We've returned again to our favourite Venezuelan island of Cayo Herradura, this time with our daughter Susie, Billy and Evie.

They arrived in Puerto La Cruz on 17th November where we stayed for a few days before leaving for Tortuga. The plan was to meet Tradewind 'Peter and Sylvia, Decanter (Paul) and Songerie 'Jaco and Christelle' in or around Tortuga.

Tradewind left the day before from the golf of Cariaco and arrived in Cayo Herradura during the morning being the first and only boat in the anchorage, how good is that, Chaser and Songerie arrived later in the afternoon. Chaser departed from PLC  and Songerie spent the previous night in El Faro, 5 miles offshore of PLC in order to clean the prop etc.

The weather had been strange for a while now, no wind at all, seems to have been caused by a depression further north and a trough that ran through the island chain to Venezuela, which in turn sucked all the wind away. So no sailing to speak of, mainly motor sailing and on the way back, just motoring.

So we arrived, dropped the hook and lowered the dinghy from our new Jacomade davits, took a ride over to Tradewind and Songerie for a quick chat and to give Evie a dinghy ride. The water here was the best we have seen it, so clear and blue. Unfortunately Paul got tied up in Medregal and couldn't make the trip, which was a shame because I know he was looking forward to it.

The next few days we spent on the beach looking for 'Treasures' Evies term for sea shells, and for collecting driftwood for our forthcoming BBQs. When Evie was here last year the surf was a little rough for her little bod and she would get washed away, but this time the water was so still, like a pool but with fish. You can't keep Evie out of the water, she has no fear so onboard we have to barricade a little because I'm sure she would take herself for a swim. She can swim without armbands, but breathing is a little  difficult. Underwater she is fine but once her head is out she kinda swims vertically, keeping her mouth out. The problem is she doesn't stop talking and then swallows a bit of agua.

Susie and Billy had caught some fish on the way to the island, so we prepared it for our beach rendezvous with the other boats. Jaco and Christelle work so hard preparing the site, rigging a shelter from the sun, setting up their smoking bin, tables, chairs etc. We gathered some wood for the fire and that evening we enjoyed a great meal of fish, pastas and salads. Jaco also caught a metre long Barracuda of 6kgs much the same as Susie's, so we had fish for all of us and some left over for the next day to smoke. The fire on the beach was beautiful, no need for television, you can stare into the flames, really was beautiful.

The following day Peter and Sylvia dug into their freezer and supplied chicken pieces for all to Barbeque that evening on the fire. We really had a luxurious picture perfect time. There are few places in the Caribbean where you will find a small desert island, powder soft, white empty sandy beaches, an empty anchorage, clear blue seas and gorgeous sunsets. It's the kind of Caribbean island all of us cruisers dreamed of visiting when we first arrived in the Caribbean. Unfortunately now, due to over development in the Windward and Leeward islands these kind of places no longer exist, anywhere! You have to squeeze in an anchorage, pay mooring fees, park fees, you are pestered by boat boys selling everyting from bananas to laundry services. Here in the Venezuelan Islands you can be alone. Great! But don't tell anyone.

We had a visit from one of the local fisherman, he needed some drinking water, they have nothing there if it doesn't rain. We had 25 litres spare and the following day he brought us some red snapper, one each, beautiful. Then the following day he brought 8 more to swap for a bottle of coke! He also caught the most beautiful queen Trigger Fish, which he said was great on the grill.

Jaco and Christelle sailed to Palonquitos a small reef between us and the mainland of Tortuga. We decided (wrongly) to stay put, mainly because the beach was so nice. Songerie were having excellent snorkelling, but the biggest advantage was the lack of mosquitos. For some reason mosquitoes suddenly appeared even on the boat, we've never had mozis on the boat, and never in Tortuga. OK, there was no problem during the day but in the evening it was bad so we decided to leave and head for Mochima on the South American coast. Peter and Sylvia decided to leave later and do an overnight sail to arrive the following day. Songerie and ourselves were on more of a schedule.

Having anchored in Mochima we dinghied ashore to buy a few necessities, we had arranged to meet Jaco and Christelle in Restaurant Puerto Viejo around 6.30. As we left Chaser it started to spit with rain, and as we docked it started pouring, hard! No shopping this evening so we went into the restaurant for a beer, or 2, or 3. Come 6.30 we decided to order food, we couldn't return, the rain was so hard. The dinghy was full and we were sure Jaco would not venture out in this weather, wrong! We saw a small light in the distance getting closer, it was them Christelle in a long dress tucked in her knickers with full wet weather gear covering her and Jaco. Muddy and Corriene also accompanied them in their life jackets (their two Jack Russels). So we managed to get a meal together, we had a good evening and by the end of it, the rain had stopped, we just needed to bail the dinghies for a wet bum ride home.

The following day we went our separate ways, Songerie stayed on another day to meet up with Peter and Sylvia and we left for Medregal Village.

We had a night ashore in our house with another good fish meal and the following day dinghied down to Medregal Village for a swim and a beer, and then later a meal in the restaurant. Jean Marc had arranged Steak Tartare on the menu that night, he knows my opinion on that, (good as long as it's cooked) ah! You Engishhh! He says. The news of our arrival reached some other friends there, they came to visit and asked if we were eating and we said yes. They asked Jean Marc what he had, as long as its cooked they said, Ah! You Swedishhh! was his reply. We did have a good 'cooked' meal though.

Our visit here was brief, we left for PLC the following Morning, dolphin watching all the way with a stopover in Mochima to meet up with Tradewind and an evening meal, with rain, the weather has been strange. Then the following morning we left for PLC, to shop, by prezzies and prepare for the flight back to Spain. They have just arrived back now 2100hrs Spanish time on the 8th December 2011.

And when Evie is old enough to read this, Grandan does like steak and not edgeabals.

NB. Fillet Steak is so good here so we carried plenty, Evie loved it and said it was hers, wouldn't let me have any.

A collection of photos of their holiday are below.  And google chaser2 videos, evie swimming.

Until next time

These pictures were sent with Picasa, from Google.

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