Cabarete trip report (2/25->3/8)

From: Alain Dumesny (alain@wave.engr.sgi.com-DeleteThis)
Date: Tue Mar 10 1998 - 18:38:17 PST


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Date: Tue, 10 Mar 1998 18:38:17 -0800
From: alain@wave.engr.sgi.com-DeleteThis (Alain Dumesny)
Message-Id: <199803110238.SAA17589@wave.engr.sgi.com-DeleteThis>
To: wind_talk@opus.hpl.hp.com-DeleteThis
Subject: Cabarete trip report (2/25->3/8)
Reply-To: alain@sgi.com-DeleteThis


Just got back from Cabarete sunday night (late due to bad weather east).
This was my first time there as I usually go to Maui. The trip ended up being
extremely cheap - maybe $1400 for both of us for 12 days. We had a free
flight, condo was $40/night, food is pretty cheap typically $20-30 for
dinner, and I got gear for only $200/11 days !!

2/24 night: arrive in cabarete after flying through Miami (NY is the other
direct route to puerto plata). Hotel picked us up. We stayed at the KaoaB
Hotel which is owned by a French swiss. Tons of frencies there. On the way
there, we were stopped in Soshua (previous village) due cops looking for
someone. Bunch of people (uniform and not) with Machine guns... Nice !

2/25 2/26 - no wind. I used to time to check out the different rental places
- their is about a dozen places or so right on the beach. Turns out almost
all places were sold out even though I had checked with Vela the day before I
left and they told me they were only 50% booked. They were very rude
there... I guess they didn't need my bysiness. Most hotel were also full (I
had a place reserved though). Feb/March are definitely not off season. I
eneded up finding a place - Happy SurfPool (owned by Germains) where the
owner and one of the instructor (meet them at different times) made me very
welcomed. Quite a chnage from Vela. They were pretty full (2 slots left) and
had good gear (new F2s and North sails) and the owner ended up giving me a
great deal. Only $20 for the 11 reminings days. Most places are
$210-250/week, or $50/day. The place is very nice and happenin at night (they
have a bar at the beach). Ok if you don't mind anging with a bunch or
germains... :-)

2/27-3/1: wind came up somewhat - ended up sailing 6.5 all 3 days mostly
powered (190#). Not great (never sail that big) but after 4 month of no
sailing is was ok. Kinda disapointing....

3/1 big voleyball tournament after the "sailing" day. Lots of fun

3/2 another light day. I ended up getting food poisining and got pretty sick
for 3 days with fever and all. You really have to watch your food there.
Some turkey meat from a super market was the culprit. They don't seem to
refrigirate things very well and have constant power suppy problems. We also
had some dinners were chicken was still red in the middle.

3/3-3/4 don't know about wind since I was bed sick. Heard I only missed
another 6.0 day in the 3 days I was sick.

After that we visited part of the highlands, including Puerto Plata and the
next town over of Soshua. Nice snorkeling there and clear blue waters.
Unfortunately the cable car going up to the 3000ft mountain overlooking the
coast is broekn for the next 2 years or something. Didn't want to go up on
the back on a mopped (the mod of transportation there !). Took the local
transportation "Gua-gua" (minivan packed, and I mean packed !) for dirt cheap
to get around. Sushua (10-15 min ride) in only 10 pesos (.70c).

3/7 wind finally came up, unfortunately this also was my last full day. The
wind came up to be a nice 5.0. Used 5.3 zeta, no 6.5 slalom stuff !. The
waves were about 3-6 feet sets on the reef 1/4 mile out. Happy surf is
located downwind in the bay which gets more shore break but a lot more wind
than Vela which is on the right side of the beach in the shadow of the wind.
The waves came in small sections the all time I was there (not like the cost
where you tend to get long rideable stuff) which makes is easier to get out
through (go around if you don't want to get over them) but also makes for
much short rides - only about 2 turns or so but Lots of fun..

Overall the wind really sucked (1 day of 5.0, I heard of a another 5.5+, 3-4
days of larger 6.0+ slalom stuff for me (1903). I heard I was all because of
the fucking El ninio - hey they heard about it there too ! :-)

Also getting food poisining (my wife's stomack didn't register that well the
entire trip) didn't help. This place with good wind could be a lot of fun
(bunch of places on the beach for wife to hang out withough been sand
blasted, tons of bars/restaurant right there) and it can be really cheap, but
I still would pick Maui any time...

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