[pe2-image src=”http://lh6.ggpht.com/-lXMJRUGjf_s/UjUQwu-6lbI/AAAAAAAAW8g/BlN3PGIauaE/s144-c-o/P9060008.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection2Stage15VenezuelaBoarderColombiaToCaracas#5923659314307438002″ caption=”The local kayak students of the club of Puerto Cumarebo” type=”image” alt=”P9060008.JPG” ]

Big reception party in Puerto Cumarebo

Pos: here
Loc: Puerto Cumarebo
Acc: Noelitas house
Dist: 33,7 km
Start: 5:55 End: 15:25

An ant-free, bug free, rain free and quiet campsite, but not itch free… my many ant bites itch like hell and I have a hard time sleeping. I was expecting heavy rain, when I landed the horizon was pitch dark, but nothing came down tonight! At least I made a short walk down the beach, whereas I usually have to jump in my tent after landing to avoid too much sun and heat.
I called Peter as every night, it is so good to have my partner on the phone, either sat phone or he calls me on my cell. He is giving me as usual great mental and practical support. Thanks, my Peter!

The day started dead calm, good for shortcutting across the bay, but I almost fell asleep. Just before I was reached the other side, the wind freshed up to the usual more or less 15 knots straight on my face. At the end it was blowing more and more, and I had to paddle hard to make any headway, no breaks were possible. The scenery changed for the better, with a range of low mountains, more or less green now with many beaches, mostly sandy and narrow, more or less sheltered or exposed. It would be possible to land through low surf in many places, but for a camp site I’d have to look a bit more careful. Still, enough choices! I saw a few turtles swimming, cute guys!

[pe2-image src=”http://lh3.ggpht.com/-9m9qkph9BK0/UjUSkxOiXHI/AAAAAAAAW8g/3VNrx9hpn8s/s144-c-o/P9060010.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection2Stage15VenezuelaBoarderColombiaToCaracas#5923661307774655602″ caption=”Richard Colina, organizing my stay in Puerto Cumarebo” type=”image” alt=”P9060010.JPG” ]

If I’d not been expected this night by local kayakers in Puerto Cumarebo, I might have called it a day already earlier.Not that you can’t paddle, but crawling along with 3-3,5 km/h is not my favourite investment of effort versus result. Edgar Lopéz  again made the contact, this time to Richard Colinas and the local Club Nautico. Richard tried to call me once on the water, but no chance for me to have a chat in that wind with noise and without being washed back and into the surf zone in no time. I didn’t really know where to go, but I assumed once I am coming closer it would be obvious…

[pe2-image src=”http://lh5.ggpht.com/-9cQlnfVyqVs/UjUUp-60ypI/AAAAAAAAW8g/OO-YS_bOVPQ/s144-c-o/P9070001.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection2Stage15VenezuelaBoarderColombiaToCaracas#5923663596372675218″ caption=”The kayak club house in Puerto Cumarebo” type=”image” alt=”P9070001.JPG” ]

And it was! High up on a building leaning on the cliffs is the Club Nautico, where on the balcony a reception party was waiting, not able to be missed. About fifty people, a TV crew and a radio reporter. A little boy gave me some flowers, I got a medal of honor, and the radio reporter was talking without stopping in Spanish to me for about half an hour. I understood about 10%, answered the basic questions in lumpy Spanish and was asked for a translator? No one really was opting for the job, so the reporter kept on talking while I was unloading my kayak. He also kept the TV crew entertained, but I’d rather have been able to answer myself…

[pe2-image src=”http://lh6.ggpht.com/-i_S50fW55NE/UjURSvqmc2I/AAAAAAAAW8g/Y9uBg_oNaDk/s144-c-o/P9060009.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection2Stage15VenezuelaBoarderColombiaToCaracas#5923659898606220130″ caption=”The two young kayakers donated me their medals from their recent competition. Thanks!” type=”image” alt=”P9060009.JPG” ]

My kayak got stored with helpful hands in the Club Nautico, and my bags carried up just above to a private house, where I got hosted by Noelita and her family. I got a small room with air condition and ventilator, good for my skin. I will need to give the skin a rest day here! Many thanks for hosting me!