Hurricane Hideout

[Tigerlily]

We will be cruising the Caribbean and Central America in a year, and are wondering where the ideal spot to wait out hurricane season is. We would like a spot to live aboard and find work on shore. Anyone care to give up their secret location?

[sv_makai]

We have been spending the last few Huricane season in Venezuela.

Cheap to live and get work done. Diesel fuel is 7 cents US a gallon, fresh food is cheap, and labor is good.

We also are not tied to a H hole here but go cruising to the outislands so that we are not land locked but in some the prettiest places in the Caribe.

It is also a great place to jump to the interior for some very inexpensive once in a life time trips like angel falls the tallest water fall in the world.

I could go on, but if to many people come here it will turn into Trinidad or the windwards and theat would #&$)$.

[Harriet]

Has the political unrest in Venezuela impacted you at all? Do you know of other cruisers who have been impacted?

[sv_makai]

The unrest has made us aware of our surroundings, but has not had a direct impact. We do keep our boat fueled and full of food just in case we have to cut and run, but so far nothing even the slightest bit threating politically has happened. Most Locals love the Gringos (good word here) and treat us very well.

We had friends stay during the strikes and referendum a few years back and the only thing they felt was the same thing that everyone felt. All supplies and travel cutoff in country. No-one felt it was personally dangerous.

Many cruisers leave there boat here for long term storage and fly home. We have decided that we will not. Not because we fear for our property, but we are afraid that if we leave and it the rhetoric between the US and Ven gets worse we may not be premitted to re-enter the country to get our boat and leave.

Leaving without proper clearance is not much of an issue. The French islands do not care where you came from or even if you have clearance papers. For free they will stamp you into the country.

There is a downside of being here. Venezuela is being discovered! Trinidad is losing so much business that the owner of Peakes came to talk with the Marinas here to get them to raise the rates on slip, work, etc to reduce the flow from Trindad as more discover Venezuela and get over the old history of problems.

Our opinion of Trinidad is a differnet story as a H hole and a safe place to stay.

[gosstyla]

Panama.

Certainly not as inexpensive as Venezuela, but economically and politically more stable.

May be hard to find part time work.

But being between 8 and 9 deg not much danger from hurricanes.