This maybe our last Barbeque with Jaco and Christelle for a few months, so worth a special mention in my blog.

We have become good friends over the past year and have enjoyed their company on many occasions.

Christelle excelled with laying out the tables with cloths, sea shells, candles and even porcupine quill decorations aswell as preparing a lovely Red cabbage Sour Kraut type of thing that was really good. Jaco spent half the day preparing his smoker and cooking seven large pork knuckles that he bought at a local market for us all to enjoy. Peter and Syvia brought along a potatoe salad, some red wine, rum and coke (the drink) Johan and Cat brought along some wine and a German speciality of dumplings and a lovely fresh salad, Paul walked from his house and boat to our Marina with a good bottle of white wine and Yvonne provided us all with an exotic Coffee and Walnut cake for desert.

The pork knuckles were removed from the smoker and placed on the barbeque to crisp, they smelled divine.

A pleasant evening we wouldn’t have had if it wasn’t for Jaco and Christelle I’m sure.

Their plans are to leave here (Puerto La Cruz) during the next couple of days, then sail to Isla Margarita, stock up with a few necessities in the duty free shops, then, weather permitting sail to Isla Blanquilla 60 miles north to await a 5 day weather window to sail across the Caribbean Sea to maybe Dominican Republic or Haiti, wherever the wind makes it most comfortable and onto Cuba.

This isn’t the best time of year to cross the Caribbean as we ourselves found out a couple of years ago. So we wish them fair winds, a comfortable crossing, plenty of fish on route and an enjoyable stay in all the Islands. Bring us back a Crayfish!

Jaco and Christelle sailing ‘Songerie’ an Endurance 37 plan to return to Venezuela before the hurricane season in June, so hopefully we will meet up again with them when Yvonne and I return at the end of June from Spain. Maybe we can sail together  to the Islands of Tortuga, Los Roques and Las Aves before they return to (whats the name of that country of theirs)? Yes, Namibia in possibly Sept or October.

Plans as we have found out often change when you are sailing, something breaks or the weather turns or maybe you meet another cruiser and go in a totally different direction. Hopefully not.

In the photo Jaco and Christelle S/V Songerie, Yvonne S/V Chaser 2, Cat and Johan S/V Ritmo de Vita, Paul S/V Decanter, Peter and Sylvia S/V Tradewind, whom incidently turned to Starboard when they departed in their dinghy last night instead of to port. Maybe a little too much rum Peter, but thanks to Sylvias navigation you made it back to your base!

Have a good one guys!

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