A successful crew change in Polomar, Venezuela. New crew Bob showed up at 2AM and Ken picked him up in the dinghy. Vicki and all her bags were checked for drugs at the airport…Vicki has that drug dealer look! Typically, the Grateful Red was not only the only American flag boat, but the only foreign flagged boat. Las Roques and Los Aves archipelagos were superior sailing, snorkeling and cruising grounds….and not another sailboat to be seen. Great Fun!
Vicki joined the Scotty, Kristine and ken crew sailing to the Venezuelan Islands – Los Testigos, La Blanquilla and Margarita – supposedly Pirate infested seas. No Pirates were spotted, in fact, no sailboats spotted – only terrific places to anchor as the only boat with neighboring Venezuelan fisherman selling lobsters and fresh fish. Completed our paperwork the day before Hugo’s demise. In Hugo’s honor Venezuela went dry for two weeks – luckily the Grateful Red sails well stocked with alcohol for such situations.
High school buddy Denny, Denny’s son and Grateful Red foredeck of the 2013 Season Scotty, Kristine and Ken motored from friendly Trinidad to the mysterious Venezuela. The Venezuela paperwork cost one large bottle of Patron tequila…the Grateful was motoring 80 kilometers up the Orinoco Delta. Great fun, traded with the Wareo Indian children, saw the pink dolphin, stayed at the Orinoco Delta Lodge – first Americans to visit in more than five years, and took a couple-day tour in the “deep jungle”.
See you on the Water
