Cabarete near death experience!

[Hutch]

The week of March 14th my wife, two girls and I spent a week in Cabarete let me start by saying it is a wonderful place to visit the beach, the food, and the people were awesome. It is Nirvana for those of us that windsurf and kite board. Vela windsurfing rental was great the Velero Beach Hotel is one of the nicest places that we have ever stayed in the Caribbean.
The week that I sailed a large storm hit the middle of the Atlantic the result was that Cabarete received some of the largest waves that locals have ever seen waves were breaking over 20 feet at the reef sending water all the way up into the beach restaurants. Someone said that the under toe was 20 knots I’m not sure of this but I did see 4 college kids go into the water out in front of our hotel and immediately dragged across the reef.
Wednesday the local government shut down the beach and spent most of the day ticketing and arresting those windsurfers and kite boarders that would sneek onto the water. Thursday shut down all day. Friday our last day the wind came up 25 knots waves still big but the current not moving as fast. Vele convinced the powers to be to let them open up a wind lane launch so that after noon I ventured out on a JP wave board 101L with a 5.3 wave sail. I’m sailing over 8’ to 9’ rollers, conditions I have never seen in my 25 years of windsurfing. I was holding my own (barely) until I made the mistake of falling in front of a small reef. The next thing I new a 15’ to 18’ wave was breaking over me. The force of the wave ripped the boom from my hands put me through the industrial wash cycle. As I’m swimming for the surface I’m thinking where in the hell is it? Will I make it to the surface or is this the end of the line? When I reached the top I was spent the only thing that stop me from going down a second time is that I was wearing a life jacket. My gear was 30 yards out blowing away fast. When I reached my gear the 5.3 wave sail was shredded (thankfully I bought the insurance) I spent the next hour kicking trying to reach the shore. Finally Vele sent out a strong armed Dominican kid with a huge windsurfing board to rescue me. I’m thankful that I’m still here to share my story. I want to thank John from Chisago for his moral support. If you go to You Tube and type in Cabarete beach erosion there is video of our sailing conditions. Hutch

[Tighe]

Wow, what a story. Glad to hear your ok. I'm sure it gives you new respect for the forces of nature.

Glad to hear you're still drawn into the wind.

[MaxiePOO]

Man that had to be a little scary!! Well i am glad you are A-OK!!

[Luiz]

Very glad to hear you made it back OK with no injuries. Hope to soon share the calm MN waters with you.
Luiz

[Hutch]

Hey Luzi Are you here for a visit or are you here to stay for a while? Hutch

[Luiz]

I should be returning to MN this summer for good. Thinking end of June / early July.
I'll miss it here. Scored more than 10 sessions this year so far. Most of them on a 83L board and 4.5-5.5. Got punished several times in the shore-break but nothing like your experience in Cabarete. We all learn from events like these. Get back out there next year and beat the crap out of that peak! -> But before you do that, watch "Let's Go Wave Sailing" and "Serious About Waves 1"... available for rental download at totalvid.com. Good tips on how to survive when all goes wrong (and it always does!).
See you soon.
Luiz