Puerto La Cruz., December 26, 2004.
Brian and I had a wonderful summer at home with family and friends. Our lovely daughter and son in law are having our second grandchild in March 2005, so we’ll be home early this year. A happy visit west in October afforded us time to visit all the family including Wilde and her parents. My Dad celebrated 95 years young with a grand party in Oliver. Again in mid November 2004, we were able to fly south to Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela. Here we have spent the last month commissioning Tundra for sailing. She has had a face-lift, a lovely gelcoat job applied in the Bahia Redonda Marina yard. It was a lengthy process and all has needed super cleaning and refitting. While we were at it we refurbished the interior varnish, finishing just a couple of days before Christmas.
Friends from Sarnia, Joan and Bob Farrar visited in Nov-Dec. With
them, Scrammin’ and several other yachties we overnighted in
Ciudad Bolivar where we spent a day on the Orinoco river, pirana
fishing, enjoying lunch, and sighting pink, yes pink, dolphins. Next
day we flew in a Cessna 607 into Canaima on the Orinoco River Delta
for a dugout canoe adventure to Angel Falls. Being the highest 
in
the world at 980 meters, the falls are truly an awesome sight. En
route to the isolated village of Canaima we flew over several gold
and diamond mines with their accompanying small settlements. Our 23
year old guide, Mumbo, of the Kamaracoto indigenous population did a
fine job of keeping us all on the right root strewn track. He cooked
us a delicious chicken dinner and entertained us with personal
anecdotes of his family and friends before tucking us into our
hammocks on Isla Raton for our night in the jungle. Our dugout canoe
was approximately 40 feet long and was handled masterfully by our
driver, oarsmen on the bow, and Mumbo serving lunch. Two short
portages and many thrilling rapid shoots rounded out our adventure.
The afternoon and evening in Canaima afforded us time to have a tour
and “power shower” in the beautiful Sapo Falls.
A ferry trip to Margarita posed real luxury. The Farrars and
ourselves joined Carlos for one of his Top Banana Tours of the
island, including lunch in Juan Griego, some pearl shopping and many
beautiful vistas of east coast pineros.
Another literally cool day was spent in the mountains of Los Altos
with Jose Andreas, visiting the artisanias and having a wonderful
lunch complete with
monkey entertainment. Last weekend we spent with Guisepphine and
Luis, aged 32 and 34, who drove us around the Golfo de Cariaco. A
pasada in Araya, sporting another one of the most beautiful beaches
in the world was special treat. Their fishing friends in Merito
welcomed us most warmly to their humble abode. The holidays have
flown by with lots of entertainment, including a children’s
party for the Barrio children next door. El Ancla restaurant within
the marina served us a delightful Venezuelan meal on Christmas eve
and a traditional American turkey dinner on Christmas day. We feel
very fortunate to have such great friends here. It will be difficult
to cast our dock lines ashore and move on. Hasta leuga for now
Amigos.
While waiting for our Venezuelan cruising permit we varnished inside and out, installed the dodger and sails. Daniel cleaned and polished our mast beautifully. Several functions at Bahia Redonda were very interesting. An SSCA gam on New Year’s Day focused on the tsunami and how it affected our fellow sailors and all in Thailand and Phuket. A few very tense days were spent learning results of the disaster.
Power Squadron members of Canada and US met with hopes of founding and nurturing a Venezuelan Power Squadron. Safe boating, security, and communications would be some of our interests. A manual has already been translated into Spanish in Puerto Rico.
On January 19th we were finally able to cast off dock lines with
our cruising permit and zarpe. The weather dictated our destination.
Being quiet and great traveling weather we headed east in company
with Nut N Honey, a Sea Ray power boat from Sarnia, Ontario. We
anchored overnight in El Oculto bay en route to Margarita. Brian and
I stayed only one night in Margarita before heading out for the
eastern Caribbean. It’s a lonely stretch of ocean being pretty
much an uphill trip against wind and current and we won’t
likely do it again. Only 2 distant freighters and one catamaran
loomed out at us. Thirty-three hours later we made our landfall in
Grenada. From the anchorage it appears that Grenada is business as
usual with cars and trucks bustling through the Carenage, but
Hurricane Ivan is still evidenced by many blue roof tarps. Surprising
it was to see 3 cruise ships in the harbour. The island has lost 80
percent of their nutmeg industry, but it’s good to see that
tourism is alive and providing support here. Clear blue water and
skies are a welcome site again. Clearing into the Grenadines at Union
Island we started to meet friends from years gone by and have enjoyed
renewing acquaintances ashore, too. Snapper from the boat boys has
been delicious. We lime it and prepare it in green herb sauce.
Grapefruit are sweet and juicy. Sailboat Viva with Pam and Steve
arrived from Venezuela. 
We
enjoyed gamming in Petit St Vincent. Moving on through the Tobago
Cays we met Sassie and Quadrille. Great reunions. The Cays are hugely
busy, but just as wonderful as ever. Snorkeling, bocce and dominoes
were great fun with all.
February
3rd we hauled anchor for Bequia where our good friends, Jerry and
Joan Kennedy are vacationing from London, On. This will be our
northernmost destination. Bequia is as quaint as usual with our great
Rasta market and wonderful provisions ashore.
Taking advantage of dry weather we caulked our chain plates and several stern cleats.
Of course a hike to the Old Hegg Turtle farm to visit brother King
is always a treat. He has been working on his sanctuary for 10 years
and has successfully returned over 800 hawksbill turtles to the sea.
Eight of us made a day of visiting the pottery factory, exploring the
lovely Spring hotel, a converted and restor
ed
1700 sugar plantation, and dining at Industry on the north end of the
island.
Each year the Bequia community is allowed to take 2 or 3 whales. Last week with a group on board we sailed over to Petit Nevis for a tour of the whaling island. Huge rendering cauldrons are the only evidence of the whaling activity which occurs on this peaceful little island once a year. Anchoring was tricky and a few snorkeled the clear deep waters. Viewing of moon hole houses in the rocks was fascinating en route.
Yesterday
we celebrated Valentines Day at De Reef, a fabulous beach bar in
front of Joan and Jerry’s apartment. Lobster was delicious and
we wish you were all here. 
This
a m Nut N Honey hauled anchor for Cuba. Viva and Quadrille are still
here and another Canadian boat just moved in behind us. A lovely rain
shower this a.m. netted us a few more gallons of welcome fresh sweet
water. We were getting pretty salty with no rain after our crossing.
We hear excited local voices on the VHF today. Someone has spotted whales!
With
Venezuela beckoning and having fulfilled the 45 day “out
of country” requirement for Venezuela, we weighed anchor from
Admiralty Bay, Bequia, heading for our checkout point at Union
Island. Leaving the eastern Caribbean behind, we made a run downwind
from Grenada to the island chain of Los Testigos. After a overnight
rest we sailed in brilliant sunshine to margarita. Here we shared a
few stories with Stormbird and Jackobite, met some new folk and
renewed old friendships before sailing off to our destination of
Puerta La Cruz. With the thoughts of our new Grand child in mind we
busily readied Tundra for haul out in the yard at Bahia Redonda
Marina on the 18th of March. She now sits under the balcony of our
new friends, Guissepina and Luis. Their watchful eyes will be greatly
appreciated. Newfound friends, Rhonda and Bruce Holder from Alberta,
kindly hosted us in their apartment for the last few days so we could
comfortably tarp Tundra for the rainy season on the mainland.
Barbecues and seafood sopa mariscoes were delightful sendoffs.
Flying from Barcelona to Caracas to Miami to Montreal to Vancouver
all went smoothly with Courtney and Greg welcoming us at the
Vancouver Airport. It was so grand to be in Vancouver in the
springtime with the city all abloom. We had a premium visit with
Courtney and Greg, Rod, Titania and Wilde, before Madison Jean
arrived on April 10th.
She is a wonder and the kids are super
parents. They seem to know so much more than we did. After a short
visit to the Okanagan to spend time with Dad and Mom and Kathie, we
enjoyed a family get together in Vancouver before flying home to
Sarnia on May 3rd.
Our nephew, Michael and wife, Christy, had Tyler John, the week before Madison, and our niece Kathy has two under 3 1/2 so the Marsh, Coates, Coulthard, Kirby family is expanding delightfully.
We’re watching spring arrive in Sarnia and all is growing leaps and bounds. Courtney and Greg will be home in July. It’s good to see Brian’s Mom well and enjoying her friends-almost 90! We plan a possible road trip to BC in the fall, then back to Venezuela in mid-November. Keep in touch.
B&K
