July 20, 1996
Puerto Cabello,
Venezuela
Dear Friends,
We left Bonaire on July 2 to head across the 75 miles of
Caribbean sea that separate the Dutch Antilles and Venezuela. We
left at 7:00pm in order to arrive in the morning. In the
Caribbean it is necessary to be able to read the depth of the
water by it's colour as not all shoals are marked and even if it
is shown as marked on the chart the mark may not be there or the
light may not be working. So we plan to arrive at an unfamiliar destination
in daylight with the sun over our shoulder on final approach. Our
sail across started with a wonderful reach along the south west
coast of Bonaire. This portion of the island is just barely above
sea level so you have about 20 miles of flat calm water but with
the full force of the easterly trade winds. We sailed until 3:00
am when the wind died completely and we motored the last few
hours to the coast.
Our first stop in Venezuela was the small town of
Chichirivichi and the Golfo de Cuare. The town itself is small
and unattractive. The streets are dirt and the dust and litter
are blown about everywhere. There are a few stores and
restaurants but not a place I would visit again. The out islands
are nice, much cleaner than town and the Golfo de Cuare an
interesting place to see. On the southern side of the golfo the
coral cliffs rise over 200 feet from the water. Over the millions
of years since these cliffs were pushed up out of the water rain
has eroded the limestone causing numerous caverns. In places the
caverns have collapsed leaving sink holes 100 to 200 feet deep.
One of these sink holes is accessible from the golfo through a
fissure in the cliff wall, another through a smaller cavern. We
anchored beside the entrance to one of these sites for two days to
explore this interesting geological formation.
Pirate Jenny anchored off indian
site in Golfo de Cuare - Venezuela
We motored south from Chichirivichi to Morrocoy national park
on July 5th, Venezuela's Independence Day. The Park
and out island beaches were crowded with Venezuelans. Hundreds of
power boats from Tucacas and several park marinas zipped this way
and that as 'Pirate Jenny' , the only sailboat, and only non-Venezuelan
sailed slowly through the crowd. We were welcomed with waves and
shouts of 'Hola Canadiense'. Everyone was in a holiday mood.
Morrocoy National Park is a maze of navigable inlets and
lagoons laced through a mangrove forest. Many of the barrier
islands are surrounded by white sand beaches. The area in a
nesting ground for numerous species of birds including the
Scarlet Ibis. In the early morning and evening the sky is filled
with birds swooping and soaring, some plummeting from hundreds of
feet to dive for small silvery fish. Within the mangrove forest
the water is absolutely calm yet the fresh sea breeze filters
through to even the smallest lagoon. A wonderful, quiet place to
relax and enjoy nature. Except perhaps on the week-end!
Week-ends bring thousands to the park. Besides the privately
owned power boats there are hundreds of converted open fishing
boats that ferry people out to the beaches. It seems there is no
spanish translation for the expression "No Wake". The
channel into Tucacas is about 20-30 feet wide (10 to 12 feet
deep) as we motored into toward the town the power boats passed
going in both directions at full throttle waving and smiling as
they passed. There is no point in getting upset, so you proceed
along at 4 knots, smile and wave. The experience was something
like it might be riding a bicycle down the middle of a freeway
going in the wrong direction! With all the relaxing one does
while cruising you need a little excitement now and then.
Postcard - Morrocoy National
Park
Tucacas is a small resort town with a number of large hotels,
lots of restaurants and bars. We spent an afternoon window
shopping and had a very nice fresh seafood lunch on the patio of
a quaint yet surpriseingly inexpensive restaurant. After picking
up a few supplies and ice we headed back to a quieter anchorage
for the night. In all we spent 5 days in Morrocoy and thoroughly
enjoyed the park, even the hustle and bustle of the week-end.
The port of entry for foreign yachts in this part of Venezuela
in Puerto Cabello. You are permitted to stop for a short while on
your way to and from the ports of entry but you must eventually
face officialdom. We had been given varying opinions of Puerto
Cabello from other cruisers. Comments ranged from 'Don't stay a minute
longer than you have to' to 'It's a nice place, just be careful'.
So we were a bit wary as we sailed the 25 miles south from
Morrocoy. The cruising guide tells you to radio the Capitannia de
Puerto on approach. This proved to be a fruitless effort. The VHF
radio is so unbelievably congested it is almost useless. Though I called
the port captain several times I had no response. I motored to
the Port Captain's dock, a large grungy commercial dock with
several tugs and pilot boats tied alongside and rafted to a pilot
boat. The port captain's officer came to the boat to start the
paperwork. Five hours later we headed for the marina with all but
the cruising permit completed.
Approaching Puerto Cabello,
Venezuela
The boat securely moored (mediterranian style) in the marina,
paperwork done and sunset approaching it was time to head to a
restaurant for a well deserved dinner out; Imagine….
Sitting in the restaurant Lanceros with an ice cold cervesa
and frosted glass on the table. Above the ceiling fans stir a
cooling breeze through the warm moist air, spanish music plays
softly in the background. Heavy century old spanish style
shutters and a wrot iron railing frame the late afternoon
activities of the Caribbean port town of Puerto Cabello. Beyond
the street and harbour wall white sand beaches greet each wave
while palm trees sway in the trade winds. Pelicans soar and dive
to pluck the small slivery bait fish from the sea. The ensalada
de casa arrives, a bed of crisp lettuce leaves covered with
generous slices of market fresh vegetables while outside the
sunset is obscured by the dramatic black clouds of a distant
thunderstorm pressed against the towering coastal mountains. As
afternoon slowly gives way to twilight the main course of a large
tender cut of fillet mignon warped in bacon, a tasty mushroom
gravy, creamy mashed potatoes and slices of fresh tomato
accompanied by a basket of warm bread is presented. Gradually the
thunderstorm lifts up and over the mountains, the town lights
sparkle as they encircle the harbour. Couples stroll along the harbour
front while fishermen withdraw their hand lines. After a small
cup of sweet expresso coffee con leche the bill is requested,
5,125 bolivar (about $12. CDN). As we walk along the harbour
front to return to Pirate Jenny moored along side one Dutch, one
French, one British and one Italian boat I recall the poster in
the office of the Capitannia de Puerto; "Venezuela, Secreto
megor guardado en el Caribe"; the best kept secret in the
Caribbean.
Since that evening almost two weeks ago we have thoroughly
enjoyed Puerto Cabello. Lots of shops with excellent prices, a
farmers market with table upon table of fresh fruits and
vegetables and wonderful people who all speak only spanish. It
has been a challenge to communicate at times frustrating but more
often fun. We still have to point a lot and sometimes get
something entirely different than what we thought we asked for but
slowly the words and expressions are becoming more part of our
daily routine. Mornings it's cool enough to shop, a stop at the
bakery for bread, butcher for fresh meat and poultry, the market
for fruit and vegetables. Though there is a supermercado it is
really only good for canned goods and at that is not well stocked.
A shopping trip means a very enjoyable long walk through town
with many stops along the way.
Old Spanish bridge in jungle near Puerto Cabello
In Doyle's cruising guide he says "the one person you
really need to know in Puerto Cabello is Marianella". I think
everyone in Puerto Cabello knows Marianella. A kindergarten
teacher in the mornings, Marianella spends the rest of the day
looking after cruisers. Her infectious smile and bubbly
personality enliven every gathering she attends. A walk down the
dock with her can take hours as she stops to say hi to everyone answering
questions helping to organize laundry, propane, parts day trips
here there and everywhere and of course the complex process of
the cruising permits required by all foreign yachts. Marianella
knows where to get anything you need and always has a joke to
tell, usually three times, once in english, once in spanish and once
in french. A wonderful, helpful woman we have thoroughly enjoyed
meeting
During our stay in Puerto Cabello we have visited Valencia,
the hot springs in the nearby mountains and Fort Solano an old
spanish fort high on the mountain overlooking Puerto Cabello and
the Caribbean. We are now re-provisioning and preparing to head
out to the out Islands of Las Aves and Los Roques for two or
three weeks of what all we have met have called paradise. Crystal
clear waters teeming with fish, white sand beaches, palm fringed
islands and no towns, no shops, no one but other sailors anchored
amongst the numerous Islands and reefs.
That's all the news from 'Pirate Jenny'. I hope all are
enjoying a warm and breezy summer.
Fair winds and best wishes,
Bart
