Sunday is a quiet day in Venezuela. Stores and most businesses are closed for the day. The Sunset Bar next to Marina Juans is closed but they allow the cruisers to use their facility. Today about fifteen cruisers gathered to play Mexican Train Dominoes. Paul on Quarter Deck and I played cribbage instead. A good time was had by all and I saw this little nina in her private pool!!!

Flea Market

Well Friday brings the cruiser get together and swap meet. I purchased 4 20 micron filters for 50 Bolivars. They were 50 Bs for one so did well!

The cruisers who are mostly German and English speaking hang around at Juans until dark drinking $.25 beer

Marina Juan

Thought you might like to know what the marina looks like. Marina Juan has no slips but a safe and secure dinghy dock, unlike the rum dock where my dinghy was liberated.

Friday Flea Market /Piss up

Every Friday there is a flea market/cruiser swap meet here at Marina Juans. It starts at 1600 and the beer sells for 1.5 Bolivars. Currently about $.35. Not Bad for cruisers. We bring our 'treasures of the bilge' and have a few brews while the sun settles. Not a bad way to end the week!

Cruisers to the Rescue

I thought it appropriate to let you know who the cruisers were who lent me their Walker Bay dinghy when mine was liberated in the anchorage.

They are Shirley and Taffy. They are from South Africa and Taffy is originally from Wales long ago. Hence Taffy, a name given to Welshman. Similar to calling Irish Paddy

The day dawned bright this morning over Porlamar. I have been on the boat since Saturday. No dinghy!!! I purchased the 15 Yamaha from the Swede and he let me borrow his old Avon until he was to make a new 11footer that he and a partner were attempting. Delivery was to be mid October....well ,Paul a Canadian friend on Quarterdeck contacted me and Vemascu,the local chandlry could get some Caribes for a couple hundred less than the Swede. The Swedes boat is an unkown commodity so I jumped on the Caribe deal. As I was not buying his yet unmade dinghy he took back his loaner. Fair enough. So now hopefully I will get my new dinghy to go with the new motor by Friday. Then I can get off the boat on my own power, other than the kayak!

EIGHT BELLS

Sad news today, a 61 year old cruiser was murdered by thieves at at an anchorage on the Venezuelan Coast. The details are available on www.noonsite.com

Sunset over Parlomar

Sunset was a spectacular show last night. Due to the temperature and humidity we often get wild electrical storms as well. I will try to capture a video if I can.

The Anchorage

This is the anchorage at Parlomar. The weather here is hot and humid. Think 90/90. Not hard to understand the concept of a siesta!

A new experience

After sailing across the Pacific and selling Zafarse , a Baltic 42,Alison and I am now living on a Privilege 42 Catamaran. It is located in Porlamar, Venezuela, the largest city on the isalnd of Margarita.

Margarita is situated off the Venezuelan coast about 40 miles.

Our initial trip to take possesion of the boat has been a trying time. Two days after purchase a gale developed in the anchorage. There are currently 80 boats here waiting out hurricane season. A Norwegian boat broke out the anchor and was heading for the beach. It looked like it was going to hit Le Chat Beaute. At the last moment his anchor grabbed and he veered away and missed us by .5 meter. A close call. The next day my dinghy and outboard were "liberated". Not an auspicious begining