We are still around

Chaser 2
Yvonne Chapman
Sat 29 Jun 2013 16:54

It's been too long since we posted a blog, sorry but we have been occupied
back in Europe. Our last days in Venezuela were back in November December
2012. We met up again with our friends Peter and Sylvia of S/V Tradewinds,
and spent some days sailing around the islands, anchoring offshore near some
nice restaurants and having good meals ashore. Venezuela does have some
excellent sailing areas, beautiful unspoilt beaches and charming local
restaurants. Of course many of the islands we visit have no inhabitants at
all, one reason why we go there, so a mixture of all things good. There are
some very 'financially challenged' places, i.e. the outer areas of the big
cities, overcrowded slum areas which gives Venezuela the bad reputation, but
we prefer not to go to those areas. We never went to those areas during our
visits to all the other Caribbean Islands. At the moment Venezuela is
politically the bad boy of the Latin American/Caribbean zone so the
propaganda continues. We can only talk from our experience and say the
Venezuelan ports, the offshore islands and inland experiences have been the
best we have found in the Caribbean.

Having said all that, when we return in a couple of weeks we intend to
launch, go to the marina TMO in Puerto la Cruz to do some much needed
maintenance, then checkout of Venezuela and head for the Dutch Antilles.

So what have we been up to during the past 7 months? Apart from contributing
heavily towards the Spanish governments treasury, much of our time has been
spent with our 'baby', school runs, lunches, and generally looking after her
while Mum's at work. In itself quite hard work for us but enjoyable too.

We arrived back in Spain just in time to buy the Turkey and put the oven on.
Christmas day with a little'n is always fun but it's soon over and we are
into 2013.

Evie's 4th birthday is mid February, so a small party was arranged at a
nearby bar/restaurant with some of her school friends, they start school at
3 here! Mind you, when you can get Married at 14 and the age of consent is
12, you have to educate them early!

Time for us to have a break and get back on the water, so in March we flew
to Las Palmas, Gran Canaria to visit Jon and Kate, Yvonne's' brother and
Sis-in-law. They have two boats now in the marina, S/V Aries where they
liveaboard, and the newly acquired S/V Aventura, (Jimmy Cornels 1st ocean
going yacht). S/V Aventura is in the process of being restored but partly
finished, enough for us to live on while we were there. It's a lovely, roomy
boat and we enjoyed it very much, even the weather was reasonably kind
enabling us to have a BBQ on the aft deck before we left.

On our return Yvonne and Susie (our daughter) visited 'Mundomar' (sea world)
with Evie who was chosen to ride with the Dolphins.

A few weeks later, we drove south a few hundred kilometres to Mojacar, an
all inclusive hotel, indoor swimming pool, Jacuzzi and much more. We took
Evie with us and she and us had our first swim of the year, weather has not
been good in Spain. A great time was had by all at a very economical price,
something like 240 euros total for 4 days 3 nights, breakfasts, evening
meals with a large en suite room with two queen sized beds.

Back now in Moraira for a few weeks before we fly to UK for a very short
visit, partly to buy some boaty bits that are not available in Spain and to
see our sailing friends Peter and Sylvia from S/V Tradewinds, (where we
stayed, lovely cottage in the Forest of Dean) and to meet up with our long
time sailing buddies, Chris and Tony of S/V Waylander who live nearby in
Wales. It's always nice visiting Peter and Sylvia, they always manage to
entertain us one way or another!

Back in Spain, the local fiesta whereby the local people celebrate the
downfall of the Moors in the Moors and Christians fiesta. Yvonne and Susie
didn't take part this year but Evie was invited in and walked the whole
length of the village posing to the onlookers.

The weather now has warmed a little, still not as it should be for this time
of year but just warm enough for me to swim in the pool. Temperature doesn't
seem to worry Evie, I think she must be part lizard, she's been in since
May, sometimes forcing Nanny to accompany her, but not me! She can now
retrieve my keys from the deep end (2 metres) with no problem), she's
practicing too with her mask, snorkel and flippers in preparation for her
visit to us in Curacao in October.

So, in a couple of days it's Yvonne's' birthday, one reason why we are still
here, so we can celebrate with some of our family, before returning to
Chaser 2, in a couple of weeks.

All for now.



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