- Colombia to Trinidad -

This is the voyage that no one is supposed to make:
With 1,000 miles - as the crow flies - against strong winds and currents,
you actually sail about 2,000 hard and wet miles to windward on this trip.
We had a wonderful sail in our powerful windward-going boat!

Cabo de la Vela
This desolate, moon-like desert region is inhabited by a few very poor Indians
who work hard trying to fish these fished-out waters.
The wind blew about 40 knots here every day.
It's the last headland in Colombia when going east.

There weren't many pictures along the way on this wet and windy trip.
After stops in the Venezuelan Islands of Monjes (two big rocks, in fact)
and a quick one for a rest (and a pizza!) in Aruba,
we finally arrived in:

Bonaire

Moorings are mandatory at $5 per day on this Dutch Island.
Naga at ease with a real Dutch windmill, the trusty kayak ready for a jaunt,
and the laundry hung out. Now, we're ready for Chrissi to go back to work!

Melissa Chrissi did lots of canvas work for her old friend Melissa who was in Bonaire on her catamaran Vinga.
	Christmas in Bonaire: We fashioned this modest tree for the event, and then we were gone again, fighting our way against wind and sea to the East.
Los Roques is a large group of pristine Venezuelan islands that is also an Ecological Preserve. We spent a few days.	These photos are of Cayo el Agua in Los Roques
	Isla Tortuga Fishing Camps abound in Venezuela's offshore islands. Many are complete, right down to a cemetery.
Isla La Blanquilla Every fishing camp also has at least one chapel.
	Venezuela is a cauldron of intense class struggle these days, with semi-socialist president Hugo Chavez locked in a deadly duel with the traditional rich oligarchy (and their CIA friends). The fishermen had scrawled some graffiti on our favorite wall in La Blanquilla, and it left no doubt about where they stand: "Don't criticize the revolution! Viva Chavez!"
A fisherman's typically modest home in Los Testigos - last stop in Venezuela before we head off for our last 100 miles or so before returning, finally, to . . . Trinidad! Learn a lot more about Venzuela with these specially selected books:     Click Here for our Trini visit in '03