A rare opportunity to catch waves this high on the north coast so surfer pro's from around the island have been heading up in droves to the famous Cabarete coastline, to get one with mother natures strongest force.  Mr Ricardo Ripol, President of the Surfers Association de Puerto Plata is in his element as the photo shows but has strong words of warning for those with less experience and that they should not  make the journey up to Cabarete. He said that this is a small window of opportuntiy and whilst not lightening the seriousness of Hurricane Dean and what it may bring later on to other parts of the country, for surfing pro's on the island this is a one off chance.  All the surfers thoughts and well wishes from Cabarete are with their brothers and sister fellow Dominicans on the south and west coasts of the island.

The National Hurricane Center update is as follows:

The Hurricane Warning is still in effect for the south coast of the Dominican Republic from Barahona westwards to the Haitian/Dominican Republic border.  The southwestern peninsula of Haiti from the Haitian/Dominican Republics border to Port-au-Prince is still under Hurricane Warning.

A Tropical Storm warning remains in effect along the south coast of the Dominican Republic from Cabo Engano westward to Barahona...and for the coast of Haiti north of Port-au-Prince to the northern Haiti-Dominican Republic Border.  A Tropical storm warning means that Tropical Storm conditions are expected within the warning area witrhin the next 24 hours.

Keep this page bookmarked for all the latest Hurricane Dean Dominican Republic information from therealdr's local office on the storm front in the Dominican Republic.