Big storms in the Atlantic usually occur in late fall, early winter, or early spring.
El Barco Bay.
This year's first storms brought big waves, but there weren't any high-quality, large swells until December. When we saw the forecast maps, and the storm in the North Atlantic was growing to black (maximum wind intensity and wave size), we knew we were in for some fun and action-packed days.
La Preciosa Bay.
La Preciosa Wave.
The storm proved its worth and gained tremendous strength. It surpassed last year's Judas and has already been dubbed the storm of the century. It didn't bring the biggest waves to the Dominican Republic, but they were very smooth.
El Barco Bay has three spots: the eponymous El Barco, Caberniculu, and the most dangerous and farthest spot, La Muela.
La Muela only works when the waves are really big, usually only a few days a year. This swell certainly turned it on, though not to its maximum.
This ride had its pros and cons. The main advantage was that I didn't go alone, but with our instructor and my friend Denis. It's comfortable to ride with two people.
The downside was that I didn't expect the swell to hit so early and brought a small board. While the problem is solvable and you can ride, there was still a catch.
I rode the first wave successfully and returned to the lineup without any problems. On the second wave, I dropped off right before the set and started getting washed into the bay. I absolutely didn't want to end up without my board, so I held on to the board with all my might. When I finally managed to start swimming back, I felt my foot leash (the rope that attaches the board to your foot) disappear.
This meant that if I let go of the board, I wouldn't be able to find it again. The prospects were dubious. This wasn't the first time something like this had happened with this leash. So all subsequent runs had to be done very carefully. As if I were riding without it at all.
Denchik
According to the forecast, the swell was getting stronger throughout the day, and we witnessed it with our own eyes. The waves were coming in bigger and more frequently. At one point, the water in the bay accumulated so much that a huge current started. It literally carried water from the El Barco spot straight to La Muela like a river. Colossal masses of water.
I'm at the Cabernicula spot.
We're surfing nonstop, and there's a wonderful feeling that we wouldn't want to be anywhere else. There are still stories, waves, and the beauty of the Dominican Republic ahead!
Source: travel.ru