Safety in Venezuela

[osirissail]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

Can we pop the subject back to Venezuela please?. . . Thanks Mark

Here is more good info from the wifiguy site: Info

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

Can we pop the subject back to Venezuela please?

I don't give a rats bum about the USA in this thread. I am heading to Venezuela and I want to hear proper considered opinions from other cruisers who have been there please.... and not some palm off onto some website.


Thanks


Mark

I think thats relatively few lately Mark... they've been detered by palm offs...
Just pack yer 'Ned Kelly' in case and go....

[Southern Star]

Rognvald, if your "intention was not to start a contest as to which sites are best", then why would you denigrate information from Noonsite and the Caribbean Safety and Security Net as being just "the rose coloured impressions of some naive, although well-intentioned cruisers"? The many cruisers who contribute to these sites do not tyipically have a political axe to grind, but rather are attempting to provide cruiser-specific information through anything but rose-coloured glasses.

I fail to see how you can describe the typical cruiser - people who are responsible for navigation in sometimes poorly charted waters, dealing with foreign officials, maintaining their vessels, arranging provisioing in third-world nations and yes, ensuring the security and health of their boat and crew as being 'naive'. Frankly, it seems to suggest that those who are cruising the Caribbean are nothing but wealthy dilettantes who are living a life of leisure, cruising from one plush marina to another without ever having to rub shoulders with the unwashed masses.

Brad

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by rognvald

We have met countless cruisers in our travels throughout the Caribbean and Mexico who were wonderful people but hopelessly naive as to any imminent dangers that existed in the areas they cruised.

Or that could be simply what they wanted you to think?

[boatman61]

'Imminent Dangers' are what the lifestyle is all about... just some manage them more subtly than others...
Its there... be aware... but so's a lot of other things so why obsess about it....

[rognvald]

Originally Posted by Southern Star

Rognvald, if your "intention was not to start a contest as to which sites are best", then why would you denigrate information from Noonsite and the Caribbean Safety and Security Net as being just "the rose coloured impressions of some naive, although well-intentioned cruisers"? The many cruisers who contribute to these sites do not tyipically have a political axe to grind, but rather are attempting to provide cruiser-specific information through anything but rose-coloured glasses.

I fail to see how you can describe the typical cruiser - people who are responsible for navigation in sometimes poorly charted waters, dealing with foreign officials, maintaining their vessels, arranging provisioing in third-world nations and yes, ensuring the security and health of their boat and crew as being 'naive'. Frankly, it seems to suggest that those who are cruising the Caribbean are nothing but wealthy dilettantes who are living a life of leisure, cruising from one plush marina to another without ever having to rub shoulders with the unwashed masses.

Brad

With all due respect, if you read my response I was not advocating one site or another as being superior, but rather suggesting an alternative site which might be valuable to someone who is intending a cruise to the islands off Venezuela. Secondly, the "rose colored glasses" comment was a fair response to many naive, but well intentioned cruisers who throw all thought and caution to the wind when cruising. If you are fair and honest, you know we all have met people like these throughout our travels. Lastly, I have no idea where you assume I believe cruisers are wealthy dilettantes based upon my previous remarks. There was no suggestion nor intimation of that in any of my writing. Good luck and good sailing, Ron

[zeehag]

geeeziz--markj has apoint-=this argumentative bs doesnt answer anything for anyone--i think aussie males are a lot smarter than are u.s. males..LOL..more to the point, also.

[Bill6878]

Thanks everyone for the info. I will research some more and get a little more ammo to be on the safe side

[anglooff]

There is a considerable number of threads regarding Venezuela within the forum and after filtering out the extreme rhetoric there exists a bibliography of very useful information on both sides of the argument. Most of Venezuela mainland and offshore plus ABC islands offers excellent sailing opportunities which with a little fore thought and planning will be well rewarded. I live in Venezuela and have my boat in Curacao and if you would like to give us some time parameters of your anticipated trip then I am sure we can offer many interesting suggestions.

The ammo increase I hope refers to knowledge rather than the obvious.

Finally, a forum search on Venezuela is important and should prepare you for the often amazing response you will read. Never the less it’s a worthy destination and a number of us can assist you better prepare and offer various suggestions and often overlooked opportunities.

Regards

Alan

[osirissail]

Originally Posted by zeehag

geeeziz--. . . i think aussie males are a lot smarter than are u.s. males..LOL..more to the point, also.

Is that related to the myth that their cajones are more massive?

[sck5]

"Quote:
Originally Posted by zeehag View Post
geeeziz--. . . i think aussie males are a lot smarter than are u.s. males..LOL..more to the point, also.
Is that related to the myth that their cajones are more massive? "


No. They are not smarter, nor are their cojones any bigger (much less "massive") That honor goes to me. We all sailed there on sailboats, some bigger and some smaller, but what puts me over the top is my humility. And massiveness. So no more of this fantasizing bs from the oz dwellers just because they live in the middle of nowhere and have to sail farther to get anywhere.

As for Venezuela, after travelling through most of Latin America and Africa and reading the State dept. warnings, I can say that the US State Dept. is almost universally scary beyond what any factual reading of actual conditions on the ground would suggest. For a much more fact based accounting of security conditions on the ground I always look at the Brit Foreign Office site.

British Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) Home

WHile not as useful as reports from cruisers who have actually been to the anchorages in question, I have usually found it much more useful for excursions on land after you get there. Right now it says to avoid border areas with Colombia and to look out for street crime. I have to say, that if you didnt already know not to wear expensive jewelry and to not be alone on the street at night then you arent aware enough to walk around places like Miami or NY city, which sometimes have a rather unpleasantly unsafe reputation not to mention a more heavily armed population than just about anywhere on earth outside of Afghanistan

A little common sense will go a long way.

[osirissail]

Here is a link to the government of Venezuela and their risk assessment of the regions of their country - ONSA - Zones of Risk for boats maps
Purple is bad; yellow is marginal; and green is okay.

[ex-static]

We are debating whether to sail our catamaran to the ABCs via Los Roques from Grenada over the next week or so. Anyone interested in convoying? At the moment we don't feel overly comfortable with the idea of doing it on our own. Also any tips on which route to take would be much appreciated. Thanks and cheers!

[osirissail]

The route direct from Grenada to Los Rogues and onto Bonaire is probably one of the safest reported route that pass by Venezuela and quite popular. It is a good 55nm north of Margarita.
- - However, it is 290 nm from Grenada to Los Rogues and another 100 nm or so to Bonaire. So you are looking at 2 or 3 days at sea enroute. More than half my friends who have done the route opt to continue on for another day and not stop at Los Rogues since they have already been at sea for a few days and one more does not seem that much more and avoids having to deal with the "Park" officials and fees at Los Rogues.
- - Here is a link to a report about stopping at Los Rogues - http://www.noonsite.com/Members/sue/R2010-01-16-1
and - http://www.noonsite.com/Countries/Venezuela/LosRoques

[capttman]

Originally Posted by zeehag

geeeziz--markj has apoint-=this argumentative bs doesnt answer anything for anyone--i think aussie males are a lot smarter than are u.s. males..LOL..more to the point, also.

Ouch