La Isabela

 

 We rented motorcycles for the day to follow in the footsteps of the most important cruiser who has visited the Dominican Republic, known around here as Cristobal Colon, we know him as Christopher Columbus. On his first 2 visits to the new world he landed not too far from our anchorage. El Castillo, near the town of La Isabela , holds the ruins of the first settlement of Europeans in the New World. Founded by Columbus in 1493 and named for Queen Isabela, the town held nearly 500 people before Spain moved it to the new capital of Santo Domingo in 1502.  The modern Temple of the Americas, consecrated in 1994, commemorates the first mass in the new world celebrated by priest who accompanied Columbus.

 

                                   An original artifact brought on the ship

   After a few trial runs on the narrow streets of Luperon , really getting the bike to move without stalling the motor we set out to find these historical sites. We travelled along the back roads through the mountains then followed the coast back to where we started from.

 

With a stop for lunch on the beach at Punta Rocia, we spent a full day but never did find the harbour where the ships landed, but did find a house in the shape of one.

 

 

 

Like all true bikers, one of us had to get a tattoo.......

They call this a Luperon tattoo...(touching the exhaust with bare legs)

  

    Every night as we make our way back to the boat an unusual phenomenon occurs. As the dinghy moves along, our bow wake and astern of us is lit up with a blue glow. It almost seems as if we are resting on a cloud of light.

So what is this bioluminescence?

Millions of one cell creatures called Dinoflagellates light up when they are disturbed to warn away predators. They are very fragile and thrive in tropical protected bays.

I have not been able to get a photo of this so far but will try to post one at a later date.