[pe2-image src=”http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Owh6wgEGENk/UlPbBUnSvoI/AAAAAAAAXXo/bAdbUfDzqrI/s144-c-o/PA040009.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection2Stage16VenezuelaTrinidadGuyanaCaracasToGeorgetown#5932325949936942722″ caption=”A quick stop on a small lagoon” type=”image” alt=”PA040009.JPG” ]

Stepped in a cactus…

Pos: here
Loc: Punta Caimanes
Acc: tent
Dist: 33,2 km
Start: 4:45 End:13:35

The wind breezed up all afternoon to constant 15 knots shaking my tent all night. I listened carefully whether wind went down, but nothing…I was camping on a flat area, and it blew right across.

Still I launched in darkness, hoping as soon as the sun comes up the wind goes down…it did, may be to 10 knots, up to 8.30 am… then back again to crawling pace, wondering if it stays like that all day? The sea was also quite lumpy bumpy, and I jumped over the waves without gliding . Paddling can be so funny! 🙁 Fishermen all over, nothing exciting happening.

I decided to have a break on an inviting looking small lagoon spit, but it was away too early to stop. Another break for lunch at a lumpy river mouth was necessary to regain energy to fight the headwind. On headwind, you barely take breaks on the water being instantly blown sideways and quickly back. So if there is an inviting easy beach…

[pe2-image src=”http://lh5.ggpht.com/-S1TbRELoiQc/UlPbJiLXuiI/AAAAAAAAXXo/K-NiOoP86nM/s144-c-o/PA040011.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection2Stage16VenezuelaTrinidadGuyanaCaracasToGeorgetown#5932326091016878626″ caption=”Campsite Punta Caimanes with cactus” type=”image” alt=”PA040011.JPG” ]

I had enough at a headland leading me tomorrow straight into a 16,5 km direct crossing to the spit of Morro de Chacopata. No detours…
my first beach choice in a sheltered corner turned out to be sea shells only, not a sandy or grassy spot to camp. I paddled slightly back to a less protected beach and found a nice flat spot on top of the grassy area. I noticed the small cactus while choosing the camp site, but when I was dragging up my heavy boat, I put my left foot sideways into it. Autsch! About 15 thorns with a piece of cactus were stuck in my skin, and even on my right foot I got three thorns. It could be worse, but the pain was amazing. I surely pulled every thorn out instantly, and decided to be on the safe side to rinse the feet with fresh water and to spray some disinfectant. It seems to work, pain is gone. At least better than I when I fell with my backside on a cactus…

Stopping theses days early makes me again thankful for my ebook, as beach walking is simply not inviting in the heat and with all the different bugs and ants – and some cactus!