Log 44K - Spinnaker run, Dolphins, and the fantastic Laguna Grande

 Written at: Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela, Oct. 4, 2007

Hi Folks,

Here is a log of one of the most beautiful anchorages we have ever been in, Laguna Grande. Our pilot described it in part by saying, "This colossal bay is breathtakingly beautiful with an endless variety of contrasting hills in whites and glowing reds. It must rate high among the Caribbean's hidden treasures, and only a few people stop by."

We are fine. The bimini is constructed and we have put several coats of epoxy and just have a couple more coats of white paint before we try to mount it above the cockpit. That will be the telling stage as to whether we are successful or not. My stomach upset morphed into a urinary tract infection which we are treating with a regime of antibiotics. If not cleared up in a few days, I will consider a local doctor; I have been reassured they are quite competent. Several Americans have been getting surgery done down here as the hospitals are good and far more economical than in the U.S.

All the best,

Aubrey

 

Log 44k Spinnaker run, Dolphins, and the fantastic Laguna Grande

We tried to go up to the abandoned shrimp farm again next day, September 16, but once again were not early enough to get there before the fishermen had spread their nets across the river opening. By the time we got back to Veleda several of the other boats had left. There was still a morning easterly wind, and we were headed west back to Medregal Village. Let's try the spinnaker! We hadn't flown it for over a year, as it was so much trouble each time, and we had to re-learn the system each time, then the wind would go contrary on us causing us to have a heavy time of it and to haul it down in heavy conditions. Today seemed more stable.

So, with Judy's only complaint after we had the sock hoisted that it cluttered her foredeck for hauling anchor, we weighed, then motored a few minutes to get on our track for Medregal, 9 miles on a magnetic course of 275. The wind was still nicely off our starboard quarter, ideal for a spinnaker run. Let her fly!

We fly our large pale blue spinnaker as a cruising chute, or drifter, doing its sinuous dance forward of the forestay. It broke into its fullness without problems and pulled Veleda along at 5.5 knots in a light 10 to 15 knot breeze. The Raymarine self steering handled it easily and Judy and I enjoyed a quiet drift up the Golfo de Cariaco for over an hour of glorious tranquility before dousing the spinnaker just before noon hour as the winds dropped to zero, and we motored the last two miles to anchor back at Medregal Village.

We had an enjoyable supper ashore with the crews of several other boats at anchor as the last night we would be together as a group. Next day we went into Cariaco with Rene and Cheryl, with Jean Marc's wife Joleida and a large tire from his aquatic travel lift. We like the market at Cariaco, and got supplies for several days as we planned to spend a few days in Laguna Grande before heading over to Cumana. We left for an afternoon motorsail the 16 miles west to Laguna Grande. Once again I had to haul in my two fishing lines as we were visited by several pods of dolphins playing around the midship and bow waves of Veleda. There were over 30 who visited and frolicked around Veleda for half an hour, until we altered course into the large opening to Laguna Grande. Judy enjoyed them so much, she sat down on the bow with her feet dangling over the water hoping a dolphin would touch or just splash her.

LAGUNA GRANDE

This is indeed a grand lagoon! Laguna Grande is an undersea valley that stretches into the rolling mountains on the north shore of Golfo de Cariaco, with several scenic bays extending a couple of miles inland. As we were recommended to anchor well inside so as not to be visible from passing vessels as a security measure, we went up a few bays, near the boats that left Medregal Village earlier in the day, to anchor in a small bay (10 35.19N, 064 02.10W) inshore of Raft, a Canadian boat we have met a few times over the past year.

The scenery is breathtaking! Once inside the quarter mile wide opening, the lagoon extends a couple of panoramic miles to the northeast, with deep bays indenting the north coast. Every bay has a different vista of ochre red, slate grey, dusty olive green, and crystal white arid mountains, verdant mangrove lined shores, and a few islands with cactus growing helterskelter like a Rastafarian's locks on a bad hair day (no ethnic slur intended). These rolling mountains gave a dramatic sense of depth, each hillock a different painted hue. It is a dry desert landscape, the ferrous red hills indented with runnels of erosion streaming down to the verdant green mangroves along the shoreline, with dusty grey and green clad hills in the background, merging into the higher mountains inland, topped by an azure blue sky with the occasional wispy snow white cloud passing by. As we dinghied through many of the bays, the shallows would reflect the hues of the background hills encompassing these idyllic indentations, many centred upon a white shelving beach reaching up into a dry stream bed which meandered up into the adjacent hills. Without a doubt, this is the most beautiful, dramatic, colourful, panoramic anchorage we have been privileged to visit in our 9 years of cruising!

We snorkeled around the cactus clad island forward of our anchored position to enjoy the fresh coral decorated by Christmas tree worms puffed out on the tops of the coral heads, dusty blue and red rosettes that would immediately wink down into their mini-shells when approached with our gloved hands. This island just off our anchorage was also a rookery for pelicans, corbeau vultures, and frigate birds, some of whom were presenting their mating display of bulbous red gullets. When downwind of the island, we could smell the guano produced by the inhabitants.

We went to an island towards the mouth of the lagoon with Bev and Ross of Raft and Miriam and Pat of Rhiannon, another Canadian boat, to snorkel searching for shellfish. It was interesting and we caught enough for a delicious clam/mussel/scallop chowder. Mmmm! Pat had an unfortunate accident earlier in the day, as when dinghying at speed down the lagoon, his motor (probably it hit a coral head) jumped off his transom and was lost! He tried searching for it, diving and snorkeling with no success. Raft lent him their outboard for the few days until they were in Cumana and Pat could replace his engine, thankfully covered by insurance.

Raft and Rhiannon left next day, and a few hours later Gypsy Blues anchored in the same bay 50 yards outside us. In the afternoon we took Cheryl and Rene over to another location on the north side to go snorkeling for shellfish. Again we caught enough for a good chowder, supplemented by a few from Rene who found a large field of them. We enjoyed "sundowners" on Gypsy Blues before turning in for the night.

Rene was most helpful in trying to get us US funds from his bank, unsuccessfully, but he was able to exchange a few hundred dollars Canadian for Bolivars that we used next day when we went back to Medregal Village to pay Jean Marc. The anchorage off Medregal Village was now occupied by only a few long term boats and us, and the bar/swimming pool seemed eerily deserted after the enjoyable groups that we shared the resort with earlier. The bill for over two weeks of bar bills, two loads of laundry, two trips into Cariaco, and six delicious meals with wine came to the equivalent of only $150.00.

We left at 0710 next morning, noting that our mast head was occupied by a half dozen small black martins. We weighed anchor heading out the Golfo to travel the 24 miles to Cumana, at the mouth. After a couple of hours motorsailing with the spinnaker we were entertained by a few dolphins again. We dropped the spinnaker to motor into Cumanagoto Marina in Cumana (10 28.67N, 064 11.20W) by noon hour.

Next log