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Old 13-03-2015, 18:54   #1
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US Boats Advised To Avoid Venezuela

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Venezuela: Deterioration in United States - Venezuela Relations Impact Cruisers — Noonsite
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Old 13-03-2015, 19:13   #2
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Re: US Boats Advised To Avoid Venezuela

I think that advice is good for any boat, not just U.S.

Venezuela used to be a great cruising area, but about 3-4 years ago it went downhill quickly (attacks, robberies, etc).

We know many long-time Venezuelan cruisers that left to never return.

I would give it a wide-berth when passing by.

We stopped at the out-islands (Avea, Blanquilla, etc) with no issues, but not sure what the current status of doing that is since we did not ever officially check-in, and it was a few years ago.
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Old 13-03-2015, 21:42   #3
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Re: US Boats Advised To Avoid Venezuela

Quote:
Originally Posted by kiltym View Post
I think that advice is good for any boat, not just U.S.

Venezuela used to be a great cruising area, but about 3-4 years ago it went downhill quickly (attacks, robberies, etc).

We know many long-time Venezuelan cruisers that left to never return.

I would give it a wide-berth when passing by.

We stopped at the out-islands (Avea, Blanquilla, etc) with no issues, but not sure what the current status of doing that is since we did not ever officially check-in, and it was a few years ago.
Do not stop even on the remote Islands. The thieving Venezuelan Government/Navy will arrest you and seize your boat. If passing Venezuela it is best to head as far east as possible to be as far out of the Venezuelan offshore limits. This is very serious businesses. Be very careful out there.
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Old 14-03-2015, 03:56   #4
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Re: US Boats Advised To Avoid Venezuela

I'm curious if this impacts the safety of boats cruising to Trinidad. If your leaving Trinidad how far offshore of Venezuela is far enough away to be safe?

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Old 14-03-2015, 04:31   #5
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Re: US Boats Advised To Avoid Venezuela

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Originally Posted by GoingWalkabout View Post
Do not stop even on the remote Islands. The thieving Venezuelan Government/Navy will arrest you and seize your boat. If passing Venezuela it is best to head as far east as possible to be as far out of the Venezuelan offshore limits. This is very serious businesses. Be very careful out there.

I am in the Caribbean now and have spent time in Venezuela 7 years ago and it is the one spot we won't return but don't believe your comment about the out-islands is correct and know boats that have recently followed that path to the ABC's! You need to state your personal experience with this area! Of course everyone should make their decisions with real and current info


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Old 14-03-2015, 07:47   #6
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Re: US Boats Advised To Avoid Venezuela

I was in Trini in 2012. At the Power boats dock folks would pull in to buy stuff from the store and eat at the restaurant. One day a group from Venezuela was there. When I learned where they were from I asked about the situation in Venezuela and whether or not they believed it is safe for cruisers like myself to sail there.

The reply was unequivocal. Absolutely not, too dangerous with criminals everywhere.

A fishing boat was pirated once and the crew released with a small outboard to get home. Later on the same boat was pirated a second time and disappeared along with the crew.

When I was in Trini back in 2004, there were people being boarded and robbed in Venezuelan waters then.

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Old 14-03-2015, 09:57   #7
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Re: US Boats Advised To Avoid Venezuela

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I am in the Caribbean now and have spent time in Venezuela 7 years ago and it is the one spot we won't return but don't believe your comment about the out-islands is correct and know boats that have recently followed that path to the ABC's! You need to state your personal experience with this area! Of course everyone should make their decisions with real and current info


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There are recent reports of the Venezuelan Navy patrolling the outer Islands are stopping and boarding boats. They have stated if you don't have a Visa you will be arrested. If you use one of their claimed Islands without being cleared you run the risk of being arrested and having your boat seized no matter what nationality you are. If you are a US Citizen you a screwed.
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Old 14-03-2015, 10:31   #8
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Re: US Boats Advised To Avoid Venezuela

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There are recent reports of the Venezuelan Navy patrolling the outer Islands are stopping and boarding boats. They have stated if you don't have a Visa you will be arrested. If you use one of their claimed Islands without being cleared you run the risk of being arrested and having your boat seized no matter what nationality you are. If you are a US Citizen you a screwed.
If I was in Grenada now and headed for the ABC's I would want recent info from boats who made that trip. Also would check out Noonsite and others that have current conditions, if you have current information to share instead of what you heard from somewhere that would be helpful. It is obvious a tricky and fluid situation there but we should try to stick to valid info and not rumors.
According to Noonsite it is advisable to use the agent in the Roques to help clearing in! Last time we were in the Aves the process was easy also but once again get Current and Real info and not rumors from folks sitting in front of their computers!
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Old 14-03-2015, 11:25   #9
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Re: US Boats Advised To Avoid Venezuela

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dulcesuenos View Post
I'm curious if this impacts the safety of boats cruising to Trinidad. If your leaving Trinidad how far offshore of Venezuela is far enough away to be safe?
Head direct to Grenada.

Last year, or was it late 2013? Two boats left Trinidad to go down the V coast. Insanity and they had been warned of it. Within 50 miles of the voyage starting the lagging boat was boarded. The 76 year old skipper went down stairs, pulled his shotgun out and piunted it at the biarders. They grabbed the shotgun from him turned the shotgun around, pinted it at him and pulled the trigger.

The gun wasnt loaded.

I met him a few months later and he and his wife were selling the boat and going home too scared to cruise anymore. Broken dream through his own stupidity.


Go direct to Grenada. If then heading west keep 50nms off any outlying island.
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Old 14-03-2015, 12:22   #10
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Re: US Boats Advised To Avoid Venezuela

Quote:
Originally Posted by barboak View Post
If I was in Grenada now and headed for the ABC's I would want recent info from boats who made that trip. Also would check out Noonsite and others that have current conditions, if you have current information to share instead of what you heard from somewhere that would be helpful. It is obvious a tricky and fluid situation there but we should try to stick to valid info and not rumors.
According to Noonsite it is advisable to use the agent in the Roques to help clearing in! Last time we were in the Aves the process was easy also but once again get Current and Real info and not rumors from folks sitting in front of their computers!
US Citizens must have a Visa prior to entering Venezuela. The Visa can not be obtained by checking in. It has to be issued on land from a Consulate. In case you are unaware the United States gas issued a high level warning for any US vessels or crew traveling in Venezuelan waters. The US gas also said if you are in the country you need to be prepared to leave at a moments notice even if you have property or business. This is no rumor. This is red alert status issued by the United States Government.


Please do not be suckered into a false sense of security by sailors who are floating around out there totally unaware of how bad things have become.
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Old 14-03-2015, 12:24   #11
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Re: US Boats Advised To Avoid Venezuela

Quote:
Originally Posted by MarkJ View Post
Head direct to Grenada.

Last year, or was it late 2013? Two boats left Trinidad to go down the V coast. Insanity and they had been warned of it. Within 50 miles of the voyage starting the lagging boat was boarded. The 76 year old skipper went down stairs, pulled his shotgun out and piunted it at the biarders. They grabbed the shotgun from him turned the shotgun around, pinted it at him and pulled the trigger.

The gun wasnt loaded.

I met him a few months later and he and his wife were selling the boat and going home too scared to cruise anymore. Broken dream through his own stupidity.


Go direct to Grenada. If then heading west keep 50nms off any outlying island.
Good advise MarkJ.
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Old 14-03-2015, 15:27   #12
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Re: US Boats Advised To Avoid Venezuela

@barboak: 'The agent' mentioned on Noonsite left the island some time ago. But with the help of the officials and their Samsung phone translator! it was easy enough to clear in on our own. We hardly spoke any Spanish ...

I visitied Los Roques and Aves for some weeks in November 2014 onboard US flagged schooner Cococai, Greg is here in the forum too (in fact found the opportunity to sail from Grenada to Panama with Greg here on CF, for personal reasons in our family I and my spouse only made it to Bonaire).

For me sailing those islands was the best I have done/seen so far. Maybe we were lucky but all the people we met (including 'customs and immigrations' on Grand Roque and later a visit from Guardia Costa on Aves) was 'top notch'. Really polite, friendly and helpful officials, much more helpful than in most of the other Caribbean islands I visited in the past. The local people / fisherman were very nice too. Did not bother until you waved them to come to the boat ...

Again, maybe we were just lucky and also a lot of things can change in some months (since we were there) but I am glad we spend the time there.

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Old 14-03-2015, 22:04   #13
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Re: US Boats Advised To Avoid Venezuela

As of March 2 2015 US Citizens are required to apply for a Visa 30 days prior to entry by boat or plane. What worked in February will not work now.

The United States State Department has issued a high level warning for all USA citizens living in Venezuela to be prepared to leave at a moments notice.

Also the State Department has put out a warning concerning the increase of US Citizens being thrown in jail.

The following is one such US State Department warning from a few days ago.

Security Message for U.S. Citizens: Notifying the U.S. Embassy of Detained or Arrested U.S. Citizens. March 3, 2015 (March 4, 2015)

United States Embassy Caracas

The U.S. Embassy wishes to call to the attention of U.S. citizens traveling to or living in Venezuela the Government of Venezuela’s recent detention of several U.S. citizens in Venezuela.**Under the Vienna Convention, if you are arrested overseas, you have the option to request that the police, prison officials, or other authorities alert the nearest U.S. embassy of your arrest and to have communications from you forwarded to the nearest U.S. embassy. *In practice, the Venezuelan government frequently fails to notify the U.S. Embassy when U.S. citizens are arrested or detained, and/or delays or denies U.S. consular access to U.S. detainees.
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Old 14-03-2015, 23:07   #14
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Re: US Boats Advised To Avoid Venezuela

This is correct: Venezuela now requires the same visa requirements from US citizens as the US requires from them (and most other nations).
Mark has the correct advice even though the Venezuelan coastguard is pretty good in our experience too. There is just too much crime against cruisers there to risk it anymore.
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Old 15-03-2015, 09:15   #15
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Re: US Boats Advised To Avoid Venezuela

Has the GOP written an open letter to Venezuela yet?
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