dominican republic cabarete continued from page 67. No matter where you turn, you will see EH kites with their flashy <strong>“Warning</strong> <strong>Cabarete</strong> <strong>Local”</strong> <strong>graphics</strong>. <strong>–rr</strong> <strong>Cabarete</strong>’s signature blue water and long sandy beaches deliver near year-round riding conditions. Photo Ryan Riccitelli Old Friends My first stop was Kite Beach Hotel. A few years back the property was completely rebuilt. Kitexcite, was one of the first kite schools in the Caribbean, and currently operates a full service kite center with rentals and lessons out of the hotel. <strong>The</strong> owner Stefan Ruether is one of the early wind sport pioneers of <strong>Cabarete</strong>. I quickly caught up with Stefan and the hotel manager Katrine Lindemann, and got the <strong>Cabarete</strong> update. Stefan is a great resource for wind and weather information and assured me the wind would be 18-25 all week. My next stop was Agualina Hotel. <strong>The</strong> property is immaculate and also houses the first-class Vela Dare2Fly kiteboarding center. While I like to stay at eXtreme because of the skate ramp and party atmosphere, Agualina is the spot where I put my parents up on my last trip. <strong>The</strong>y still rave to this day about how great <strong>Cabarete</strong> and the accommodations were. My next stop was to visit an old friend and icon of <strong>Cabarete</strong>, Eric Hertsen. Eric is another one of the early windsport pioneers of <strong>Cabarete</strong> and has played a major role in evolving kiteboarding on the island. Eric is also known around the world for his signature EH kite and board line and has helped design kites with major manufacturers such as Liquid Force. No matter where you turn, you will see EH kites with their flashy <strong>“Warning</strong> <strong>Cabarete</strong> <strong>Local”</strong> <strong>graphics</strong>. Eric sponsors many of the young Dominican kids who are amazingly talented. Even the 12-year-olds can do just about every version of a kiteloop handlepass thought possible. Unfortunately, Eric was not around, but it was easy to see that EH is still a major force in <strong>Cabarete</strong>’s kite scene. On the way back to eXtreme, I stopped in to see Kim Tropf. Kim opened the first Best Test <strong>Cabarete</strong>’s windy conditions are perfect for kiteboarders, windsurfers and sailors alike. Photo Eric Hertsens Center in the world, which is on the main strip between <strong>Cabarete</strong> Bay and Kite Beach. R&D has since moved to Brazil, but Kim still keeps busy working on special projects and keeping his kite schools stocked and happy. I also passed John Holzall’s new center. He was out taking a session. John moved from Maui to <strong>Cabarete</strong> about a year ago. John is known for his unique, KITEs Method teaching style and wrote one of the first instructional books on kiteboarding. Usual Suspects As soon as I got back to eXtreme, I was greeted by none other than Neil Hutchinson, my longtime friend and favorite traveling compadre. Zach and Ben Kleppe had also arrived, and the beginning of yet another incredible Dominican adventure kicked off with dozens of Presidente beers and rum punches consumed to celebrate our reunion. I will never get tired of listening to Neil captivate a crowd telling the same stories over and over again of our many crazy adventures exploring the island. Later that night, Neil and I sat under the same palm tree where we have shared many “bro” talks over the years, reminiscing about how lucky we are to have been able to watch <strong>Cabarete</strong> evolve. What were once coconut palm groves, is now a strip of hotels and bustling businesses. <strong>The</strong> beaches that used to erode seasonally, are now pumped full of sand creating long and sandy perfect kite launches. <strong>The</strong> sleepy little town of <strong>Cabarete</strong> is now a thriving community with every amenity at your fingertips. <strong>The</strong> rest of our week was spent kiteboarding the different spots. We sessioned Bozo Beach in front of Laurel Eastman’s kite school. I had <strong>The</strong> Presidente beer truck brought extra cases when Neil showed up. Photo Ryan Riccitelli done a photo shoot with Laurel on one of her first trips to <strong>Cabarete</strong> years back. She ended up launching a kite school, and six years later it has become one of the top schools on the island. <strong>The</strong> next afternoon, we drove up to kite the river mouth at La Boca with Cameron Dietrich and enjoyed a sunset session. <strong>The</strong> following morning we did a down winder to Encuentro and got our wave fix. <strong>The</strong> rest of the time we were lazy and kited off Kite Beach in front of eXtreme, Kite Beach Hotel and Agualina Hotel. You can’t beat the compressed air, the fun little waves on the outer reef and the convenience of a fully stocked bar waiting for you. <strong>The</strong>re is nothing like taking a session, landing your kite and then ordering a cold beer 15 steps away. Reflections <strong>The</strong> week passed much too quickly. Before we knew it, our cab was picking us up, and we were on our way back to the airport. <strong>Cabarete</strong> delivered once again with perfect wind and plenty of friendly people. While I was a little bummed that it had evolved into a more mature travel destination with more properties, schools and businesses, it still possessed the charm that has kept me coming back year after year. Gone are the days of .50 cent beers and vacant hotels, but the flip side is that <strong>Cabarete</strong> has become more of an ideal travel destination for anyone. Out of all the places I have visited and written stories about, you will never find a spot that is as consistently windy and easy to travel. If you do book a trip down to the DR, don’t be afraid to say hello to some of the people mentioned in this story. <strong>The</strong>se are the individuals who have helped make <strong>Cabarete</strong> what it is and keep me coming back for more. 66 thekiteboarder.com thekiteboarder.com 67
DISCOVER CABARETE 68 thekiteboarder.com thekiteboarder.com 69
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