Surfing in Dominican Republic?

[watersnowdirt]

I'm tossing around the idea of a little trip to the Dominican Republic this summer. Anyone been?

If so, any good easy surfing there? I haven't surfed since the biking "incident" in 9/03 where I wrecked my shoulder, but I'd love to ease back into it with some good, easy, warm water surfing.

I know nothing about DR other than that I can use frequent flier miles to get there....

[Superstar Punani]

Interesting destination! I've never met anyone who's surfed there nor read any articles about surfing in the Dominican Republic. The Carribean in general needs hurricanes to get them to crank.

Here's some blurb that I found:
http://www.wannasurf.com/spot/Central_America/Dominican_Republic/index.html

Most of the breaks look like tiny Floridian beachbreak, so if that's your bag, baby, then it could be worth checking out.

I'd like to find out how often these gnar lefts start firing.
http://www.wannasurf.com/spot/Central_America/Dominican_Republic/la_preciosa/photo/photo3f3745d6bcea6.jpg

Any other destinations doable with your FF miles? I'd swing more towards the Pacific Coast for more swell consistency.

[watersnowdirt]

tiny wimpy breaks = good for me :).

Yeah - I just found a couple articles that make it sound like it would be great for me - very easy and low key. It's been so long since I've been on a board, 2' feet sounds about right :).

FF miles only work where Jet Blue flies. They go to Puerto Rico and the Bahamas, but I think that's about it out of the country.

thanks Pu!

[Shredhead]

The Windsurfing in Cabarette is really good.

[milkman]

My wife said the waves were good last time she was there in Jan (she's a flight attendant) on the east coast. She doesn't surf, but suspected they would be good surfing waves. I may check it out soon. Be careful there though. Another flight attendant was recently drugged and beaten very badly a few weeks ago. The hotel staff said it happens to tourists all the time. Just keep your eyes open. The crime can be pretty bad out of the resorts....

[watersnowdirt]

ok - the beating stories scare me a bit, so I'll just have to be sure not to go alone.

Cabarete sounds like the spot. Sounds like there is great mountain biking there too. I think that's going to be the spot! THANKS!

[natty dread]

I might be taking a kiteboard trip to cabarete meself in July. I'm not much of a surfer, but I hear the waves are nice, abundant, and mostly mellow. There are a few outfits that'll take you to the prime spots by van for cheap. And cabarete is a ROCKIN fun, laid back, inexpensive, beautiful, friendly place. Went there a few years ago for 2 weeks and had one of the best vacations of my life. Yep, there's good mtb, kayaking, canyoning, and the wind in the summer is epic of course. Pm me if I can help you with any info, but you can figure most of it out once you get there. Be sure to eat once at the Blue Moon!

[peterslovo]

I was in the DR for a surf trip about 2 years ago in February; stayed in Cabarete and used that as a base - most breaks are within 15 minutes to 1/2 hour from there. Was there for 10 days and had 7 days of overhead surf (5 of that was well overhead). Cabarete is okay - I was amazed by the number of 2-stroke mopeds and how they pollute the main street by 10 in the morning. There are numerous great eats along the main drag on the waterfront in downton. You'll see lots of guns, but it's mostly 'security' for the drugstores, cash places, or shopping markets. Lots of prostitution as well if that's what you're looking for. But all in all, a neat little town.

People, including locals, are incredibly friendly - a little "hola" goes a long way! You'll run into lots of tourists, mostly europeans (germans), which is a nice change from the norm of American-overun places. Stay away from the all-inclusive resorts and you'll get a better feel for the town and meet more interesting people. We rented a local guy's house, right on the beach, for $80/night.

There are great waves to be had any time during the winter -all it needs is a low pressure system off of the mid-atlantic or even New England blowing some NE winds for a couple days and the swell goes right to the north shore of DR and the other caribbean islands. We surfed right near where we stayed in eastern Cabarete, but mostly at a spot called Coco Pipe (rights and lefts reefbreak), which is just east of the main break (famous break called the Dominican Pipeline...but shoot, i can't remember it's real name!!!), Destroyers (west of the break with the name I can't remember), and a couple of spots farther east near the airport which need big swell to break.

Waves are great in the mornings until about 11, then the trades kick in and blows everything out. No luck with afternoon/evening sessions, as the wind is usually too strong. So you either get one session in and kiteboard/windsurf in the afternoon or you gotta travel. You can drive east for 50 minutes to Playa Grande (beautiful beach and the trades blow offshore) which has a couple nice reefs. Worth the side trip, even if you don't go to surf...fresh lobsters on the beach with corn, etc. for $5 US.

Although we didn't go riding, there is great MTBing around, just hire one of the many guide services. Oh, and DEFINITELY rent a 4X4 vehicle - you'll need it on the roads. I rented a corolla, hit a pothole, and wasted the car on my first day. Luckily, they had a jeep to rent and replaced it for free (it's a common occurrence).

Anyway, great trip - I highly recommend it. PM me for more details on some surf spots, where to stay, etc. if you want...i got information somewhere around the house.

[L7]

I just got off the phone with a friend who spent the better part of a couple of years living in Cabarete. He was windsurfing and kite boarding. I don't know about surfing although he did talk about some down there. Not sure if summer is good or not. I'll talk to him again in a couple of days so I'll try to ask further.

Here's a couple of photos of the beach and the house they lived in 10 minutes walk from the beach. We looked at buying the house/cottage one of four around the pool for 35,000US about 4 years back. Got scooped.
http://www.tetongravity.com/usergalleries/albums/userpics/Dom%20Rep%20house%20and%20beach%20edit.jpg

Sorry about the nimrods in the shot, they went with the house at the time.

[hop]

If you can get to the Bahamas then Hope Town off of Abaco (fly into Marsh Harbour) has some good quality small surf as well as your standard-issue islandy things.

[L7]

Finally remembered to ask my buddy after 3 more conversations. There is good surf about 6km from Cabarete and in the winter it is apparently quite good. Summer not so much for an experienced surfer. He said it would be perfect for someone like me who has never surfed. Don't know what level you're at but summer just isn't the time for any big stuff there. The photo makes it pretty clear the beaches are kind of sweet though.