads here. If you’re on a budget and blow a tire like we did, it’s helpful to have backup! Accommodation: After a couple colmado stops for snacks and a few hours of tunes, we arrived at our first stop: our hostel in Las Terrenas. Hostels are a great alternative to a hotel room as they are usually inexpensive and accommodate low budget travelers well (most have communal kitchens and rooms with multiple beds). Our hostel was right outside the center of Las Terrenas, a little place called Fata Morgana. Fata Morgana Las Terrenas: A beautiful place with cottage style rooms, Fata Morgana was quaint and inviting. The owner and her son were friendly and so were their many rescue animals. Between the friendly critters, the vibrant plants and a hammock in front of every cottage, it made for a relaxed atmosphere. There is some truth in “you get what you pay for”, but if you’re willing to endure a cold shower and old mattress, it’s only $500 RD per person and quite charming. Whale Watching: From Las Terrenas we drove 45 minutes to Samaná Bay and took a boat out to try and spy some whales. Though it is recommended that you book ahead, for $1000 pesos each we were able to rent a boat for the afternoon. The captain took us out for a few hours and although the waves were too big to see any whales, we all enjoyed the view of the ocean. If you really want to see the whales, my recommendation is to: Book ahead and go early enough that you are sure to have enough daylight. Check the weather, if the swell is too big you are less likely to see the whales. Don’t bother stopping off at the smaller island off the coast, you can get the same souvenirs on the main island for less money and it is quite crowded. Also keep in mind that you are likely to be soaked with water by the end so bring a waterproof bag for anything you don’t want to get wet El Salto de Limón Waterfalls: After stopping off for a quick bite to eat in Las Terrenas and a colmado for breakfast bananas (healthy, local and inexpensive) and water, we headed back to the hostel. In the morning we headed to Casa Nega in Samaná to go to El Salto de Limón waterfalls. There are two options for getting to the waterfalls, you can either go by foot (it takes about 45 minutes to get to the falls) or pay for a horse tour. We all decided to walk as many of the horses are in poor condition and if you’re on a low the only expense this way is a 50 peso fee to see the falls. It also gives you the freedom to go without a guide so you can take your time and stay as long as you please. The waterfalls are breathtaking, it is lovely to swim in and if you are daring you can climb part of the way up and jump into the pool below. If you’re looking for an adventurous low budget trip, Samaná is a stunning location with plenty of places to explore. Grab some friends, a rental car and a map and explore paradise!