Our son James has been working aboard a classic style schooner called Seljm. You can see it if you google the boats name. James is one of five crew, skipper, first mate, engineer (james) chef and deckhand. When the owners aboard 3 to 5 times per year for a fortmight or so they all have to muck in with up to 18 hour days he tells me, uniforms too. Well it beats standing on a lone railway station at 6am, freezing cold, wet and miserable, waiting for a crowded smelly train to carry you into London's ratrace for 9 hours before the drudge home, if the train isn't cancelled!

 

So having said how our life used to be, we are of course sailing in the Caribbean 12 months per year and I can tell you it is pretty damn cool! as in 'cool man'

 

James surprised us with a phone call in February to say he had some holiday and he is coming over to see us on my birthday, a great present! He was currently in New Zealand, Seljm was having a major refit. James had sailed there from the Pacific coast of the US having already travelled extensively up to Alaska and back to the Galapogos Islands. James boss paid his airfare to Caracas, a very nice gesture, and we arranged for a local flight to Puerto De La Cruz. Yvonne and I sailed there to meet him about a 60 mile sail.

 

We spent the night chatting and drinking before crashing out in air conditioned luxury of the marina. During the next couple of days, we visited the sights and town of PLC, showing him one side of Venezuelan life. James has been to the Caribbean but not to South America, this is the Caribbean how it used to be, few foreign tourists, no boat boys selling bananas, generally laid back, but PLC is a big town with high rise buildings and shops!

 

The following day we sailed to Mochima, this is a touristy village but off the beaten track more. We dinghied ashore for an evening meal at a nice restaurant we know, unfortunately it was closed as it was when Rob and Susie visited before Christmas. We managed to find another eatery, it was ok.

 

We left Mochima quite early, James still a little jet lagged in bed. We sailed up the Gulf of Cariaco to our anchorage outside our house. It was a pleasant trip though mainly motoring. James wasn't too bothered being a bit of a busmans holiday. We anchored and lowered our tender into the water and mounted the outboard. James was pleased and interesed to see the house, he wished his girlfriend Cris could have been there to see it, but that will be another time. Meanwhile James rigged the windsurfer and took off up the bay. That evening we went to Cocobongo for hamburgers where we met many of our cruising friends, we had a good night, James was a popular new addition.

 

James holiday then consisted of some inland travel to local towns and villages by car, he was quite surprised and interested by the diverse nature of the countryside, and towns.Of course when James travels on Seljm they don't see to much of this type of lifestyle, luxury is what the owners are accustomed to and luxury they want, they would give Cachicatos a miss I'm sure with the tin huts and thatched roofs. I wouldn't want to live like that but I like to see the countries we visit. When travelling to an all inclusive hotel or by cruise ship to many northern Caribbean Islands, you would never know what country you are in.

 

James visit was of course too short, but he had commitments in New Zealand, not least of which was to say goodbye to his girlfriend Cristina before she packed her bags to Spain where she starts a new job travelling extensively throughout Europe and other parts of the world.

 

We sailed back down the Gulf and entered Laguna Grande for lunch and a swim before sailing off to Laguna Chica for the night.

 

The next day we entered the marina of Cumana, our last evening meal together for some time.

Bright and early we went to the airport for his 30 minute hop to Caracas, then he flew onto Miami, Las Vegas then New Zealand.

 

We had a good time! James did too, even though had had to get his hands dirty repairing the car and boat. Not too much though.

These pictures were sent with Picasa, from Google.
Try it out here: http://picasa.google.com/