Learning to Dive

Bonaire, Diver’s Paradise

Happy 2008.

I can't believe how quickly time flies!
We have been in Bonaire, part of the ABC Islands (Aruba, Bonaire, & Curaçao) in the Dutch Antilles since December 7th. Our children Darryl and Erin flew to Bonaire to join us for Christmas. Darryl had to fly home December 28th to go back to work but Erin is still with us. She finished University in December and plans on cruising with us for a while, then she hopes to do some traveling in South & Central America before looking for a job back home.

What a neat island! Bonaire is 26 miles long and has a population of about 14,000 people. There is a strong Dutch influence but it is also very multicultural with influences from South America and the descendents of the African slaves that worked the salt ponds.
The north part of the island is the Washington Slagbaai National Park. It has several small mountains to hike and lots of interesting things to see. When Darryl was here we rented a little Suzuki jeep to tour the Park.

The tallest peak is Subi Brandaris

at 241 metres tall.

One morning, Erin, Pat & I enjoyed a challenging hike to the top to see the panoramic views.

Erin & Pat

Heading up the trail.

Rest Stop to enjoy the view.

We are still not at the top.

Looking up

Erin at the peak!

We enjoyed breath taking views of the whole island and the surrounding ocean.

The east coast of Bonaire is referred to as the Wildside with a rugged coastline & crashing waves while the west side or lee side of the island is calm & protected.

This is the Suplado Blowhole.

Views of Boka Kokolishi

The rest of the island is very desert like with lots of cactus & other vegetation as well as an abundant number of lizards and iguanas. It is also a birder’s paradise with 170 species of birds, including Flamingos & Parrots.

They refer to Bonaire as “Diver’s Paradise” and it is easy to understand why. The island is surrounded by an incredible coral reef system and crystal clear water. It is protected as a marine park and no anchoring is allowed. There is one area by the town of Kralendijk where moorings are provided. Our mooring ball is in about 25 feet of water and at the stern the depth drops dramatically to over 200 feet. The snorkeling and diving is incredible. There are mooring balls all along the coast for boats to use while diving or snorkeling.

On Christmas Eve Day we had one of the most incredible experiences ever, we went Scuba Diving! Best Christmas gift ever. Of course once you go that first time, you have to go again and so we were back in the water on Boxing Day. We took the PADI Discover Dive course so Darryl could experience the thrill of scuba. After New Years, Erin, Pat and I completed the course and we are now certified Open Water Divers. (which means we can rent equipment, get tanks filled, and go by ourselves rather than having to be accompanied by an Instructor or a Divemaster). I never thought I could do it and almost quit 3 times but I guess the stubborn streak in me prevailed and got me through the course. I am so glad I stuck it out, thanks to lots of patience and encouragement from our instructor and my family. I have experienced 7 dives since becoming certified and am completely hooked. (Now it’s time to re-evaluate the budget to see where new equipment fits in).

Bonaire is really an excellent place to visit, definitely in our top favourite & it will be hard to leave. We plan to head to Curaçao sometime in the next few days, but then plans are made in Jello and subject to change. Keep in touch,
Fair Winds,
Miriam
S/V Rhiannon 3
12°09.4’ W
68°16.8’ N

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