Learning to surf

boton · #1 07-30-2003, 01:39 PM

Are there places in Puerta Plata that will give surfing lessons (wind and board)?

gjsuk · #2 07-31-2003, 08:09 PM

not that I know of, but best place for surfing is at Hideaway Beach, towards Cabarete form Sosua.......but dunno if any board hire/instruction available here.........be careful there, though the rips look wicked!!!

Ken · #3 07-31-2003, 08:21 PM

Cabarete is the place to go. You can get there from Puerto Plata on public transportation. Cabarete is one of the best windsurfing locations in the world and lessons are readily available. As you go through Cabarete in the direction away from Puerto Plata, you will come to several shops that rent equipment, give lessons, etc. For anyone wanting to learn windsurfing, this is the place to go.

And don't worry about the rips mentioned in previous post. There are different conditions in different areas. You can be sure that whoever is instructing you is not going to put you in conditions you can't handle at this stage of your learning.

marina · #4 07-31-2003, 08:46 PM

if you are coming to learn to windsurf, then you should stay in Cabarete. There are about 5 windsurfing shops in town. Personally I like Vela and Bic Center.

If you are coming to learn to kitesurf, then you should stay on Kite Beach (about 4km before Cabarete from Puerto Plata) to be in the center of the kiteboarding action and be on the spot when the wind starts blowing. I am with Kitexcite Beach Hotel and Kiteboarding School.

If you are coming to Surf, then you should stay at Surf Camp/Ali's Apt's in Cabarete/Pro Cab area and go with Holgar/Isa in the morning. They also give lessons and have rental. The surf spot on the North Coast is Encuentro. It is about 10-15 minutes from Cabarete. I recommend you go with Gustavo from Del Mar.

all the best,

Marina
www.kitexcite.com
www.kitexcitebeachhotel.com

Ken · #5 07-31-2003, 10:03 PM

boton, you won't get any better advice on surfing/windsurfing in Cabarete than that given you by marina.

Windsurfing, etc., is big business in Cabarete because it is considered one of the best places in the world. Some of the top competition in the world is held there, and the top surfers from Europe train there in the winter time to prepare for the competition in Europe in the summer.

MaineGirl · #6 08-01-2003, 12:03 AM

I'm curious. I heard that surfing and snowboarding employ similar physical maneuvers. I can snowboard pretty decently and want to learn how to surf before I die.

Can surfing be picked up at the same rate as snowboarding? Is it difficult to learn? I don't want to compete or even look cool. I am just looking for a warm-weather fun sport.

gjsuk · #7 08-01-2003, 10:16 AM

[
And don't worry about the rips mentioned in previous post. There are different conditions in different areas. You can be sure that whoever is instructing you is not going to put you in conditions you can't handle at this stage of your learning. [/b][/quote]

Sorry Ken you are so wrong, anyone who indulges in watersports of any form needs to pay extreme attention to water and weather conditions. Period!!!
Rips are a fact of life wherever you are in the world and especially at good surf (not windsurf) beaches.
Good instruction is essential as Marina has pointed out and more important is always to be aware of local conditions and to surf/windsurf/kitesurf with a "buddy".

Mainegirl - I windsurf/snowboard to a good standard and surf pretty poorly....IMO I am sure that once you actually ride a surf board the manoeuvers are similar to snowboarding, the problem is actually getting on the bloody thing when you have massive volumes of multi-directional moving water under the board.....it's sooo easier to strap the snowboard bindings on after getting off a ski-lift!!!!!!!

Ken · #8 08-01-2003, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by gjsuk

Sorry Ken you are so wrong, anyone who indulges in watersports of any form needs to pay extreme attention to water and weather conditions. Period!!!
Rips are a fact of life wherever you are in the world and especially at good surf (not windsurf) beaches.

What do you mean I'm "so wrong". I was just trying to let her know that there were other locations where she could learn, confident that an instructor was not going to put her in a situation dangerous to her. I felt this was necessary after you did your best to scare her off with your talk of "wicked" looking rips.

As far as being sensitive to sea conditions, etc., you don't have to lecture me on that. I lived on a cruising sailboat for 16 years and am always very mindful that the sea deserves a great deal of respect.

gjsuk · #9 08-01-2003, 11:08 AM

Jeez, there was no intention to scare and no lectures (as if!!), I merely pointed out the the North Coast has some very strong rips. This is a fact that every "water-immersion" sport activity participant should be very aware of.

Am I wrong??????????

Ken · #10 08-01-2003, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by gjsuk
best place for surfing is at Hideaway Beach, towards Cabarete form Sosua.........be careful there, though the rips look wicked!!!

If that was intended to be just a general caution about paying attention to the sea conditions on the North Coast, I guess that I misread it.