Santo Domingo, Punta Cana, Bavaro, Barahona are all preparing in their own ways and even on the other side of the island on the north coast, local fishermen and owners of excursion water crafts are putting down storm anchors and protecting their assets as expected sea swells especially on Sunday are going to be high.
Great news for the surfers on the north coast in the Puerto Plata region however as they have been hitting the premature swells since 4.00am this Saturday morning and are taking advantage of Hawaii like conditions at Encuentro Beach in Cabarete. Warning for amatuer surfers-it is not advisable for you to surf these conditions and you may be pulled out of the water, swells along the north coast are expected to be at 20ft on Sunday. President of the Surfers Asscociation de Puerto Plata, Mr Ricardo Ripol is a die hard surfer and although these waves are a bonus for the pro's he has advocated that leaners and beginners should not attempt the waters. Encuentro Beach Cabarete will be patroled by life guards and surfers will be monitored.
Meanwhile hoteliers on the south and west coasts although they are not evacuating as Hurricane Dean is not expceted to impact land, full Hurricane procedures are being put in place. Local home owners on this coastline are securing their flimsy Caribbean homes with what ever materials they can find.
If you are on vacation in Punta Cana, Santo Domingo, Juan Dolio, Boca Chica, Bavaro, Barahona, then please contact your tour operator. Do not panic as hoteliers are prepared every year for Hurricane Season and have practised methods to ensure you and your families safety as foremost. Please listen to what they have to say to you.
The National Hurricane Centers latest Update:
A Hurricane Warning is in effect for the south coast of the DOminican Republic from Barahona westward to the Haiti/Dominican Republic Border...and for the southwestern peninsula of Haiti from the Haiti-Dominican Republic border to Port-Au-Prince. A hurricane warning means that hurricane conditions are expected within the warning area within the next 24 hours. Preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion.
For more hurricane information please go to this link, and also find out how to read a hurricane image/graph
http://www.therealdr.com/content/view/137/355/
To go directly to the National Hurricane Center please follow this link:
Please bookmark this page for uptodate Hurricane Dean Dominican Republic information.
