The Outer Islands of Venezuela

Venezuela is such an incredible country. We are so glad we came!!! So many cruisers are reluctant to come here because of the risk of piracy and crime but our experience has been wonderful! The Venezuelans that we have met are so genuinely friendly and considerate. It’s unfortunate that the BAD guys are out there. But the local people are affected by the crime rate as well, even more than the average cruiser. The country is ripe with natural resources but the inflation rate was reported at 13% in October. We really hope that the government can turn things around. The caring people of Venezuela deserve nothing less.
As far as Sailors go, the cruising is excellent. More islands to explore than time would ever permit. So many uninhabited places & I have never seen so many beaches (except maybe in the Bahamas). If you want to explore inland, there is a vast and almost endless list of places to go and things to do.
Novemeber 28th. We left Caya Herradura, (Tortuga) Wednesday evening under a double reefed main and full genny. Again we had an incredible night sail till about 5 am when the wind died and we started wallowing in the swell. Time to motor the rest of the way to Los Roques. At 9:30 am we passed through the channel in the reef at Boca de Sebastopol. From here we motored north in deep water between the outer reef and the middle reef. The water was very clear and it was easy to see all the shoal areas. Another interesting experience in reef navigation. By 12:15 pm we were anchored off the island of Francisquies along with Gabrielle and Side By Side, the 2 boats we left Los Tortuga with. 99.6 nautical miles covered.
Los Roques is about 75 miles off the coast of Venezuela and covers an area about 14 by 25 miles. It is a series of islands protected by reef-studded water. Every island has a collection of beaches and good snorkeling. The area is also a National Park that attracts a lot of Venezuelan tourists. There is a quaint little town and airport on the main island of Gran Roques. The tourists fly in here then the local tour operators take them out to the numerous beaches for sun and snorkeling. Despite the tourists, we were still able to find some secluded anchorages.
Wednesday December 5th. It was uncharacteristically calm during our stay. Usually the wind blows 20 knots all the time. Our next stop was to be the Islas de Aves, little island archipelagos that got their name from all the birds that inhabit them. We got restless waiting for the wind to return, so we motored the 32 miles to Isla Sur, Aves de Barlovento (south island, windward island of the birds). On Thursday we motored the next 16 miles to Aves de Sotavento (leeward island of the birds). That night the wind returned along with lots of rain. We delayed our departure in the morning waiting to see what the weather would bring.
Friday December 7th. We had a dead downwind motor/sail from the Aves to Bonaire, a 40 mile trek. The wind died after the first ½ hour so it was pretty uncomfortable with the swell of the following seas. Oh well, we take the bad sails along with the good.
We made our destination and celebrated with an incredible fish dinner at the Mona Lisa Restaurant. Bonaire is wonderful. Will elaborate next posting.
Till next time,
Fair Winds,
Miriam
12°09.3’ N
68°16.8’ W

A Great Sail, November 24th

Saturday November 24th. The forecast was not perfect but at 8:20 am we decided to leave. We checked the chart and decided that we could head to the far western end of Tortuga to the little islands known as Las Tortuguillas. It looked like an anchorage we could approach in the dark and we would have the light of the full moon to guide us.
By 9am. the anchor was up and we motored out of the protection of our little bay. If things were bad, we could always turn back. Due to the morning land effects, there was absolutely no wind or waves as we motor sailed out of the larger bay and into the Mar Carib (Caribbean Sea). By 11:30 am we’d covered 15 miles, then I noticed some white caps on the water ahead of us. By the time I said to Pat, “I see some white caps ahead, I hope there’s some wind to go with them”, we were sailing under a reefed main and genny. Our course was 330°, the wind was from about 080° at 17 knots and seas were 3 – 4 feet from the East. Life does not get much better than this. By 12:20 pm, Pat put a second reef in the main. We thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the afternoon under clear blue skies. We did not see under 7 knots of boat speed for the rest of the trip (thanks to the 1 knot current). Our wind speed averaged 18 knots, with the highest gust to 23; seas were variable, but mostly 5 -8 feet with the occasional 10 footer.
I remembered how much I love sailing! The day went by very quickly and we watched the sunset while in the lee of Tortuga. There are no anchorages along this coast that we would be able to enter in the dark. After we cleared the southwest corner of Tortuga , we beat to windward for the last 2.5 miles before anchoring in 20 feet of water behind Los Tortuguillos (the little turtles). In the moonlight, we could make out the sandy beach ahead of us and see the waves breaking over the reef to the west. It’s hard to image seeking shelter behind something not much better than a sand bar, but it knocked down the waves as the wind howled all night. It was reassuring to know that 3 fishing boats sought shelter in the same spot that night. After setting the anchor drag alarm and having a hot meal, we easily fell off to sleep.
Fair Winds
Miriam
10°57.7 N
65°26.1 W

End of October, Early November

After our memorable trip to Angel Falls, it was great to get back to Rhiannon. Plans were made to meet the kids in Bonaire for Christmas, approximately 300 nautical miles away. There’s a lot to see and do between here & there. On October 28th we left the Cumanagoto Marina to start the journey West. Our first stop was an anchorage area known as El Coral on the island of Caracas del Oeste, one of the many uninhabited islands of the Mochima National Park. (Venezuela has lots of Parques Nacionales). We were rewarded with beautiful clear water and great snorkeling right off the boat as well as peace and solitude. Tropical Storm Noel (later Hurricane Noel) formed that day 240 miles north of us. It was nice not to have to worry about finding a Hurricane Hole for a change; but you still worry about all the potential threats to the areas in his path. After sailing amongst numerous islands and dolphins, our next anchorage was a neat little mangrove lined hideaway surrounded by tall rugged cliffs called Ciéneguita on the island of Chimana Grande. The next day we motored to Playa El Faro, a beach on Isla Chimana Segunda. There’s grass shade huts on the beach, a little restaurant and a small Policia Turistica station. We hate to leave the peace and quiet of lonely anchorages, but it is not prudent to stay in one place for more than a couple of days, especially if you are alone. Although we have not had any incidents, and none reported in the area, there is still a slim concern of banditos or pirates.

Playa El Faro

Thursday, November 1st. We got settled into a berth at Bahia Redonda Marina in Puerta La Cruz, close to the swimming pool and the east gate. It will be November 19th before we leave. We see many friends that we have met during our travels and made new ones. Sandcastle left to head north for the winter and leant us their Air Conditioner. I never thought we would have A/C on the boat but it was a Godsend. There was never a breath of air in the marina and average temperatures were over 90° F or 32° C. Since we had some boat projects to do, the cool air allowed us more energy to complete them. Not all cruising is exploring and relaxing in secluded anchorages. Remember one definition of Cruising is Yacht Maintenance in Exotic Places. Our major projects included the purchase of 4 additional batteries for our house bank, therefore Pat had to build a box under the seat at the Nav Station to contain them. We also built a bed in the aft cabin, and made some new privacy curtains for when Erin comes to visit (since the aft cabin had been converted to the equivalent of a storage barn when we left). I forgot to mention that Erin will be staying with us on the boat for a few months. We are really looking forward to her company: just wish her brother could join us for more than a week. Oh well, someone in the Family has to have a job.

Time went by very quickly in Puerta La Cruz. I can understand why so many cruisers like to come here to spend the Hurricane Season. We finally untie the lines to the dock on Monday November 19th with plans to stage from one of the little outer islands before heading to Isla La Tortuga. As all plans are subject to change, we delayed our departure for the 65 mile sail till Saturday, November 24th. Pat picked up some kind of bug and was knocked off his feet for a few days. Then the weather did not cooperate as a large north swell with 8 to 10 foot seas and 5 to 6 foot wind chop accompanied by NE winds blowing 20 – 25 & gusts to 30 knots made me decide I did not want to be a solo sailor. We waited till Pat was feeling better and the sea state was more favourable.
Fair Winds,
Miriam
10°17.4’ N
64°39.0’ W
Ciéneguita, Chimana Grande, Venezuela

Pictures October 2007

Pool at the base of the Angel Falls, Salto Angel
the tallest waterfall in the world.

A 4 hour canoe trip followed by a 1.5 hour hike through the jungle to get here.
















Early morning view of Angel Falls
from our camp.






A freshing morning shower in the
Happiness Pool,
on our way back down the river.

Leaving on a Cessna

Canaima Lagoon and the 7 Waterfalls

Incredible!

Angel Falls

What an adventure! I could write a mini novel
describing our trip of a lifetime, but I’ll try to be brief. Our trip inland started on Sunday October 21st with a 6 hour bus ride from Cumana to Ciudad Bolivar. Our friends Bev & Ross from Raft were with us. The next morning we boarded a 5 passenger Cessna for the 1 hour 15 minute flight over the Savanna, the Orinoco River Delta, the Tepuis and numerous mountains before arriving in Canaima.

Canaima is an Indian Village that is part of the Parque Nacional.

From here we had a boat ride across the Canaima Lagoon, crossing in front of a series of 7 waterfalls before arriving at the Tomas Bernal Basecamp on Isla Anatoliy.

After relaxing in our hammocks & enjoying a wonderful lunch, we joined another group for a half hour hike to Sapo (frog) and Sapito (small frog) Falls. Sapo Falls is 40 meters high by 80 meters wide. Our first thrill of the trip was walking behind the Falls. The roar of rushing water was almost deafening as we cautiously inched our way to the other side.

The Brink of Sapo Falls

Trail Behind Sapo Falls Looking out from behind the Falls

That night we slept in our hammocks under the shelter of a thatched roof hut.

Tuesday morning our group of 10, our guide Jose,

our boat driver Joel and his assistant loaded into

the motorized dugout canoe for the 4 & ½

hour ride up the rivers Carrao & Churun to the

Island Raton. We walked around the first set of

rapids while the boat powered through them.

After that there was no mercy.

Zooming along at top speed with a 45 hp engine,

we basically were white water canoeing though

the too numerous to mention rapids as well as enjoying the scenery during the flat water spells. I still have a smile on my face remembering the thrills as we careened around rocks and through canyons, not to mention the fresh water splashing and soaking us on a regular basis...

Yes, the boat wet through here.

Early afternoon we began the 1 & ½ hour hike through the jungle to Salto Angel. It was a rugged climb, far more challenging than we expected but what a feeling of accomplishment when we stood by the natural pool at the base of the Falls. Pat and the others swam in the cooling waters while I nursed a nasty gash on my shin. (In the excitement of approaching the falls, I slipped on the wet rocks).

That night we enjoyed a roasted chicken dinner prepared by our guides on an open fire barbeque. The camp was very rustic compared to the base camp at Canaima but the full view of Angel Falls across the river was spectacular. Again, we slept in hammocks. I wish we had space on the boat for hammocks, they are sooo comfortable.
Wednesday morning we enjoyed the return trip down the rivers with an early morning stop at the Happiness Pool for a swim. After lunch, we loaded onto another Cessna for the flight back to Ciudad Bolivar. I wish the tour didn’t have to end; it would have been nice to spend another evening at the base camp. Well the purpose of the tour was to visit the Angel Falls, which are the Tallest in the World, however the rest of the trip was just as exciting and rewarding and only added another dimension to the thrill & enjoyment. (the internet is not co-operataing so I will have to post more pictures in another entry)
Till next time.
Miriam

Monday October 15th
We headed to the most eastern part of the Golfo to the Rio Cariaco and anchored in 10 feet of water before taking the dingy up the River as far as we could go. There are more different species of birds than we will ever be able to identify but the highlight is the Scarlet Ibis. We saw some of these birds in Trinidad but not to the extent that we did in this spot.

At dusk, hundreds of these red birds come to roost for the night in an area at the mouth of the river. The trees look like Christmas trees covered in red. The biggest bummer is that the battery died in the camera so we were unable to get a picture of the trees. When I got up at 6 am, the trees were still littered with birds but by the time I got the camera out, they had all flown away. Thank goodness we have memories. Not everything can be caught in photos.

Tuesday October 16th
After a lazy 6 hour downwind sail (heading west), the wind swung to the West and we covered the last 7 miles to Laguna Grande in less than an hour, heeled at 20 ° & accompanied by a pod of dolphins. Dolphins abound in the Golfo but only seem to be interested in swimming with you when you’re doing hull speed.
It is our 3rd visit to this incredible lagoon. Pat’s back had been bothering him during our last visits, so now that it was better, we returned to do the trek up the ridge. It’s hard to imagine the contrast of the rainforests to our south and the desert mountains to our north. Every evening we watch the lightening shows and rainstorms to the south while we are high & dry a few miles away in a desert landscape. A truly magical country.

Wednesday we started our climb up the ridge around 9 am and enjoyed a perfect morning of clear skies and a fair breeze to help keep us cool. The panoramic views were out of this world. I still can’t believe how amazing this landscape is!!!

Can you find Rhiannon?

Isla de Margarita is 20 miles to the north.

Thursday morning we hated to leave but the Angel Falls were waiting.
Fair Winds,
Miriam
& Pat says Hi.

Still Behind - October 10th

October 10th.



While in Medregal Village we organized a bus trip with some of the other cruisers to go to Caripe & the Guacharo Cave.





The cave is eight miles long and one of the world’s largest caves. It is inhabited by about 18,000 guacharo birds that live in the dark and echo-locate like bats. They only come out at night to feed on fruits. The first part of our tour was very noisy with the sound of the birds but as we trekked deeper into the cave, the only sound
was the trickling of water from the stalactites
and stalagmites. It was utterly incredible.



















The Exit/Entrance to the Guacharo Cave








The all day bus trip though the mountainous countryside and rainforests was more than breathtaking. The more we see of Venezuela, the more we love it. The diverse landscapes are amazing. But to top it all off, the people are what really makes the difference. You just have to come here yourself to discover how warm and welcoming the Venezuelan people are. I think we have found our favourite country. (But I’m getting ahead of myself).

Fair Winds,
Miriam

I am very very behind in updating the blog but here goes.

Medregal Village
10°31.96’ N
63°48.00’ W

October 3rd. After a very relaxing stay in Laguna Grande & a trip to Cumana to restock with groceries etc. we headed east down the Golfo de Cariaco to check out Medregal Village. Medregal is a small resort and boat yard who really welcomes cruisers and invites you to anchor your boat in front of the resort. For the price of the occasional beer, you are able to use all the facilities. We spent a lot of time lounging around the pool and accessing the free internet at the poolside bar.

The unbelievable thing was that it was a serve yourself bar and you just wrote down on your tab what you had. We felt like we were staying at an all inclusive resort. Jean Marc is the owner and chief cook at the restaurant. Saturday nights he cooks up a special Bar-B-Q for the cruisers. He also provides transportation to the local market on Sat. mornings to stock up on fresh supplies. I have only mentioned a few of the perks that Jean Marc and his wife Joleda provide. It is an incredible place!!!
Fair Winds,
Miriam
& Pat says Hi.

A Different Paradise

We have found a different kind of paradise! After the dense lush green rain forests of Trinidad and the Windward Islands, only pictures can truly describe what we are enjoying now. From the cockpit is a panoramic view of a desert landscape dominated by red and yellow cliffs, showered with gray & green cactus, bordered at the shore by mangroves. All this in an incredible lagoon that is a little more than 2 miles long. The lagoon is full of enough little nooks and crannies to easily harbour a couple of dozen boats AND you would never see your neighbour. Several years ago the lagoon protected over 150 boats who sought shelter here from a hurricane that threatened Grenada. Today (September 24th) there is only one other boat in the lagoon and she is out of sight from us.
Over night the water is so calm it is like a mirror. It’s wonderful to have good night sleeps after the poor rolly anchorages we experienced in Porlamar and Trinidad. In the morning we are woken by the sound of baby goats bleating as they search for their mothers on the craggy hillside & the swoosssh of wings of the Frigate Birds as they scoop up the fish that swim in the shade of Rhiannon’s Hull. In contrast the splash of the Pelican is loud enough to startle you. Pelican’s are graceful flyers and they glide silently forever above the surface of the water but when they land, it is the most hilarious crash landing imaginable. Occasionally the peace is broken by the sound of an outboard motor as the local fishermen slowly cruise by in their wooden pirogues. We always receive a big wave and Holá as they pass by. There is a small fishing village of about 5 families that live in one of the bays near the entrance to the lagoon. They live a very simple life and seem very happy. They often come by the boats looking for swim masks to help them dive for mangrove oysters. Next time we are in a city we will buy a supply of masks to give them. Maybe trade for some Spanish lessons? Hardly anyone speaks English so we are desperately trying to learn a few words everyday. Meanwhile sign language is usually the most effective means of communication.

I think we will stay here until our food and fresh water runs out. Until next time
Fair Winds
Miriam
10°35.1’ N
64°02.0’ W

Laguna Grande,
Golfo de Cariacou,
Venezuela

Isla de Margarita

September 3rd
Our permission to stay on Los Testigos for 4 days was over so we headed to Isla de Margarita. It was a calm day and we ended up motor sailing the 50 miles to the anchorage in Bahia de Guaraguao. It is a huge bay surrounded by the city of Porlamar & is home to over one hundred cruising boats. Some cruisers stay here for all of the hurricane season while others (like us) come to visit and restock our ship’s stores.

Porlamar is a duty free port and is a shopaholic’s dream come true. (I really HATE shopping). I have never seen so many big malls and shopping districts in my life. The hardest part about shopping other than the crowds of people is getting used to the local currency. We changed $500.00 and became instant Millionaires. One US dollar is worth 2150 Bolivares at the bank but some businesses will give you a much better exchange rate, as they need the US$ to purchase goods & services outside of their country. Needless to say, everything is very inexpensive compared to the rest of the countries we have visited in the Caribbean. It is a real treat to pay 1500 B’s (about 40 cents) for a beer in a bar or 850 B’s (22 cents) in the grocery store, or 12,000 B’s ($4) for a nice bottle of wine. Taxi’s average about 7000 B’s a ride (less than $2) so we didn’t experience the local bus system here. One day we hired a taxi for 35,000 B’s an hour (about $9) to take us to a half dozen little shops in the different areas of town. We would never have found these places on our own. Needless to say we thought we would save money and get back on budget once we arrived in Venezuela; however it is easy to spend a lot of money here too. On the other hand, we were able to fill our lockers with non perishable food and refreshments, and the fridge was overflowing with fresh produce when we left. Hopefully we will encounter some Gold Star Days soon. (A Gold Star Day is what cruisers refer to as a day you don’t spend any money).
Marina Juan and the Rum Bar each offer a “free” dinghy dock for you to “park” your dinghy while going ashore, however you are expected to Tip the dock boy about 2000 B’s for looking after your dinghy. Marina Juan is also the pick up point for a free bus service 3 times a week to one of the local shopping malls plus he has a Happy Hour every afternoon. It’s a great spot to meet other cruisers. At 1000 B’s for a beer, everyone wants to buy a round. We ran into some old friends and acquaintances and made some new friends as well.

It seems that we always stay longer at places like this than intended, usually due to boat maintenance or repairs. One of our propane tanks ran out and while changing to the other tank, Pat noticed that the fitting on one of the hoses was leaking. This turned into a full 2 days of searching for a replacement. We finally ended up having a shop make a new hose for us. While we were at it, we decided to install a fitting for the Bar-B-Q so that we could run it off our main tanks instead of using those little green disposable propane bottles. This was truly a nice upgrade, one that we had been talking about doing for a long time.

Not all areas we visit are paradise. Porlamar demonstrates the contrast between the rich and the poor of this country. The economy of Venezuela is in question as the gap between the rich and poor widens. Venezuelans from the mainland come here to shop and to holiday while the Barios (shantytowns) get hidden behind concrete walls.

The army comes in and builds and paints walls with doors & windows in them to surround & hide the rubble and shacks that people live in. At first they look like neat little neighbourhoods until you peer through the open doors. It is hard to imagine that people live in such hovels. It’s also hard to get a really good handle on the local politics when you don’t speak the language. One thing is clear, that the people either really love or really hate Presidente Chavez.

Sunday September 16th. It’s time to move on & in the company of Cheers, we head to the Golfo de Cariacou. We first met Bob & Zan on Cheers in New York City September 2005. We were new to the cruising life while, at that time, they had been out for 2 years. It truly is an incredible cruising community. As much as we miss family & friends from our land home, we form new friendships as we go, only to say goodbye & then meet up again in some other foreign port. One of the reasons to go to the Golfo was to catch up with Bev & Ross on Raft, a couple from the Barrie area in Ontario whom we first met in Georgetown in the Bahamas, January 2006. Since then we have crossed wakes many times.
Till next time,
Fair Winds
Miriam
10°57.1 N
63°50.0’W

Tropical Storm Felix

Islas des Los Testigos

A small portion of Real Beach to the left and the cut between Testigo Pequeno & Testigo Grande.

The swell coming through the cut looked like reversing waves crashing towards us.

As always, our plans are due to change, usually dictated by the weather.
Friday August 31st we slept in and woke up to a weather forecast of potentially nasty weather. It was too late to run to the mainland so the anchorage between Isla Iguana and Isla Cabra looked like our best option.

We left the beach area and got settled for the coming storm. At this time it was just a Tropical Depression but something not to fool around with. We set 2 anchors and sat back to relax & wait. It was really fun watching all the activity as the local boats started to arrive. They have beautiful fishing trawlers that double as their major form of transportation. Some of the boats brought the locals back from their mainland shopping trip while other boats brought people over for the weekend party. They set up tents on the beach and played load Spanish Music. It was fun for awhile. By 3:30 am the first rain squall blew through (no wind) and the shore party continued despite the rain. The second rain shower at 4:30 calmed the party. By 6:30, the next downpour brought the wind. Felix was then officially a Tropical Storm and the centre of Tropical Storm Felix passed 25 miles to the north of us.
With 2 anchors down, the company of 2 other sailboats, 21 fishing trawlers, and over a dozen pirogues, we Comfortably rode out the storm.

Looking West: View of the village before the Storm. Looking East: View after the worst of the storm was over.

By 11 am the worst was over; by 2 pm the sun peaked out and the locals started going about their business setting traps and fishing. The weekend visitors emerged from their tents on the beach and continued their party. Such is life after a storm. Later that afternoon we enjoyed Happy Hour and Dinner with a young couple from Holland on board Tranquillo. Such is cruising life.

We just Love these Boats!

When we last visited our land home, the 2 most common questions were; Did you run into any pirates? & Did you run into any bad storms? So far the pirates are behaving themselves (since the Venezuelan Guardacosta have increased patrols in the high risk areas) and Felix passed us by before turning into a Hurricane. Our luck will continue.

Fair Winds,

Miriam

11°21.4’N
63°07.8’W

P.S. I forgot to mention how really fabulous these little islands are. It's too bad we lost a couple of days of exploring while waiting out Felix. It is another place we would love to return to some day.

Sand dunes on the East coast of Testigo Grande

Intriguing driftwood anchored in the sand

Goodbye Trinidad

The North Shore of Trinidad

One of the numerous caves in La Vache Bay. There were much biggger ones but our camera battery died. Great dinghy exploration though.

View from the anchorage in Scotland Bay

We have had an interesting time in Trinidad since arriving from Tobago July 30th. As one definition of Cruising is “Boat Maintenance in Exotic Places”, we thought it time to take advantage of all the facilities here. Chaguaramus Bay is a Yachting Haven with over 5 marinas and even more boat yards, numerous chandleries and all kinds of service providers. It is also a commercial working port so there is always lots of activity going on. The anchorage in the bay is the absolute worst we have ever been in. Not only does it suffer from a horrible southwest swell, the water is terribly polluted and is a dark brown colour from the silt of the Orinoco River. The humidity averages around 97% and is unbearable at times. You can’t swim to cool off but the marina we stayed in for a week had a nice little pool. It is also the rainy season, so guess what. It rains every day. Needless to say we have gotten lots of boat chores done, added some improvements such as a 150 watt solar panel, and still managed to have fun.

Rhiannon's New Solar Panel

Jesse James is the local Cruisers Guru. He runs Members Only Maxi Taxi service, does tours on request, has regular runs to the Supermarkets and the Fruit & Vegie Market, helps anyone in need and is a genuinely outgoing friendly guy. While in Chaguaramus we went on a day tour to the Asa Wright Nature Centre, saw tons of birds and a snake in the rainforest before getting drowned by a torrential rainfall. That afternoon was a boat tour of the Caroni Swamp to see the Scarlet Ibis, a beautiful gorgeous red bird.

It is also very easy traveling around by Maxi Taxi, the local public transport system. Port of Spain is the Capital City of Trinidad with more than a million people. It made for very intriguing exploring one Saturday Morning.

The Lighthouse in Port of Spain

painted to resemble the Trinidadian Flag

Monday August 27th marked our 2 year anniversary. That was the day Rhiannon, Pat & I sailed away from the Rothesay Yacht Club. WOW! It’s really hard to believe sometimes. I still wake up thinking it is all a dream. Needless to say we celebrated by going out to the Lighthouse Restaurant at Crews Inn for a nice seafood dinner. To celebrate our last evening in Trinidad (Tuesday August 28) we took Jesse’s bus to Port Of Spain to the Movie Town Complex, complete with 9 cinemas. It was probably the nicest Cinema we have ever been in. We were able to sit back in reclining chairs with more leg room than at home, and enjoy The Bourne Ultimatum. What a good action packed film that was.

Wednesday August 29th. We cleared out with Immigration & Customs Wednesday afternoon and by 4:30 pm we were waving goodbye to Chaguaramus. The forecast was for light winds and calm seas. We motored for about 2 hours then the wind picked up and were then able to sail all the way to Ilas de Los Testigos, 108 nautical miles in 20 hours. The only down side was the fear of Pirates off the North coast of the Peninsula de Paria, Venezuela. To avoid these guys, you leave the Bocas in Trinidad and set your course heading North, so they think you are going to Trinidad. We sailed north to 11° , about 20 miles off the coast and then altered course to 270°, West with an East Wind. Now Rhiannon does not sail the best directly downwind, and since it was blowing 18 knots plus, we ran all night under a reefed main. The genny would have helped cut the roll a little but we furled it in as you don’t want to run the risk of being overpowered at night with a short handed crew (2). During the night we were able to alter course, thanks to the Radar, to avoid a big squall, and enjoyed the company of an almost full moon. By 12:30 pm, Thursday August 30th, we were anchored off a little village on Isla Iguana. We Made it to South America! (Although not the mainland yet) Isla Iguana is one of the small islands that make up Los Testigos, a group of small offshore islands with about 160 inhabitants. There is no customs here, no one speaks English & we don’t speak Spanish, but the Guardacosta gave us permission to stay for 4 days. Yeh!!!. 4 days of playing on sandy beaches and snorkeling. We haven’t done that for a while.

Fair Winds,

Miriam
11°21.4’ N
063°07.8’ W

Hurricane Dean

Hi From Trinidad
It is bright and sunny, almost no wind and we are in a slip at Coral Cove Marina, Chaguaramas, Trinidad. All the worrying about Hurricane Dean is over until the next tropical wave/depression arrives, which happens to be at approx. 19 deg N, 38 deg W. This will have an impact on us probably next Thursday/Friday, if we are still here, which I hope we ain’t. We firmly believe that the best “Hurricane Preparation Plan” is to be somewhere else! So, Venezuela looks good, hopefully heading in that direction in the next day or two.
Some models of Hurricane Dean’s position on last Tuesday had Trinidad & Tobago in it’s direct path. This would have been the first Hurricane to hit here in 120 years. We were in the midst of some boat work, and we did not have time to escape to a “hurricane hole”, plus we were convinced that it would veer north. Not only us, but about 350 other boats in the various marina’s and anchorages in Chaguaramas would have taken a serious hit, probably one that would have destroyed everything. As it was, Dean did veer north and passed between Martinique and St. Lucia, leaving a path of destruction. Unfortunately later today, Sunday 20th, the eye of Dean will be 30 miles off Jamaica then Cancun, Mexico as a Catagorie 4/5 Hurricane. The destruction will be massive and we hope the people have taken the time to seek refuge.
Cruisers who have spent some time here in Chaguaramas warned everyone on the Wed. and Thurs morning “Cruiser’s Net” (VHF radio broadcast @ 8am) of the exposure to the Southeast in the anchorage and some of the marinas. A lot of boats left for refuge elsewhere only to be replaced by boats arriving from Grenada and other places north escaping the storm. The place was packed! There is very little room to anchor here, most of the space taken by moorings which are spaced way too close together. We appraised our situation and decided to stay at the dock.
The ocean swell of Dean was felt here about 8 hours after it passed our longitude. In Coral Cove Marina there are strong concrete docks which don’t move when big waves hit it. But that doesn’t mean that the boats tied up to it don’t move.
First thing after morning coffee was to visit Budget Marine and buy 120 more feet of nylon rode to prepare Rhiannon for the predicted swell. We always felt fairly confident in our “ground tackle” and assumed that we would ride out situations like this on our anchors. We are never in a marina, never tied to a dock and only have dock lines that keep is tied in minimum forces. Not for what we were expecting this day.
Within 30 minutes of adding the extra lines, she started to roll. There were boats on moorings that were breaking loose and piling into other boats, boats on anchor were dragging onto their neighbor and big waves were bashing into boats in the marinas.
Rhiannon was rolling from side to side, (with me watching from the stable concrete dock), but not as bad as our neighbor boats which were closer to the wall of the marina and getting the back wave after it hit the marina wall. The swell lasted about 3 hours and it was awful! Masts banging other masts in fact two hit about 10 or 11 times. Our rig hit the shroud running between the main mast and the mizzen mast of a 54’ ketch beside us only once but broke our wind instrument.
About 200 yards away more openly exposed to the waves a few boats in the marina were litterly picked up and smashed onto the marina wall! The local boat businesses went all out running down with huge fenders, lines and people to help out. All this and not a breath of wind, it was amazing! You might check out www.guardian.co.tt then go to archives for August 18th , which is at the end of the list. This is the local newspaper and the cover page has photos of what was happening. We were too busy to take any pictures ourselves.
Our boat projects are complete now, installed one 150 watt solar panel, added more insulation to the fridge and re-worked the propane locker and we are setting sail to Venezuela, minus our wind machine, where we hope that we will never have to experience what we went through here in Chaguaramas, or the potential disaster that it could have been. First Rule in Hurricane Preparation, Be Where It Ain’t!
See Ya, Fair Winds and Seas
Pat & Miriam
S/V Rhiannon3

Carriacou to Tobago

Thursday July 5,2007
Tyrrel Bay is on the Island of Carriacou, which is part of the country of Grenada. It is a very large but pleasant anchorage with a mangrove swamp in one corner of the bay. The mangroves become a popular spot to “hang out” in case of an impending storm. Fortunately, we do not have to make use of the protection of the mangroves. The anchorage was very crowded when we arrived on Thursday but a lot of boats left Friday morning for the south shore of Grenada. We decided to stay and with more room in the anchorage, let out a lot more scope on the anchor. Saturday morning was very calm and the morning forecast called for the rains and wind to start around 3 pm and expected to last till about midnight. Pat & I took a bus into Hillsborough, to the only Gas Station on the island, to fill up our jerry cans with Diesel (total of 7 gals). One of the drawbacks in a lot of the islands is the lack of “convenient” facilities. There are no wharfs to pull up to to refill fuel and water tanks; so jerry jugs are an essential piece of boat equipment. We bought some fresh fruit & veggies but were anxious to get back to the boat.
Saturday afternoon had a very eerie feeling as everyone was hunkered down on their boats. Waiting. Nobody stirred. Then around 4 pm, the sun came out and all of a sudden dinghies & people started moving about everywhere. It was really weird. The storm missed us!! I will not complain. Apparently Grenada, 20 miles to the south got a lot of wind and rain. Go figure. The unpredictable power of nature will always amaze me and always warrant respect.
We had a nice surprise Sunday morning when we heard about a boat launch that was to happen that afternoon in the village of Windward. We shared a “taxi”, as the buses don’t run on Sundays, with a couple from Toronto, and enjoyed the half hour drive to the north part of the island. Carriacou has a history of boat building and the Carriacou Sloop has a very good reputation. Several Carriacou Sloops participated in the Antiqua Classic Yacht Regatta last April. They are very fast, sturdy wooden boats with an aesthetic beauty all their own.
So what is a boat launch? Well, the boats are built on the beach and when complete, the whole town and all the surrounding villages show up to participate in the launch. The women and children are singing and chanting while the men prepare. Logs and giant timbers are stratigically placed under the keel, a giant rope is wrapped around the hull & gunnels and the supports from the hull are removed. There is lots of yelling, singing and general merrymaking as the hull is eased down the beach on top of the logs; one at a time a log is moved from the stern as it emerges & placed under the bow of the advancing hull. Really fascinating to watch. We stood in the water to observe and take pictures. But as all things related to boating, it did not go smoothly. At one point, the boat slid forward too quickly. After lots of yelling and lots of suggestions from the men, the situation was remedied and with the assistance of a big power boat and several pulleys, she was dragged through the shallow water on her side and eventually floated upright on her belly. It was so exciting to watch such a traditional event. It will be hard to top this one.

July 12th comes to quickly and we are moving on with our goal to make Tobago still in the forefront of our plans. We head back north, clear out of customs at Hillsborough and beat our way to the island of Petite Martinique. There is a lot of current and strong wind against us. Our knot log shows we did 13.7 nautical miles to cover the 7 nm route. But that is what sailing is all about, taking the easy sails along with the challenging ones. We ended up anchoring off the beach at Petite St.Vincent (PSV) as it looked calmer than the anchorage at Petite Martinique. PSV is a privately owned island that has an exclusive resort on it and is only accessible by water. It only costs $500.00 US a night to stay there but certainly offers seclusion and rest and relaxation. Friday morning we dinghied across the channel to Petite Martinique to have a look around. It is a very quaint fishing/boat building village with friendly people & a population of about 1000.
2:40 pm We drop anchor to start off on another leg of our voyage. The wind is predicted to be NE and we seem to have a decent weather window for a night passage. Well the weather co-operated, we did not hit any squalls, but the wind stayed out of the East. Due to the NW set of the Equatorial Current, our speed over ground averaged about 4.6 knots even though it felt like Rhiannon was flying through the water at 7 knots. It was a long hard slog to windward to cover the 90 miles to Tobago (not to be confused with the Tobago Cays). Despite the wind and the current, we made it all the way on one tack to end up less than a quarter of a mile to the west of the entrance to Man of War Bay. Several short tacks bring us into the bay. By 1 pm, we’re anchored off a lovely sand beach in Pirates Cove in Man of War Bay surrounded by steep lush hills and coral reefs.

The trees are constantly alive with the sound

of birds. The fishermen cruise by in their

pirogues on a regular basis.

Was it worth the long hard SLOG?

Most definitely!
Till next time.
Fair Winds,
Miriam
11° 19.7’ N
60° 33.1’W