In the past 20 years more than half a million Dominicans have risked their lives in search of better ones, attempting to cross the shark-infested waters of the Mona Passage in small fragile boats, heading to Puerto Rico, 60 miles east. Approximately 200,000 have arrived safely on the opposite shore. Others have been caught and brought back home, soon to attempt the voyage again. The rest are simply said to be “disappeared.”