We left the anchorage outside Medregal Haul out for a short day sail to the Muelle De Cariaco at the far end of El Golfo De Cariaco. We anchored at 10.28.70N 63.40.08W, Yvonne and I have been here before, about a couple of years ago, we forgot how nice this area is. Ok, it is rather tranquil after the hustle and bustle of the Medregal Haulout anchorage, and that is muy tranquilo! The Muelle de Cariaco is justa sleepy village, kinda forgotten since the Cumana road was built. Once upon a time the sailing ships would anchor here and unload their cargos, but now it's just a few fisherman and a couple of stores, but it is on a bus route, so an easy place to dinghy ashore and visit the nearby town of Cariaco. A taxi ride is 5 bolivares per person about a ten minute ride. The fisherman and carpenter will keep an eye on your dinghy for you, you can tie up on his back garden, it's the eastern most dinghy dock. You can walk through his yard to the village road, and wait for a bus, or turn left and walk up to the main road and get a por puesto which run every few minutes.

 

The bird life is wonderful, if you have the time, and who doesn't, dinghy into one of the inlets and drift, you will see some large storks, beautiful large kingfishers, blue herons, and the amazing bright red Scarlet Ibis, this time with their babies that haven't yet got there colour. We dinghied up the small river with some friends, of course it was a low, low water and we had to paddle some way. The mangrove trees are some of the biggest you'll ever see i'm sure. Tall trees with roots that grow out 5 metres above the ground, they look like they walk, in fact since we were here last I believe they have because I'm sure the river is a lot narrower. We only stayed a couple if days this time, Yvonne flys back to Spain and UK for a visit, so we need to make preparations. We intend to stay a little longer next time, maybe shortly after she returns, then a stop in Guacarapo on the way back, a lovely anchorage where there are always a few cruising boats. It is a beautiful anchorage with a couple of small stores, that sell most basic stuff, and one has a bar on the sea wall, a beautiful location. Unfortunately there is nowhere to eat, it would be an ideal place for a small snack bar.

 

On arrival back to the anchorage at Cachicatos, we were treated to a spectacular fishing bonanza, a certain type of fish has arrived and between our anchorage and Medregal haulout the fishing boats were going crazy, hauling their nets full of metre long silver fish that look like an eel that has been run over! Tonite is pizza night at Cocobongo, but today it is raining, very unusual in the dry season, hope it stops by meal time. They do a really good pizza, good prices and cheap drinks, but whether you like pizza or not it's a nice place to visit. It's only open Thursday at the moment, because there are so few boats here, but the atmosphere is good, a great cruiser type hangout and most people visit once a week, even Jean Mark the owner of Medregal Village eats there sometime, though not so much lately, I think he has fallen out with them too. Talking of Jean Marc I still haven't received an apology from him after his drunken insults to Yvonne and me over Christmas, but as I have said before, the more people he upsets the more go to Cocobongo or anywhere else that is available. Hopefully he will come to his senses, we have tried so hard to help this guy, this past year alone we have brought 50% of his customers, they don't all haulout, but they do use his facilities and buy his food and drinks, not every night of course, but whatever they spend there, it is more than he would have received had it not been for our recommendations. The last time we spoke he was adamant he was closing, but Medregal Village is still open. Yvonne and I are still trying to promote this lovely area, not for Jean Marcs' beneifit or for anyone else except the cruising people that read this blog. Clearly though everyone benefits from us cruising folk wherever we drop our hook. We buy things and use local facilities, buy fish from the fisherman etc etc. And the more people that visit the nicer it is for all of us when we get together, share our stories and make new friends. More importantly don't let these stories of Medregal put you off coming to the Gulf of Cariaco, there is so much more to see and experience especially during Hurricane season.

 

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