Z E N I T U D E
Blue Water Dreaming
Las Aves - Pristine and deserted, our last stop in Venezuela's territory
Aves the Barlovento
Isla Sur 11.56.0N -67.27.0W - 6 to 10 November 2008
We arrived to this amazing place at about 3.00PM. The trip was very calm with little wind right on the back. We sailed well first, then motor sailed and finally just motored. Oscar got a sail fish playing with his lure and he got excited , but luckily, I say, the fish didn’t hook. How on earth was he going to fight a sail fish under sail?
At our arrival we found amazing crystal clear waters and lots of coral reefs all around. We entered very slowly following Doyle’s guide, it was easy to see our way with the sun behind us. There are many shoals so you need good visibility to avoid them. Anchoring is easy. Our good friends Anne and John from Livin’ the Dream came in their dinghy to welcome us, they’ve been here for a couple of days already.
We arrived to this amazing place at about 3.00PM. The trip was very calm with little wind right on the back. We sailed well first, then motor sailed and finally just motored. Oscar got a sail fish playing with his lure and he got excited , but luckily, I say, the fish didn’t hook. How on earth was he going to fight a sail fish under sail?
At our arrival we found amazing crystal clear waters and lots of coral reefs all around. We entered very slowly following Doyle’s guide, it was easy to see our way with the sun behind us. There are many shoals so you need good visibility to avoid them. Anchoring is easy. Our good friends Anne and John from Livin’ the Dream came in their dinghy to welcome us, they’ve been here for a couple of days already.
As soon as we anchored we took the dinghy to shore where beautiful mangroves are the habitat for thousands of birds (that’s why the name ‘Las Aves’, which is Spanish for 'The Birds'). There are so many birds, mostly marine, like the red footed boobies. And they are noisy, especially as they get upset when another bird comes to share the same tree branch, more so at sunset, when they get into position for a good night of sleep. And, once more, we enjoy another unbelievable sunset.
We wake up next day and can’t stop thinking what an incredible place this is. Stunning, the waters so clear, the snorkeling so beautiful and we are here again with our friends, enjoying life.
We have once more plenty of fish in our fridge. Every day we enjoy fresh fish for dinner, coral trout, yellow snapper and many other varieties. Oscar cooks a delicious yellow snapper with Thai seasoning in the oven. Spear fishing is fantastic and snorkeling is superb. We snorkel in several coral gardens, visibility is so good that you can easily see the bottom at 8.00 to 10.00 meters depth. Ringo’s song, Octopus Garden just plays in my mind. It is magic.
There is a place where cruisers that stop here leave their name engraved. Everybody around is looking for a good piece of wood or coral where they can engrave the boat’s name. Beduina and Livin’ the Dream leave the mementum there. We ended up not going, but we lend our camera to Hugo and he brings the pictures back with names of several boats we met during our time in the Caribbean.
Before leaving this island towards the next, we stopped for a snorkeling expedition and were rewarded with the best place so far, we found ourselves snorkeling in a huge coral garden with a big coral wall going down for many meters, maybe 40, with fantastic visibility. Oscar has spotted this place when we arrived and he was right, it deserved to be visited.
Aves de Sotavento
It was 11.00 AM already when we left to make just 15 miles to the next island. After motoring for about 4 hours in a calm day we arrived and anchored in a place with amazing colors in the water all around us. There was not much else to see or do in this island. Tortuguita anchored next to us and Beduina decided to keep going to the next island, hoping for a better place, but Hugo reports it is about the same.
Very early next day we left Las Aves towards Bonaire, back to civilization. It has been 3 weeks around Venezuela’s off shore islands and we have had no way of communication with the world, which means we haven’t had news from the family in a long time. We have run out of fresh fruits and vegetables but we have been eating fresh seafood as it is plenty of it all around us. We are now certainly ready for a change. Dreaming of pizza we sail towards Bonaire.
Very early next day we left Las Aves towards Bonaire, back to civilization. It has been 3 weeks around Venezuela’s off shore islands and we have had no way of communication with the world, which means we haven’t had news from the family in a long time. We have run out of fresh fruits and vegetables but we have been eating fresh seafood as it is plenty of it all around us. We are now certainly ready for a change. Dreaming of pizza we sail towards Bonaire.
Isla Palmeras - 12.02.5 - 67.41.2 - 10 to 11 November 2008
Thousand of birds in the mangroves
Pristine waters
Cruisers corner, Livin the Dream was here ...
Amazingly clear waters, rocks at the bottom in 10 meters depth
Enjoying a perfect afternoon with Dave and Booker
We have light winds on the back and set up the sails wing on wing with main on second reef, this seems to work well doing about 4.5 knots with just 10 knots of wind. At the end we had to turn engines on to get there in good light.
While sailing close to Bonaire, a low flying plane passed so low and close to us that we got distracted while trying to bring on board a beautiful mahi-mahi that Oscar has just caught. With the distraction we lost the fish. As we were about to curse we saw it was the Netherlands Coast Guard. At that point, with a sense of relief, we realized this was the end of Venezuela, a dangerous place where we have no intention of going back despite the beauty of its islands.
While sailing close to Bonaire, a low flying plane passed so low and close to us that we got distracted while trying to bring on board a beautiful mahi-mahi that Oscar has just caught. With the distraction we lost the fish. As we were about to curse we saw it was the Netherlands Coast Guard. At that point, with a sense of relief, we realized this was the end of Venezuela, a dangerous place where we have no intention of going back despite the beauty of its islands.
