We wish we had been in the Caribbean ourselves to participate in this beautiful event, but unfortunately we were stuck in bloody Europe so can only tell you what we heard of what went down…

This year’s event saw its largest increase in participants, registering 80 waterwomen from all over the world. Local and visiting women gathered on the beach of Cabarete to complete a 4km downwind ride from Cabarete Bay to Playa Encuentro. The event was open to women who windsurf, kitesurf, stand up paddle(SUP) or kayak. The waterwomen of Cabarete united their individual athletic abilities to celebrate their accomplishments as a united group. Over the course of the event many other girls and women were inspired to get out on the ocean and try some of the sports for the first time. The event included a beach cleanup, safety and stretching sessions, as well as food and gear from local sponsors. All of Cabarete and many from Santiago and Santo Domingo came out to pack the house at the Nikki Beach Cabarete after party. A raffle, silent and live auctions were held, and the Butterfly Effect Dominican Republic surpassed last year’s efforts raising $3000.00 USD for The DREAM Project.

Giving back
The beach cleanup resulted in 40 bags of garbage being picked up off the beach in Cabarete proving that this event is positively impacting our small surf community and preserving our natural playground. This environmental focus included, the participants, children from the DREAM Project, and members of the community.

If this sounds like something you’d fancy to experience too, stay tuned for the 2012 Butterfly Effect World Tour.