Curacao to Bonaire

After a wonderful week in Curacao with Brigitte and John, we spent the following week and a half doing boat chores and provisioning the boat. Love those free bus trips to the grocery stores! Curacao is great -- we've been walking, snorkelling and exploring -- but it's time to move on.
We waited for the wind and seas to die down and headed out to Klein Curacao. Well, the seas hadn't calmed as much as we thought they would, so it was a slow, salty motorsail to Klein Curacao. We're now heading back east, so we have that lovely current against us. Took almost seven hours to do 15 miles. It was a rolly anchorage but we enjoyed the walk around the island and the swimming. The lighthouse and wrecks are always something to see.
Up the next morning on our way to Bonaire. The ride wasn't quite so bad, but still slow and salty. You get that wave every once in awhile that washes over the boat and bimini, turning everything and us into giant salt licks!
Pulled into Bonaire around 4 p.m. and moored next to Jeff and Una from Dragonfly. After we got everything sorted out they came by and gave us all the local info. That's always good to know! The snorkelling here is amazing, even off the boat. We've been snorkelling almost every day, and thank goodness for the shorty wetsuits since the water is 'brisk'! Took some great underwater shots. The coral here is healthy and beautiful, which is why you have to take a mooring and there's no anchoring allowed at all in Bonaire. Even with the dinghy!

Frank and Gretchen on Infinity pulled in on Saturday and we celebrated yet another one of Dennis' birthdays with them. This was the big 6-0!!! We've travelled off and on with Infinity since leaving the Bahamas and always have so much fun with them. They keep us young! Rented a car with them and toured the island. Not a big island, but it did take all day. Again, got lots of exploring and snorkelling in, and a nice, relaxing lunch, finally, at 3 p.m.!

Walked to the Bonaire Warehouse grocery store today to finish provisioning and, thankfully, they had a delivery driver able to take us back to the dinghy. Our plan originally had been to do a nice beam reach to Chichiriviche, then check in at Puerto Cabello and a nice beam reach back to the Roques. Well, after speaking to many people, your check-in at Puerto Cabello doesn't count for Puerto La Cruz, where we'll be spending the majority of the summer. I don't want to pay check-in, check-out and agent fees more than I have to, so we'll wait for the wind and seas to die down and beat to windward to head back to Los Roques. At least we're not in a hurry and really can wait for weather!

Then, went to check out today and splurged on lunch out, since it would be our last meal out for awhile. There was a huge cruise ship in and we enjoyed the people watching and making fun of some of the outfits. Looked up, and who did we see walking by but my kids' grandmother and her husband, Vivienne and Frank. Haven't seen them in about three years, since our granddaughter Madison's 1st birthday party. Had a drink and spent an enjoyable hour catching up with them. Sometimes it is a small world! ~~_/)~~

John and Brigitte finally visit

Well, after making our way to Curacao,

cleaning and provisioning the boat, John and Brigitte finally arrived! So good to see them!!! The first photo is on the way to Jan Thiel Beach, with flowers everywhere.
Here we are at Jan Thiel Beach, enjoying the cool, beautiful water. John and Brigitte, then DW, then John and I on the swim platform.

Went up to Santa Cruz for the weekend and had a great time, as you can see.

Then there were those rain showers. Not everyone has to get wet!!

Hooked a marlin underway. We think it was 90 to 110 pounds. Sure makes a difference with more than 2 people on board with sails, getting the fish in, a successful catch and release and, most importantly, photos!

Then we toured Willemstead. What a great town.

So, those were the photos, and now the journal. We were so excited about John and Brigitte visiting. Hadn't seen them since we left them in the Bahamas in January, 2006. We had spent the season of 2004/2005 with them down the ICW and the Bahamas, and they helped us out so much when we were hit by Wilma in 2005 in Indiantown.
They were as much fun on the boat as they were to travel with. Way too much alcohol consumed and laughs and laughs. No one tells a joke like Brigitte. Get her to do a bat imitation! Amazingly, those seven days went by real fast. Think we have them talked into two weeks in Venezuela in November!!
The only frustrating part of the whole week was trying to rent a car. Had everything planned to pick the car up at 9 a.m. Wednesday till Friday morning. Tour the island Wednesday, drop them off at the airport Thursday at noon, do heavy provisioning and then be ready to go. Took all of our stuff into Sarifundy's to pick up the car at 9 a.m. Brigitte and I went back to the boat at 9:30 to call. Oops, sorry, no car available, see you at noon with a jeep. Finally showed up at 12:15 with a totally unacceptable vehicle. Many phone calls and ready to blow a gasket later, we booked at car with Budget at Jan Thiel Beach. Wonderful! Clean, safe, comfortable car. Toured the neighborhood that night, up early the next morning, packed luggage in the trunk and did a '3 hour tour'! Considering the short time we had, we did a pretty good tour of the island, dropped John and Brigitte off at the airport at noon, did our provisioning, dropped the car off and back to the boat and collapsed. Considering there were four people on board for a week, there was amazingly little to clean!
Starting to do laundry and provision and ready to leave for Venezuela on the next weather window. ~~~_/)~~~

Left the Marina

Well, finally left the marina after one month. Really didn't plan on spending that long, but where did the time go? Had the chain regalvanized, and that took two and a half weeks, and then spent the rest of the time waiting for that 15 hp Yamaha that they couldn't come up with a price for! Never did get it, but gave Leo our old Evinrude after we picked up a 5 hp Yamaha for $100. Can't go real fast, but it's reliable and that's what counts. John and Brigitte will be in Curacao in 3 weeks and it's time to start making tracks!
Went out with Dan and Jaime on Nereia to a fantastic Spanish restaurant on Friday night, and then they had us over for dinner on Sunday night before we left and it was wonderful. Had Nereia and Dragonfly over for happy hour on Saturday and had tons of fun. Dan and Jaime came and helped us off the dock the next morning and we headed out to Chimina Grande, five miles away. We went to the smaller of the anchorages and found a great sand anchorage, instead of the larger area where we anchored with Odyssey and it was all rocks. Off for Tortuga at 5:45 a.m!
Had a wonderful sail to Tortuga, sailing pretty well into the anchorage. The waves started off at about six feet and then went down to two to three. One of the best sails we've had since we left Trini. Spent a rolly night at anchorage at Playa Caldera, toured the little fishing village, pulled up anchor at noon and sailed down to Cayo Herradura. Once again, sailed into the anchorage. The only bad thing about the trip is that Dennis had a cold/sinus thing going so wasn't feeling that well and we decided not to fish. So, can't talk about the ones that got away!! Did lots of beach walks and some snorkelling, then the weather cleared so we headed out Saturday afternoon for the overnight sail to Los Roques.
Once again, sailed out of the anchorage and into the next one. Some pretty good size rollers and a lot of following seas and downwind sailing, but we still made pretty good time. Left around 5 p.m. and pulled into Boca de Sebastapol and anchored around 10 a.m. Why are there always unexplained lights and freighters crossing our paths on my watch? Dennis has learned to enjoy my MP3 player and listen to music on watch. Sure passes the time!
Stefan, on Sawadi, left the southwestern anchorage in Tortuga and anchored next to us a couple of hours later. We met him when he pulled up next to us in Bahia Redonda. His friend was flying out in a couple of days back to Germany, so invited them over for a pancake breakfast with some of that great Canadian maple syrup that John and Brigitte sent down to Trinidad.
Walked the beach, looking at the hundreds of conch that were protected and we couldn't touch, and then headed out the next morning for the far western shore of the Roques. Sailed all day and pulled in behind the lighthouse at West Cay. Did a great beach walk the next day, and even though it was a rolly anchorage, decided to stay there so that we could head out to the Aves de Sotavento the next morning. Well, a squall blew through, so we just headed to the Aves de Barlevento, where they said the first anchorage wasn't that great, rolly, with fishing boats. Looked pretty good to us, and turned out to be a wonderful, protected anchorage. Didn't get off the boat and headed the fifteen miles to Aves de Sotavento, arriving just after noon. Put the dinghy in the water, headed to shore and explored. Saw the Coast Guard boat circling, then they saw us on shore, pulled up and said they needed to see our paperwork. No big deal. We headed back to the boat, they inspected our paperwork, gave them some cerveza and had a wondeful visit.
Rolly anchorage and our spare anchor decided to loosen itself and clang by our heads. At 2 a.m. we decided we were awake and it was time to leave, hoping to make it to Klein Curacao instead of Bonaire. (Did I mention that it's now Saturday and John and Brigitte are arriving in Curacao on Wednesday? Need to get there!!) Well, we had no sooner pulled out of the anchorage, I had my cup of coffee, Dennis asked if I was okay, and he went back to bed and slept for three hours. It was quite the sail. Like I said, who wishes anyone following seas???? It got to the point where I really didn't want to look over my right shoulder to see the seas that were as high as the back rail! I had to be toning something hanging on for dear life, right?
The time passed quickly, but it seemed in some respects like a long day, and by the time we pulled into Klein Curacao at 4 p.m., we felt beat up from hanging on all day. Then it was a tough anchorage, almost beaching the boat to put the anchor down, and doing it three times. Since we have a manual windlass (which means Dennis gets to do the majority of the work), we really try to get it right the first time. We were both exhausted by the time we got a hook.
Again, up early the next day to head into Curacao. Rolly, downwind sail again with those big rollers. They can stop any time now!
Finally pulled into Spaanese Waters and, after four times, finally found a good place to set the hook. Talked to Slow Dancing and Odyssey, and they had the same problems, so felt a little better. Just exhausting for Dennis, hauling the anchor up manually, and it was tough at the helm with wind and current!
But, we're here, Sunday night, and company's coming!!!!! ~~_/)~~

Enjoying Bahia Redonda

Well, it's been a busy time in the marina, and also meeting up with friends we haven't seen in a year, two or three! Dan and Jaime on Nereia, of course, who have been so helpful; Una and Jeff on Dragonfly; Jim and Norma on MiLady (haven't seen them in 3 years!); Linda and Gary on Rainbow Rider, and many more!
I've been up at 5:15 a.m. every day to go walking with Dan, and sometimes Linda and Una. We walk about 4 miles, anywhere from an hour and a half to two hours, around the complex. Left my walking shoes back at Mom Coon's, and these sailing shoes aren't doing great things for my feet. After two weeks I finally got walking shoes and the difference is amazing. Of course, the blisters are pretty amazing as well! Everyone else has sailed away and we're still waiting for our chain and hopefully a new dinghy motor. Still, I'm up at 5:15 and walking! Then, back to the boat for those lovely boat chores.
We had a great time with Dan and Jaime on Nereia, catching taxis and doing shopping and lots of eating out. That's why Dan and I had to walk! Dan was giving us Spanish lessons for a few weeks (what a lot of work for him), but DW and I are bad pupils. Too busy with boat projects to study! Between the two of us, we seem to muddle through.
Jaime gave a talk at the bar one night for all the boats that were planning on heading through the Panama Canal and going to Ecuador (his hometown). Sounds wonderful. Told them we'll be flying there and visiting their condo!
The taxi drivers here are wonderful. We've used mostly, "I'm Leo"!, but Andreas as well. Made the observation that the police here carry really large guns with lots of bullets - but haven't seen any handcuffs. Hmmmmmm!!!!!!!!!!!!
Really hoping we get the new dinghy motor since ours is just put-putting along, scaring us with how far we might have to row to get home. It's definitely different down here in Venezuela - we've been waiting for a price for the motor from Caracas for two weeks!? We've seen it, we've touched it, we just can't buy it!!
Otherwise, loving Venezuela and the people!!! ~~_/)~~