11:52N 66:43W

 

Actually, scoundrels is far too nice a word for these corrupt bastards.  We knew that sailing in Venezuelan waters would not be straightforward...and so far...it’s not.  Yesterday morning we anchored in the pristine turquoise waters of El Gran Roque with the intention of getting a permit for the national park.  You are not meant to visit this area – which is a group of beautiful islands and coral reefs – without one.  And you are also not meant to be here without having officially checked in to Venezuela.  But, as it’s unsafe to go to Isla Margarita or the mainland to do so these days (pirates) and you can’t check in here...we were in a bit of a bind.  We’d heard that park authorities were a bit lenient and gave you a permit (at a higher price) and turned a blind eye to the checking in paperwork.  We’d also heard it was possible to have a night or two here and just slip under the radar, but run the risk of being found by coastguard who would demand a bribe.  We decided to do things properly and buy a permit.

 

In Gran Roque we anchored beside another cruising boat and decided to check what their experience had been.  Ironically enough....they were the first boat on the scene at Chinook Wind’s grounding....what a small world.  Anyway – they had strong words for us – “don’t go to the park authorities”.  Like us, they weren’t cleared in and when they went to the park office they were told they had to pay US$900... the standard $100 park fee plus $800 for being here illegally (ie a backhander to the corrupt officials).  When they tried to bargain the fee down, they were given 48 hours to leave.   They’d been here the year before without checking in and had paid a $100 bribe to a coast guard to let them stay but didn’t like doing it so this time they decided to do it properly.  Lot of use that was.

 

So...we decided to just wing it and left Grand Roque at high speed for one of the many remote islands before being seen .  It is absolutely stunning – all very shallow (eyeball navigation) so beautiful turquoise water and those amazing blindingly white sandy beaches.    We will move to another island today and hope by being on the move we will continue to slip under the radar.  If we’re caught we accept we’ll have to pay a bribe or be prepared to leave pretty quickly.

 

So....be prepared for part two of our Dirty, Rotten Scoundrels episode!