Drowning at Caberente

[usatraveler57]

Visisted Caberente Sunday, Feb 20. Wasn't there but 45 minutes when people on the beach started shouting and pointing toward the ocean. 100 yds offshore you could make out someone floating face down. About 8 swimmers went for him...some with floatation devices and some without. Took them a good one or two minutes to reach him. Was there with the huge crowd when he was drug ashore...lifeless. About a 50 y.o. caucasion male with an all inclusive bracelet. People were screaming for help. His wife was hysterical...understandably. No medical professionals available...no lifeguards...only those in the crowd who knew cpr gave it their best. After about 5 minutes they placed him on a lounge chair and carried him hurredly off the beach. I think he was carried to a medical facility across the street from Jose O'Saunashasey.(sp). About 90 minutes later the ambulance arrived to retrieve his body.

This is a rough surf here and prior to the drowning many people were in the water, being knocked down by the waves. This was my first visit to Caberente...which is otherwise lovely and more upscale than Sousa. My first witness to a drowning...very sobering. Condolences to his family and friends.

[Tony Badabing]

even though boca chica is not all that but ......it's beach is the bomb....like one huge swiming pool,the water is only 4ft no matter how far you go out very safe no waves.....check the pic of me and mi shorty on the avatar and see how far were away from land......:eek:

[Hemp]

i get very scared when i get in the sosua beach water...

[Summit]

hmmmm.....water 4' deep? That's over my head. :( I'm stayin in
the shallow end of the pool....It's easier to hold onto a beer when you're
in shallow water. Remember, if you spill it.....it's alcohol abuse:mad:

[Jimbo44]

I was on a cruise with the GF her sis and husband that was for 7 days, leaving from San Juan, PR last Sept, to St Thomas, Dominicana Island, Barbados, Aruba and back to PR. I was snorkling at every stop, however in Barbados, they did not have my size fins so I went in with out. I am a good swimmer, in good shape etc, however, due to the previous few days using fins, I was out in the water, up to 20 ft at times for an hr or so. This time I got carried away following this huge turtle about 200 yd offshore, no real waves, but when my mask fogged, and i spit and rinsed, i realized how far off shore I was. I gues I got scared, the adrenalin kicked in, and as I was swimming back, I got light headed, and felt like I was about to faint. So I started floating on my back to rest, but felt I was being pulled further out, so started swimming again but the next thing I know, the sky is turning black, my head felt hot, and I actually went under and felt myself shake myself like having a bad dream awake and swallowing water. I must have really fainted from exhuastion, but as I realized what was happening, this super human strength comes on if u do not want to die. I swam like a fucking madman and got to some coral in about 7 feet of water and held on, my fingers bleeding... until I caught my breath. I got to land, and realized that I actually drowned. It is not like playing B ball, or soccer, tennis, running track, etc, where u can just stop and rest. You are always threading water, and the adrenalin is also taking oxygen, so no matter how good of a swimmer, be carefull. Oh, and then I go up to the lifeguard hut afterwards, and they (Barbadoes lifeguards) are in their smoking pot and playing dominos.

[PapiQueRico]

Cabarete is a rough surf, and windy as all get out. The speed the wind surfers get up to is amazing, and frightening.

[Beads]

Oh, and then I go up to the lifeguard hut afterwards, and they (Barbadoes lifeguards) are in their smoking pot and playing dominos.

I hope you thanked the lifeguards!

[BCell]

i had a similar experience when I was a kid in a riptide, I was waving to the lifeguards, they were on the high chair, one stood up looked at me through the binoculars and then sat back down. a lady swimming coached me (sideways) and then dragged me in.

[Jimbo44]

I sure did... a gold watch and 2 gold rings I saw in one of their backpacks as I was walking down the stairs of the lifeguard pavillian.... Then sold them all in Aruba at the same bar that chick Hallaway was supposed to have been partying a cpl yrs ago who disappeared.

[Don Tomas]

even though boca chica is not all that but ......it's beach is the bomb....like one huge swiming pool,the water is only 4ft no matter how far you go out very safe no waves.....check the pic of me and mi shorty on the avatar and see how far were away from land......:eek:

The beach there is about the only good thing in that city, but I think it might even be less then 4ft. I know I was able to sit and have my head above water.

[ajax718]

Quick swimming trick: If you are in the ocean and feel like you are being pulled out to sea by the current, DO NOT swim directly straight to the beach . Swim at an angle, slightly parallel to the beach

[Citynights]

they did a show this event...the advice was the same swim parallel to the shore ...for every riptide going away from the shore there is one going towards back the shore..swim along until you meet one and let it carry you back to the shore...

[Tony Badabing]

Yeah maybe in some parts of the beach, but for the most part 4 ft this time I will swim all the way out to the rocks and get a bbbj in the morning the beach is empty....will bring the underwater camera....

[elsucio]

even though boca chica is not all that but ......it's beach is the bomb....like one huge swiming pool,the water is only 4ft no matter how far you go out very safe no waves.....check the pic of me and mi shorty on the avatar and see how far were away from land......:eek:

Used to be even nicer before they put those friggin cranes up over by Andres, really fucked up the view.

[MisterPink]

Used to be even nicer before they put those friggin cranes up over by Andres, really fucked up the view.

What's wrong swimming in The Port of Newark?
Don't forget DPI, Dubai Ports Int owns that eyesore, that makes it even more special to look at!
mp

[RearWindow]

Boca Chica is cool if you stay in the "bay" so to speak, Cabarete reminded me alot of Playa Azul in Nicaragua where if you didn't pay attention to the surf you could get into trouble VERY quickly. Same with Cabarete. NEVER turn your back to the surf if you are out in waist high plus water.

[rley69]

i get very scared when i get in the sosua beach water...

The waves are pretty strong in Sosua. When I was there in January I got hit by one which near enough knocked me down and washed one of my sandals away (serves me right for ogling topless women on the beach instead of watching the sea). This kept the Dominican kids busy for an hour or so as they scampered around the beach hunting for the missing item which, to my surprise, they eventually recovered (and to my even greater surprise then ran off before I could give them any reward).

[psriches]

The waves are pretty strong in Sosua. When I was there in January I got hit by one which near enough knocked me down and washed one of my sandals away (serves me right for ogling topless women on the beach instead of watching the sea). This kept the Dominican kids busy for an hour or so as they scampered around the beach hunting for the missing item which, to my surprise, they eventually recovered (and to my even greater surprise then ran off before I could give them any reward).Always a little rough in January. Winter time!!

[ROVER]

I was on a cruise with the GF her sis and husband that was for 7 days, leaving from San Juan, PR last Sept, to St Thomas, Dominicana Island, Barbados, Aruba and back to PR. I was snorkling at every stop, however in Barbados, they did not have my size fins so I went in with out. I am a good swimmer, in good shape etc, however, due to the previous few days using fins, I was out in the water, up to 20 ft at times for an hr or so. This time I got carried away following this huge turtle about 200 yd offshore, no real waves, but when my mask fogged, and i spit and rinsed, i realized how far off shore I was. I gues I got scared, the adrenalin kicked in, and as I was swimming back, I got light headed, and felt like I was about to faint. So I started floating on my back to rest, but felt I was being pulled further out, so started swimming again but the next thing I know, the sky is turning black, my head felt hot, and I actually went under and felt myself shake myself like having a bad dream awake and swallowing water. I must have really fainted from exhuastion, but as I realized what was happening, this super human strength comes on if u do not want to die. I swam like a fucking madman and got to some coral in about 7 feet of water and held on, my fingers bleeding... until I caught my breath. I got to land, and realized that I actually drowned. It is not like playing B ball, or soccer, tennis, running track, etc, where u can just stop and rest. You are always threading water, and the adrenalin is also taking oxygen, so no matter how good of a swimmer, be carefull. Oh, and then I go up to the lifeguard hut afterwards, and they (Barbadoes lifeguards) are in their smoking pot and playing dominos.


Quite a vivid and scary recolection Jimbo. Glad you made it.

[kiddfrost]

i get very scared when i get in the sosua beach water...


Is this why you dragged me and Aventura to the beach to look at the water... You was scared to get in? :lol: ... You can take on Daisy but you scared of Dominican water...:rofl: You are too funny.

[Hemp]

Is this why you dragged me and Aventura to the beach to look at the water... You was scared to get in? :lol: ... You can take on Daisy but you scared of Dominican water...:rofl: You are too funny.

dont get me wrong i can swim...but Ocean waves and current scare the hell out of me, always think im going to be washed away!!! :(

[MisterPink]

http://www.dr1.com/forums/north-coast/60727-big-thank-you.html

"I didn't get a chance to at the time, but I wanted to thank the people who tried to save my dad's life on Cabarete beach on February 25. Unfortunately he passed away as a result of the heart attack/drowning. Still, I appreciate the efforts made by the courageous people who brought him to shore and transported him to the local clinic. Many, many thanks."

[scoochamenz1]

swimming in the ocean isn't like being in a pool. if the current is strong and you're a little drunk, even if you're not drunk, you can easily be dragged out. what usually happens is people panic, start swallowing water and go under. be careful at the beach.

[Jimbo44]

swimming in the ocean isn't like being in a pool. if the current is strong and you're a little drunk, even if you're not drunk, you can easily be dragged out. what usually happens is people panic, start swallowing water and go under. be careful at the beach.
I actually did drown in Barbados while snorkling and got pulled out. I did not have fins on, like the prior 2 days. What happens, is yes you do panic, which starts the adrenalin running thru your body, which makes you actually tired from swimming so fast to get in. Then you get light headed and faint... not a good thing in 10 ft of water. When you get winded plaiyng soccer, basketball, running, whatever... you simply just stop and catch your breath. But in the water its a different story, yes you can float on your back, but not when the current starts pulling you further. Only reason I am still here, is because I had the strength to shake myself out of fainting, I now know whnat they mean by superhuman strength in times of fight or flight.

[usatraveler57]

Pictures taken at the time of the Cabarete drowning are posted on page 5 of VB image host under my name. The first pic is when the beach crowd is alerted there is a problem in the water.

The second picture is of the rescuers carrying the victim out of the water.