Estrellita in Venezuela

12-4-07

Estrellita is celebrating the end of hurricane season with a wonderful sail across the Venezuela out islands to Bonaire. We stopped for an overnight at Los Testigos, a week in Porlamar, day and a half in Tortuga, 2 and half days in Los Roques, an overnight in the Aves and finally Bonaire.



Downwind sailing, an entirely different culture and beautiful, sometimes empty anchorages. All a big difference from our time in the eastern Caribbean and Grenada.



In Margarita beer is 20 cents a bottle and diesel is 20 cents a gallon delivered to your boat! The cheap beer can lead to some long liquid nights at Juan’s Marina and the boatside fuel delivery is unique. The guy pulled up to our boat at 6am, cleaned his hose so as not to drip on our boat and went to work. 63 gallons of fuel later he asked for 65,000 Bolivar’s (about 15 bucks) and he was gone.



We left Margarita and sailed the 100 miles to Cayo Herradura and spent a couple days in the most beautiful place I have ever been in my life. The water there is literally florescent and the fishermen are friendly. It was a joy to help them out with some fresh water, couple packs of cigarettes we brought just for them (we don’t smoke) and even a couple stainless bolts for an engine repair they were working on. In return they made sure we had fresh lobster for Thanksgiving Dinner!



Then another 100 mile overnighter to Bequeve Island in Los Roques for a couple days with new friends Janet and Steve on Bliss, a Hans Christian 41 and George and Pixie on their Island Packet 38, Silver Sea.



One more night in the Aves island group and we were finally off to Bonaire.