[pe2-image src=”http://lh6.ggpht.com/-iAJHoUhIYaY/UlPhz7hzMbI/AAAAAAAAXak/uNn2nFq4V1M/s144-c-o/PA020005.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection2Stage16VenezuelaTrinidadGuyanaCaracasToGeorgetown#5932333416446112178″ caption=”The ferry boat to Isla Margerita” type=”image” alt=”PA020005.JPG” ]

Passing through the national park

Pos: here
Loc: Ensenada las Playuelas
Acc: tent
Dist: 41,5 km
Start: 5:05 End: 13:00

The campsite in the sailing club felt safe, but was also well lit at night, so that I needed my sleeping mask. I was up early and on the water in darkness. I could have gone even earlier, as the city around me is so well lit, everything was easily visible despite only a tiny sliver of moon. I made amazingly good progress without wind and also a small current running in my favour. I cut straight across the many islands, and saw other than a very few sandy beaches only rocky spots. All possible beaches were occupied with some houses. The one and only white sandy inviting one I saw was on Isla Cachicamo, but this was the spot I have heard about where ten kayakers got robbed at gunpoint a few years ago and I really rather kept my distance to that beach! I saw nice reefs close to the rocks, but due to the lack of sandy beaches paddling around here may be nice, but finding a remote camp site is tough. Lots of dolphins around though, at least something to see!

The wind breezed up at 9 am, and breezed up even more around 11 am to it’s regular 15 knots. It calmed down again when I arrived at my envisioned camp site at the Ensenada las Playuelas, which looked deserted and inviting, bare of people or houses. I had a crossing over to Araya peninsula ahead of about 22 km, I may have been able to do this still also today in daylight, but as I was not 100% sure if the wind would breeze up again or some thunderstorm develop, I stayed away from the crossing today and opted for the camp site. The coast around Araya may not be campable everywhere either, and then I’d be getting into darkness. It would be a hot afternoon on the beach! A bunch of boats passed in distance, fortunately no one took too much notice. Actually I rather would have loved to paddle a bit longer, but this spot was too inviting and going further along the coast would be just a detour. I rather cross over in a direct line tomorrow early morning, see how far I am getting then, with hopefully more choice of deserted sandy beaches!