Can they do that ?

korejdk

Bronze
Dec 29, 2006
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Wifey was telling me today that the police locked up all known surfers 'til the waves calm down....Is is legal ?
 

dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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hmmm... the only crazy surfer i know was out in the ocean this morning and he almost drowned. when he crawled back to the beach defensa civil was already waiting and they threatened to keep his surfboard.
so i guess anything is possible...
 

CFA123

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May 29, 2004
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Yes, just had someone confirm that they are arresting people as they come in.
Going out with a friend now to try to rescue someone we think is out on the water. :)
 

M.A.R.

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Feb 18, 2006
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Is someone complaining about this??:surprised

if the surfers die out there then the police is blamed, might as well take preventive measure. :ermm:
 

DannyS

Member
Jun 19, 2007
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not only in DR

Not just in DR. Done in the states. There was a well reported case about 10 years ago when NJ got passed by numerous hurricanes and some surfer where arrested when they came back in. This action is taken all over the world, even in Hawaii; the authorities will attempt to keep surfers out of the water when deemed dangerous. (of course some of those guys find a way around them).

The thought behind this (at least in the states that includes HI) is that the water patrol will feel responsible to rescue and in conditions like that, even they don't want to go in. As surfers we tend to look at it as repressive government but its not really, safety begins with prevention. And unfortunately when it gets good, every yahoo will dig out a board they haven't touched in years and try to go - thats dangerous. The good thing is there aren't a lot of surfers in DR like other near by islands in Carib (PR) - and lets keep it that way.

That said, I wish I was back down as I watched bouy readings and knew Carib would see significant swell. Feb wasnt so good. Big storm in the N Central Atlantic pushing down the energy.

Hope none of my friends on the N side are in the clink.
 

korejdk

Bronze
Dec 29, 2006
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Not just in DR. Done in the states. There was a well reported case about 10 years ago when NJ got passed by numerous hurricanes and some surfer where arrested when they came back in. This action is taken all over the world, even in Hawaii; the authorities will attempt to keep surfers out of the water when deemed dangerous. (of course some of those guys find a way around them).

The thought behind this (at least in the states that includes HI) is that the water patrol will feel responsible to rescue and in conditions like that, even they don't want to go in. As surfers we tend to look at it as repressive government but its not really, safety begins with prevention. And unfortunately when it gets good, every yahoo will dig out a board they haven't touched in years and try to go - thats dangerous. The good thing is there aren't a lot of surfers in DR like other near by islands in Carib (PR) - and lets keep it that way.

That said, I wish I was back down as I watched bouy readings and knew Carib would see significant swell. Feb wasnt so good. Big storm in the N Central Atlantic pushing down the energy.

Hope none of my friends on the N side are in the clink.

learning something new every day ;)
 

CFA123

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May 29, 2004
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Ok...

Back from the beach. What a beautiful day :)

Lots of kiters out in Cabarete & more near Kite Beach.
Civil defense told us that yes, people are subject to arrest... however over the course of an hour or so I saw Politur & some military try to stop a couple people from going in the water with no success. They weren't trying real hard.

So, as mentioned, we were told of a couple people that were taken to jail (names/people I know). Whether true, for how long... who knows. Word was for 24 hours.

The authority to do so? Gov't has restriced the beaches (water) for 48 hours due to high waves. Do they have the right to do so? I suspect so, same as in the U.S. and I suspect elsewhere. Do the surfers care? Sure, but they're going out anyway ;)
 

Rocky

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Apr 4, 2002
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Ok...

Back from the beach. What a beautiful day :)

Lots of kiters out in Cabarete & more near Kite Beach.
Civil defense told us that yes, people are subject to arrest... however over the course of an hour or so I saw Politur & some military try to stop a couple people from going in the water with no success. They weren't trying real hard.

So, as mentioned, we were told of a couple people that were taken to jail (names/people I know). Whether true, for how long... who knows. Word was for 24 hours.

The authority to do so? Gov't has restriced the beaches (water) for 48 hours due to high waves. Do they have the right to do so? I suspect so, same as in the U.S. and I suspect elsewhere. Do the surfers care? Sure, but they're going out anyway ;)
Thanks for the report.
It seems that the water conditions are not going to be as dangerous as predicted.
 

CFA123

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May 29, 2004
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I heard 2nd hand that surfers tried to go out this morning at Encuentro, but weren't able to do much as they couldn't swim out in the strong currents.

There's definitely increased danger with the higher waves. Heard story of one girl who had a scary experience near the reef with her kite yesterday, and someone else whose kite went into the water & they were drug under water for a period.

One issue mentioned to me today that I'd not thought of before - there's some debris in the water including large pieces of drift wood. Someone in those waves whether kiting, windsurfing, or swimming could get hit by something like that before they know it & be in a potentially life threatening situation. You definitely wouldn't want to have a wave throw a 50, 100, 500 pound piece of wood at your body.
 

Lambada

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Mar 4, 2004
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Ok...

Back from the beach. What a beautiful day :)

Lots of kiters out in Cabarete & more near Kite Beach.
Civil defense told us that yes, people are subject to arrest... however over the course of an hour or so I saw Politur & some military try to stop a couple people from going in the water with no success. They weren't trying real hard.

So, as mentioned, we were told of a couple people that were taken to jail (names/people I know). Whether true, for how long... who knows. Word was for 24 hours.

The authority to do so? Gov't has restriced the beaches (water) for 48 hours due to high waves. Do they have the right to do so? I suspect so, same as in the U.S. and I suspect elsewhere. Do the surfers care? Sure, but they're going out anyway ;)

And now for something completely different.................:laugh::laugh:
Puerto Plata Digital
Wouldn't think you were on same beach, would you? Well.........you were, 'journalists' or should I say novelists obviously weren't :ermm:.

COE probably trying to be super careful after an 18 year old disappeared in waves in Rio San Juan yesterday:
http://www.elcaribecdn.com/articulo_multimedios.aspx?id=160189&guid=40A4C0959A344079AF8AF2B07AF2A273&Seccion=63

And possibly a US tourist at Gaspar Hernandez - see last para
Puerto Plata Digital
 
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CFA123

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May 29, 2004
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Hehe...
I'd say Pto Plata Digital reported what they thought would occur.
"People not swimming"? true
"Completely desolate"? not quite
And there were/are people in the water... photos below from this afternoon.

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2348544682_154eb4e2f4_o.jpg

2348544684_41160a17bf_o.jpg
 
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Lambada

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Ladybird

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Dec 15, 2003
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Is someone complaining about this??:surprised

if the surfers die out there then the police is blamed, might as well take preventive measure. :ermm:

I totally agree, it has been rough here in my section of Cabarete and today 2 surfers would not come back in when they were told by the cops, a third guy later went swimming and got into trouble. they all think they are better than the sea, but it is awful to see people in trouble and others putting their lives at risk to save them.
 

zoomzx11

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Jan 21, 2006
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No, its not done in the US. You enter the water at your own risk in dangerous conditions with the knowledge that others will not be there to save you. How you gonna stop a surfer, shoot him off his board? Once they are in the water they are on their own. To get back on shore they can simply paddle away from the cops. Those guys in those uniforms carrying guns are not going to walk far in the sand on a hot day. More Dominican craziness