Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Trinidad to Venezuela




We arrived back from the Orinoco on Thanksgiving Day and spent the night at the Customs dock to check in the next morning. Said hello to Infinity, and Vindomar stopped by to say hi too.
Did some provisioning, checked email and then headed out to peace and solitude at Scotland Bay and Chackachackare. Hiked around Chacka, which used to be a leper colony. Looked, but didn't touch! Walked up to the lighthouse for some exercise and great views. We then headed back into Chaguaramas and Crew's Inn Marina to do a good provisioning and get some internet things done (Xmas baskets for the kids). Our two days stretched into five while we waited for the birth of our 9th grandchild. Needed to be in phone and email contact for that! Emerson Grace Murray was born to Shaun and Kristine on December 6th at 7:08 p.m. at 19" long and weighing 5 lbs. 13 oz. We can't wait to see pictures!
Back out to anchor, this time at Monos Island. This has to be the best kept secret in Trinidad! We loved it, especially since we still had a phone signal there and could hear the morning 'net' in Chaguaramas.
Listened to weather on Saturday and Chris Parker was saying that Sunday/Monday was a better day to travel than Monday/Tuesday, which is what we had planned. Another change of plans! Took the dinghy back in on Saturday to arrange for our duty free to go to Customs, then back in again on Sunday to pay the overtime, pick up our duty free and head out Sunday night.
Left the anchorage at Monos after making sure everything was stowed. Just left Monos and we heard Infinity calling us on the VHF - they were on their way back from the Orinoco before heading to Grenada. We left out of the cut between Chacka and Huevos since it cut a little off of our journey and it was a wider cut than the Bocas coming into Scotland Bay. It was still pretty rolly. Had an outgoing tide (6-7 knots), but incoming rollers, and I think some of them were about 10 feet. Felt like I was on a roller coaster. Oh, and I don't like roller coasters!
Had a pretty decent sail till about 2 a.m., when the wind went light and variable and then just died. Unfortunately, it was still pretty rolly. Turned the motor on and the diesel smell kept coming into the cockpit. Made for a long night and a sick Dennis! Also, I need to remember NOT to drink coffee on my first watch, to save it for my last watch. Didn't sleep until about 6 a.m.
Pulled into Los Testigos at 10 a.m., straightened up the boat, went for a refreshing swim and took the dinghy over to the Coast Guard to check in. I had all my Spanish phrases written out since we wanted to stay at least 5 days because of weather coming in, instead of the 3 they usually give you. They must have felt sorry for us - we got 15 days!! They came around the anchorage Friday night looking for rum 'donations', which we were only to happy to supply and got two fish out of it as well. Lots of wind and roll while this weather is going through and a lot of reading and dominoes.
On to Margarita on Monday, the 17th when the weather is supposed to settle. ~~_/)~~

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