12:00N 67:25W

 

No...that’s not a movie title.  It seems a bit fickle to have one today considering we’re anchored not far from the wreck of NZ boat Chinook Wind. 

 

We on Ave de Barlovento, a Venezuelan Island 30 miles west of Los Roques and about 60 miles east of Bonaire.  Chinook Wind ran aground here two weeks ago and our close knit sailing community was  shocked when we heard of her fate on our morning SSB schedule.  Chinook Wind was part of the group that crossed the Atlantic early this year and checked in regularly to our morning “Magellan Net”.  We finally met Dick and Anne in Grenada and had some fun social times together.  They left Prickly Bay slightly ahead of us bound for Cartegena and it still feels surreal that she didn’t make it.   As we were passing through the Aves we decided to visit her in the (naive) hope we could salvage something for her owners Dick and Anne who were rescued and taken to the mainland.

 

It was a nightmare picking our way into this anchorage through coral reefs and shallow patches.  Luckily we were travelling with Kiwi boat Balvenie – somehow it seemed easier and more manageable with four sets of eyes on lookout and reading the charts.  Once we were safely anchored it was very strong coffees all round before we set out in the tenders for Chinook Wind who lay high and dry on the reef at an angle of about 45degrees.  We had to anchor the tenders about 100m away and swim/wade the last part which wasn’t easy given we had current and wind against us.  Wearing shoes didn’t help with the swimming bit, but our feet would have been ripped to shreds without them.  The whole episode made us realise just what a nightmare it must have been for Dick and Anne.....we all felt very sombre.

 

Chinook Wind was a very pretty Tayana 37 and Dick and Anne kept her immaculate.  It was sad to see her close up as she’d been completely stripped of anything of value except winches.....and they’d even had a go at those!  Sails, anchor, wheel, bimini, lifelines, binnacle, compass, all electrics, bedding, utensils, ropes, furlers, hatches, even portholes had been taken.  It’s hard to feel any anger at the local fishermen who are no doubt responsible.  They live a meagre existence in ramshackle huts on the beach and for them, the chance to sleep on a comfy mattress and cook in decent pots is probably a luxury.  And....as another cruiser said.....isn’t it better these things are being used than left?  The Aves are very remote and any kind of salvage attempt is probably impossible.

 

For us it was very difficult to see Chinook lying on the reef.  A very sobering experience. 

 

By the time we’d finished it was getting too late to pick our way out so we stayed the night – but we’re about to head out now to the next island Ave de Sotovento and to Bonaire the next day.  After nearly two weeks of remote islands we are very much looking forward to civilisation, a good latte and internet!