Just wanted to let you know Norma and I are still crusing and having fun. When we returned from the States in September we cleaned and provisioned Happy Ours for a trip to Medrigal Village (3) where a wine and cheese party was to take place. The vinters of Venezuela were to present some of their better wines and John Mark, the proprietor is always on hand to make sure everyone is fed and happy.
Pipe Dream and Mystic Adventure left with us and our first night was spent anchored outside the beautiful village of Mochima.(2). Dinner in town consisted of some of the best seafood cooking we had recently experienced. The sun rises here making the mountains come alive with brilliant reds, oranges, greens and browns and makes it difficult to leave.
Our trip from here up the Gulf of Cariacou was highlighted by the playful dolphins who joined us as we motored along in flat calm seas. These critters seem to delight in playing in our bow wakes and jumped up out of the water splashing and blowing. We stood on the bow pulpit in awe as they swam and played effortlessly at our 6.5 kn boat speed.
The night before the party at Medrigal Village found us anchored safely in 12 foot of water. We watched a strange sunset as a fierce wind reversal and storm moved in. The boats jumped up and down straining on their ground tackle as the unobstructed waves were whipped into a frenzy by the howling winds. Several yachts drug and a few snapped their snubber lines. One boat’s bow sprit broke off . Happy Ours swung wildly as her bow disappeared up and down in the waves. Her decks were awash as if we were on a rough ocean passage. In about two hours, things started to calm a bit and around midnight we went to bed and slept like nothing had happened.
Pipe Dream had guest and needed to leave for PLC but we stayed here several days following the party, visiting the caves where lives the strange quacuero birds ( a fruit eating bat like creature but more resembling an owl) and shopping in the town of Cariacou. We left Medrigal for a dinghy trip up the river at the mouth of the Gulf (4) to see the scarlet ibis. Then to Grande (5) and (6).
Leaving the gulf, we enjoyed a exhilarating sail up to the island of (7). Here the motor on Happy Ours coughed and died just before we were shallow enough to anchor. We had already stowed the sails and pursing my lips ( with a little prayer in my heart ) I carefully tried a restart. Coughing and sputtering Happy ours found 15 foot of water just behind Mystic Adventure and the anchor was set. Apparently the jousting about had stirred up sediment in the fuel tank. A new fuel filter has temporarily solved the problem.
Next day, all the hustle and bustle of Polimar (8) in Margarita hipmotised us into a shopping and eating frenzy. We met many of our old friends here and there are always plenty of sea stories to go around while downing some brewskies at Jack’s restaurant on the beach. Here I found two new starting batteries and 5 gal of bottom paint. Mystic Adventure got a new outboard for its dink. The wine cellars were replenished as this is a duty free port.
Saying good by to our friends, we sailed the short distance to Cabaga(9) where we anxiously studied the weather fax. A 1000 millibar low was developing south of Puerto Rico and chances for foul weather extended as far as Blancia, our next destination. We enjoyed a great seafood dinner ashore and after exploring the town which is reminisant of the old west, we returned to our boats for a quiet sundowner. We decided to head south to the safer anchorage in Occulto (10 ) the next morning and then back to Puerto La Cruz the following day. This turned out to be a good plan as wind and rain has swept the whole aera for the past week.
Occulto is one of our favorite anchorages. The sun came out in the afternoon long enough for us to snorkel and once again, view the beautiful Christmas tree coral and the small colorful reef fish that inhabit the shore line. This coral is shaped like the evergreen bushes but is light brown in color. It is adorned with mauve and blue flowers that resemble decorations and also has a fluffy white thing that looks like dandelions, which have gone to seed.
We are back in PLC now working on our next adventure.
