My first post on the Enviromental board - Sosua Beach

[El Tigre]

Hello All.

I figured I needed to post this here since my question is environment related.

I am from Santiago. I lived in the DR all the way up to the late 80s. I remember as a boy going to sosua. Back in those days sosua was known for it's VERY HIGH WAVES. I even remember the waves reaching the shops that stand there today. Also remember how so many people used to drown often due to the strongness (not sure if you can measure waves with this word) of the waves/tide.

Now-a-days it is a totally different story.

I have been visiting sosua quite frequently these days (last 3 to 5 years). On my last trip as I was sitting at the beach chair sun bathing a question dawned on me.

What happened to those ferocious waves? Those waves that used to knock the heck out of you???

Is this something that can be explained/answered?

Thanks so much all. Any info is appreciated as I would like to know how this works.

[Chris]

El Tigre, I see no-one has come back to you on this one yet. To be sure, I am stumped also. The bay in Sosua has always looked mostly calm to me in the time that I've been here, so, I don't know what happened to the waves that you remember.

[Rocky]

I've seen them during stormy conditions, but not on a regular basis.
My observations date back only to '91.

[El Tigre]

Yeah.

It's so strange Chris and Marco.

The bay is always calm when I'm there. Only in stormy conditions the waves get rough.

But back in those days the sea in the bay was ferocious.

I took a boat ride the last time I was there and a guy showed me a beach that was supposedly made by the ocean. I'll see if I can find a photo and post it.

[cobraboy]

My first DR visit was in '83 to Sosua. No waves then, either.

[sweetdbt]

How old were you when you made those trips as a boy? If I recall from a post Rocky made a while back, there is more than one beach in the Sosua area. The one we all know now as Sosua beach is famous for being very tranquil, and thus excellent for swimming and snorkeling. Perhaps it was one of the other beaches you visited as a child. Also, Cabarete and it's big waves are not far away.

[Celt202]

Originally Posted by El Tigre

Also remember how so many people used to drown often due to the strongness (not sure if you can measure waves with this word) of the waves/tide.

Strength is more commonly used but strongness makes sense.

[El Tigre]

Hi Sweetdbt.

This was in the mid 80s. I do recal that the water used to reach the walls of the walkway in sosua bay. I'm not refering to la playita. I'm refering to the main beach.

We used to visit the beach mostly for Semana Santa. Maybe that might have something to do with it.

[gerd]

Happened to me too when I was a little boy, that I thought the waves were huge...



And danger was everywhere.
Even in small lakes, dangerous currents, wholes, danger of overheating and jumping into the cold water. At least according to my parents.

Also one had to wait 2 hours after eating, before going into the water again.

[gary short]

Wait a minute... when you were little the waves were big...now you're big and the waves are little????????