[pe2-image src=”http://lh5.ggpht.com/-6qZjz0K9xbY/UlPc2DT5hEI/AAAAAAAAXXo/ebXuveU9OAg/s144-c-o/PA060030.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection2Stage16VenezuelaTrinidadGuyanaCaracasToGeorgetown#5932327955336889410″ caption=”Double arch rock” type=”image” alt=”PA060030.JPG” ]

Really beautiful scenery!

Pos: here
Loc: Punta de Guiria
Acc: tent
Dist: 35,3 km
Start: 5:05 End: 14:05

I better launched in first light, still got a cockpit half full with water.This strange surf is hard to calculate. No big deal.One nice beach after the other today, mixed with quite impressive cliff headlands. Despite the very gusty strange wind, probably almost catabatic coming dwon from the cliffs somehow, I enjoyed paddling. But in “shelter” or not of the cliffs, the wind and gusts came and went as they liked. From one hour to almost nothing between land and see breeze to gusts up to 20 knots almost blowing my paddle off my hand. Later the day it went back to maybe 12 knots, acceptable. Still hard work.

[pe2-image src=”http://lh6.ggpht.com/-SMeyGxLHi28/UlPcMbRJeRI/AAAAAAAAXXo/zTA8qAuSOvs/s144-c-o/PA060023.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection2Stage16VenezuelaTrinidadGuyanaCaracasToGeorgetown#5932327240213297426″ caption=”A huge Madonna figure came across on Sunday morning…” type=”image” alt=”PA060023.JPG” ]

I had chosen three alternative beaches far enough away from the cities for my last stop, if none would have been safe feeling, I’d be paddling through to Rio Caribe into the night. The first really nice one came too early, I really didn’t want to stop already at noon. I also stopped at a funny rocky beach with some sand at the bottom of two small islands, but just as I had pulled up my kayak, a “party” boat with loud music and another loaded with eight guys wanting to snorkel in the Pelican infested water here, and I decided to quickly head off again. The whole Bahia de Patilla was actually a Sunday afternoon party spot, with bumping music all across the sea. Who needs it…

[pe2-image src=”http://lh3.ggpht.com/-NF1of6CVLKc/UlPcTZuG9kI/AAAAAAAAXXo/v6-73evmlIk/s144-c-o/PA060024.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection2Stage16VenezuelaTrinidadGuyanaCaracasToGeorgetown#5932327360056981058″ caption=”…and another one on the next village beach!” type=”image” alt=”PA060024.JPG” ]

My second choice was the last of a line of beaches with no road access, but it seemed like a well used path connected the beaches. Still they all seemed deserted, besides I was just around the corner, I spotted a fishing line before the two guys sitting on the rocks. This seems to be a nice Sunday afternoon sport anyway, lots of offshore rocks were actually occupied with young men fishing. Not with rods, just with lines on a spool. The swim to the rocks, some of them looking really far out and inaccessible, and crawl up. Happy fishing!

[pe2-image src=”http://lh4.ggpht.com/-4HGwl9Efxb0/UlPcwxGt_lI/AAAAAAAAXXo/HWgAgAs77NQ/s144-c-o/PA060027.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection2Stage16VenezuelaTrinidadGuyanaCaracasToGeorgetown#5932327864550424146″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”PA060027.JPG” ]

I landed, and waited, sitting on my boat. They can’t stay out there all day, as the foot path back is quite a way…While I was calling peter, they approached from their spot, barely nodding at me en passant. No problem, now it’s “my” beach! For anchoring boats this beach is too dirty and too surfy, and the foot path is long, so chances are good I stay by myself. The next alternative would have been to cross the Bahia de Carupano and to find another empty beach there, but as the headwind is still unfriendly, I can also arrive tomorrow at lunchtime in Rio Caribe.

[pe2-image src=”http://lh4.ggpht.com/–V2AUquho7M/UlPc-GSEVqI/AAAAAAAAXXo/Z3M6YBJDEc4/s144-c-o/PA060032.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection2Stage16VenezuelaTrinidadGuyanaCaracasToGeorgetown#5932328093573469858″ caption=”‘Hairy’ cactus rock” type=”image” alt=”PA060032.JPG” ]

Since that triangle peninsula, the scenery is really nice, but the best, the water and air seemed to have cooled down also! Still very warm, but not HOT any more, even yesterday on low wind. Good, in this weather me and my skin can live better! I have also learned to never be on a beach without pants and socks, sounds ridiculous, but for example here the sand is again full of ants, living on the many trash and dead fish. No opening the tent at night. And in the morning, there are ALWAYS bugs around, mostly no-seeums. And no taking the pant off before being afloat! It seems to be a good strategy. Now only some skin folds on legs and army seems to stay sensitive at night, but not too bad. It helps to have the silk cloth between.

I will stay one day in Rio Caribe, hopefully my passport stamping out goes quick and easy. Then another five or six paddling days, and I am in Trinidad! Yahoo!