[pe2-image src=”http://lh4.ggpht.com/–W9sWZt2fkk/UjUXlsIkgpI/AAAAAAAAW8g/guSctYi0eeg/s144-c-o/P9080011.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection2Stage15VenezuelaBoarderColombiaToCaracas#5923666821145461394″ caption=”My unprotected beach landing behind Punta Zauro” type=”image” alt=”P9080011.JPG” ]

Trapped again in strong wind

Pos: here
Loc: behind Punta Zauro
Acc: tent
Dist: 21,5 km
Start: 5:50 End: 11:20

When I read my forecast yesterday again, I saw that is was a north wind around midday that was actually forecast, but not that strong, and not north west, as it was when it turned. Today’s wind was to be the usual easterly direction, but it blew also stronger than I expected. The open coast of the big inlet I was crossing for example let the wind blow unbroken into my face. After only a few km with reasonable 10 knots or so, I fought my way as usual against 15, later close to twenty knots.

I should have already called it a day in the sheltered bay before Punta Zauro, but my stubborn mind had hopes that after turning around the headland it would be easier, the wind might then come  from the side. But neither it came rather from the side, nor it got less, and surely the eventually quite high wind surf crashed unbroken against the straight open coast. The way around the headland I crawled along only with 2-3 km/h, and I was close to turning around into the sheltered bay.

[pe2-image src=”http://lh6.ggpht.com/-YiXai1VXTuw/UjUYxAsMQOI/AAAAAAAAW8g/w0hqslyDRf0/s144-c-o/P9080012.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection2Stage15VenezuelaBoarderColombiaToCaracas#5923668115153764578″ caption=”The alomost dry inlet to the left, the wil ocean beach to the right” type=”image” alt=”P9080012.JPG” ]

But I was not keen to spend half a day in a village, and hate turning around if not in acute danger, and guessed the landing on the open beach can’t be that bad, as it hadn’t been anywhere else in this area. And I saw on my chart a small indention – a bit protection? I couldn’t remember to have seen anything on Google Earth like a bay around the corner, and it was unlikely on this westerly side, but I gave it a go and kept on crawling along.

The small indention turned out to be a dry inlet without sea access and surely still a straight coast line, where I eventually decided to land at the beginning of a long beach after the cliffs stopped, in very confused seas with quite some surf. Well, I could have had it sheltered the bay before! I broached in with the last of three lines of breakers, but basically the quite high wind waves did not have the power I experienced in the Pacific rollers eventually breaking on an unprotected beach. All doable for an experienced paddler. And I have the overview over any sea and wind changes all afternoon.

[pe2-image src=”http://lh4.ggpht.com/-kIhLwt32ZZ0/UjUWGGDSdpI/AAAAAAAAW8g/OYpaO83PxH0/s144-c-o/P9080010.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection2Stage15VenezuelaBoarderColombiaToCaracas#5923665178835187346″ caption=”What is growing on this tree? A bee’s nest?” type=”image” alt=”P9080010.JPG” ]

It rather changed to become stronger wind and higher waves and more confused sea, and I realized I’d not feel comfortable going out again and going into the other direction, if I had to. I spent the afternoon in my tent, reading, and checking again the forecast. It looks like tomorrow morning it is a bit less windy as usual, and I may make it to the next headland, this time I’d be landing in shelter, people around or not. But I also may decide it is not worth the effort…and stay put. Good I’m camped right at the rough side of see the sea, coming out of the protected bay I’d end up in the same situation  I am in now…

Tuesday will be even stronger easterly wind, Wednesday may have a bit northerly around lunchtime, which may be my chance to make headway at last. Thursday and further looks like to be less windy. As far and as good as a forecast can be… I have nothing to suffer waiting with enough water, food and batteries. I just wouldn’t say it’s really exciting being trapped in the tent all day reading. Thank goodness for my seemingly endless e-book. A beach walk was possible, fortunately the sun was a bit in the clouds all afternoon and temperatures are acceptable. I rather preferred to camp on the windy relatively clean sea side of the inlet, as  the sheltered side of the inlet was hot like hell and was full of trash washed in there on even higher seas. A shady place under a tree had ants among all the trash and animal dung lying around…no way I’d camp there again! Trash and dung seems to attract ants…