Cruising in Venezuela and Piracy

[BrendanChandler]

<span style="color:blue"> We are currently in the Leeward Islands and thinking of cruising in Venezuela for the hurricane season before returning to the Caribbean for another season.

Any advice on where is worth going and on safety would be welcome.

Any thoughts on the area west of Trinidad?

Thanks

Brendan
</span>

 

[TigaWave]

Had a fantastic cruise there a few years ago, usual route..
Margharita to stock up...(bus service from anchorage to super market) Cubagua, Isla Caracas del este area (several nice anchorages) Puerto la cruz for a while for some inland exploring in 4x4 into the hills and coffee plantations, and some good marine engineering work.

Off to Los Roques (fantastic place) but we were stopped on the way not by pirates but by the Venezuelan Navy and taken into La Orchila (A Military Ialsnd best given a wide berth)

Worst Piracy of the whole trip was The US authorities in St Croix.

 

[MYStargazer]

Keep an eye on this:

http://www.icc-ccs.org/prc/piracyreport.php

 

[Sea Devil]

All Tigawave says is correct - spot on.
Venezuela is a great place - in fact better than a lot of places in the Islands and safe. Puerto la Cruz is a sort of mini Trinidad with a much more sophisticated shopping area and very inexpensive and delicious little local beach cafe/restaurants just outside the port. The trip to Angel Falls needs to be taken when there is water around or you end up pushing somebody else's canoe for days on end - none the less a fun experience... sleeping in hammocks - do it by coach also more fun than flying!
fair winds
Michael