The Caribbean Is Open for Surf Business

“I went to surf Jobos the other day and it was a ghost town,” marvels Puerto Rican pro, Brian Toth. “I think a lot of people are still scared to come down, because there’s been a lot of stuff in the news and on social media about how Puerto Rico is too f***ed up to visit. But most of the devastation happened inland, up in the mountains, or in areas off the main road that are hard to get to with electrical trucks. Surf tourism has been minimal, because people are hearing that it’s still a shitshow here, but it’s just not true! We have accommodations. We have service. There’s been electricity in Aguadilla, Rincon and Aguada for six weeks now. All the supermarkets and gas stations are back to normal — you’re not waiting in three to nine-hour lines anymore — and a lot of hotels and restaurants are open, too. The ocean water’s been clean for a while now, and we’re definitely capable of having tourists come down and surf, party and spend their money to help the economy.”

Former CT surfer Ben Bourgeois spent most of the fall doing intensive relief work with Waves For Water before resuming his own venture, Benny B’s DR Surf Hut , and has noticed an unusual uptick in bookings. “The Dominican Republic is getting a little boost in surf tourism from people who canceled their trips to other places and decided to come here instead. Brandon Sanford from Dominican Surf Trips has been getting lots of families and other groups that were originally going to Puerto Rico. So that has helped out the local crew here a little bit, but that idea that Puerto Rico isn’t ready for travelers is definitely not true. There might be some spotty electricity here and there, and you might not get good WiFi or the strongest cell signal everywhere, but that’s what surf trips are all about: getting away from all that stuff.”

Currently, Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport is fully operational with scheduled domestic and international flights, while smaller airports in Aguadilla, Ponce, Ceiba, Isla Grande and Vieques are offering more limited service, but still bookable. “Tourism continues to be vital to Puerto Rico’s road to recovery, and we look forward to welcoming visitors,” Jose Izquierdo, executive director of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company (PRTC), told Travel Weekly. “Continuing to visit us, staying at our hotels, eating at our restaurants, buying from local businesses and giving back through rebuilding efforts is the best way to support us right now.”

PRTC also reported that more than 450 restaurants including franchises, 27 ground tour operators, 16 car rental companies and 61 dealers are open throughout the island, while main transportation companies, taxi drivers and local travel agencies are providing full, ongoing service to travelers. More than 100 hotel properties are open, as well, although the PRTC advises visitors to contact the properties directly or reference their websites or social media pages for specific information, as many facilities are operating on generator power only.

“A lot of Airbnb’s have electricity, and many of those that don’t have generators running nonstop,” Toth adds. “Or you can pull a Benny B and just post up in a tent on the beach and score [laughs]. Nah, I mean, it’s not totally back to normal here, but it’s normal enough to where you can come down and have a great vacation. Unless you’re some five-star surfer looking for a Kardashian retreat that sucks up loads of electricity, you’ll be stoked. It’s the normal Puerto Rican vibe here — good drinks, good food, good surf and warm weather.”

Meanwhile, some of the lesser-known, more-exotic surfing outposts like the British Virgin Islands are relatively good to go, as well. “Banks, ATMs and grocery stores are open,” Sharon Flax-Brutus, the BVI’s director of tourism, told Travel Weekly. “There has been damage to some of our museums, but our beaches are nicer and wider than before.”

“You might wanna do a little bit of research and make some calls before you go down, but there’s plenty of options for places to stay in Tortola, and you can easily rent a car,” Bourgeois suggests. “Obviously, some of the hotels were wiped clean and a lot of places are still looking rough with piles of trees and debris, but Airbnb’s are up and running all throughout the BVI. The roads are clear, the airports are mostly back to where they were, and the ferry service between the islands is running totally normal. Alex Woo, who has the only surf school in the area, BVI Surf School, had his container float far away; but he got it back to his property and he’s already back to doing lessons.”

Travel Weekly took on the Herculean task of compiling a comprehensive list of what’s open and closed throughout the region, from ports and ferries to airports and hotels, which they’re regularly updating as news trickles in from different properties and organizations. Additional information can be found via the Caribbean Tourism Organization  and Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association websites.

“You may not get that luxury trip where you’re on your phone and Instagram the whole time, but it’s nice to go back in time a bit when you’re on vacation,” Bourgeois insists. “Some WiFi hotspots are opening up, and cell service is getting better by the day. And obviously, the waves are the same. And who knows? You might stumble upon something even better.”

“I mean, it’s been firing down here in DR, and I surf all by myself every day,” Bourgeois finishes, “So if you ask me, this is the perfect time to take a surf trip to the Caribbean.”

Plus, there’s swell coming. Here’s a look forward by Surfline forecaster Kurt Korte: 

The winter swell season, thus far, hasn’t delivered like those recovering in the Caribbean might have hoped. Looking at the large-scale patterns in place around the globe, the lack memorable swells hasn’t really been a surprise. La Nina conditions in the equatorial Pacific strengthened over the past month and it looks like a weak to moderate La Nina will continue through the Northern Hemisphere winter. Surfline’s data for Puerto Rico, based on years of surf observations, shows that during La Nina years the winter months of December, January and February have significantly fewer ‘FAIR’ or better days, smaller than average wave heights, and fewer chest high or bigger days compared to average. This is backed up by research that shows the normal winter storm track shifts further inland over the interior of the US, rather than along the East Coast, limiting the size, number, and frequency of NW/N swell events. Instead, higher than normal pressures are found over the western Atlantic, resulting in more trade windswell events for the Caribbean. These trade windswells can also show on the south coasts of some islands, lighting up select locations in the Caribbean, and especially over in Central America.

So, while the outlook for the next month or two doesn’t look spectacular compared to normal, there will certainly be good days. And when you compare that to brutal cold flatness and brisk offshores on the US East Coast, why not buy a ticket and roll the dice? Check the expert forecasts for Puerto Rico Barbados to find out more on what surf lies ahead.

One interesting tidbit we found while looking at the data is that the Spring months – March, April and May – are typically a bit above average during La Nina years. So, if you are thinking of when might be the best time to head down to Puerto Rico, don’t sleep on the late season this year.