We returned from another shopping trip to San Antonio, it was a bit of a wet run, Jose's boat not the best with a quartering sea, so we all receive a few salt water showers. Our friends Chris and Tony aboard Waylander are due to arrive, we spoke with them on the telephone and when we saw them through our binoculars motoring towards us we jumped in the dinghy and motored a couple of miles to meet them.

It was good to see them again, though its only a brief visit, they haulout, paint and clean, then sail back to PLC, before we haulout and take a holiday. They arrived though with some sad news about some friends of theirs and aquaintances of ours. Two sailboats Chill and I-Lean were involved, as we understand it, these two boats anchored off Isla Boracha for the night, its about 7 miles outside of Puerto De La Cruz (PLC) the two couples were aboard I-Lean having dinner a 18.30 when a Pirougue (small fishing boat) came towards them with 3 men aboard, when it got close, one asked for water. One man on I-Lean stood up and was immediately shot, twice through the heart. The other man jumped down below and was shot in the leg in the process, he returned though with a gun and shot all 3 pirates,  I've been told two are dead but I dont know the condition of the third, hopefully he is dead too.

 

There have been a few incidents of this type around this part of the coast, most in areas where it is recommended not to go. I just wonder why, if the area is known to be hostile, the police don't do something about it. These pirates may have been responsible for other boardings, hopefully they were, because they are now off the scene, but with such tragic consequencies. The dreams of the skippers wife aboard Chill now shattered and the memories of the event permanently engraved on all concerned. Hopefully the resulting headlines will draw some attention to these incidents, albeit rare occurances, there are still too many. Venezuela, the businneses and local people all suffer as a result of crime whether on the streets or at sea. The safety reputation already being poor. However, one has to put these crimes into some perspective, so as not to panic or get paranoid about travelling through this vast, beautiful and friendly country. The coastline on the northside alone stretches from Trinidad in the east to way past Aruba in the west. This is probably more than the rest of the Eastern Caribbean put together.  So the percentage of incidents is more noticeable and recorded, these problems happen everywhere either on the streets and rarely too at sea. It obviously has an effect when it's so close to home, I remember when we lived in UK a young girl in our son's class at school was murdered while on her way home. Then another time after moving to Spain, we were commenting on the comparitive safety of our new home country when the following day our neighbours has was broken into, the thiefs waited for the arrival of the owners to rob them of their bar takings. It was particularly nasty because the robbers pulled the wife down on the bed by the hair, put a pillow over her head and put a gun to it, threatening the husband to give all his money etc or else. They survived. We continued to live in the same neighbourhood, because thats what you do, and it is safe. People continue to travel to London or Madrid on the underground trains as they always did despite the bombings that occured, you just carry on.

 

So, now we continue to travel through Venezuela, we do try to avoid the hotspots and get local knowledge before travelling anywhere alone. Generally though the people are as friendly as any we have met, equally appalled by the tragic events. In the past we have anchored in one or two Bays that have been considered 'dangerous' (we later found out). We had no problems and as always any passing fishermen waved, so we don't considered ourselves 'lucky' to have survived that anchorage, purely because boardings, even in these places happen so rarely, but, the people on Chill and I-Lean were 'unlucky', they were in the wrong place at the wrong time, like crossing a road and being run down by a drunk, if you did this or that, it wouldn't have happened. We all hope it doesn't happen to us and to anybody else travelling through any country. Chris and Tony are travelling back to New York again, by boat this time, another dangerous place by reputation, certainly more than Venezuela, but life goes on and you have to travel somewhere, you cannot let these bad episodes stop you or you wouldn't leave your armchair.

 

Our heart felt condolences though go out to our 'Cruising' colleagues aboard 'Chill' and 'I-Lean' . We all hope that Steve of I-Lean is treated correctly and no charges are brought as a result of the shootings in self defence. He should get a reward!

 

 

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