December, 1987
When we left Cumana, VZ to make our way to Trinidad we developed engine problems, so we were real sailors for a couple of days. We had to stop in Margarita Island again to see if we could repair the engine. Peter did a good job, although finding parts, etc. was a real headache. Everyone in Pampatar had suggestions for Peter. Turns out they were all wrong and Peter was right, which reassures me. But it should serve as a warning to people; there are too many people who know woefully little about their engines and too many people who have had their engines ruined by “mechanics” down here.
Finally, off to Trinidad. We had wanted to make it in one shot, but the fellow sailing with us,
single-handing his San Juan 30, lost so much time and distance when the foul (up to 5 knot) current pushed him back that we stopped in Cabo San Francisco to wait for him and give him a few days or so to rest before the final leg. What a great idea our benevolent gesture was - the anchorage was spectacular. Jim, completing a 6-1/2 year circumnavigation, said for him it is one of the all-time beautiful anchorages. The Peninsula de Paria is a ridge of mountains and this side catches all the rain so it’s jungly-lush. (Don’t you just love the words and phrases I make up?) There’s 200 feet of water to just a few hundred yards off the beach, and we were in a beautiful green bowl (well, more like a vase, the sides go up so straight). The steep hills make their own weather with white smoky clouds rolling all day long. When the sun hit the hills you could see the plumes of clouds rising from the jungle 1000 feet over our heads. Wonderful flowers growing, and the water is full of fish. A Manta Ray leapt and flew along our boat, and we were at peace. We feasted on fish, recuperated from our hard beat, and set sail for Trinidad.
Trinidad’s Western entrance is through the Mouths of the Dragon. The tide, current and wind converge to form huge swells and wild tide rips. The early sailors, without charts, must have found those rips terrifying because you surf through the mouths expecting to hit something nasty at any moment and then you’re inside on flat seas and a glorious sail to Port of Spain.
Trinidad has no good cruising, it’s too close to the Orinoco River so the water is muddy and murky (they tell us that the water supports such a flourishing batch of things to foul a boat’s hull that Petit’s Trinidad bottom paint was tested here). You don’t hear of many recommendations to go there, so I’ll put in my bid. The islanders were the nicest we met in the Caribbean. We anchored at the Trinidad & Tobago Yachting Association and were completely won over by these charming and gracious people, sailors all. We were hauled here, and so got ‘Melon clean and petty again, with good company to boot.
Sadly, we had to leave, too soon, but with promises to our new friends and to ourselves to return next year.
A little self-evaluation after this year’s travels up and down the Caribbean.
- I am still anxious before every anchor weighing, but my anxiety fades much faster.
- We sail well together, and enjoy doing so.
- Sailing skills are cumulative - we get better, which makes me more confident, so we try more and master these new skills, etc.
- I like to do the night watches and sleep during the day. Peter likes day watches and needs to sleep at night.
- I think it made people laugh to see this “middle-aged lady” behaving like a teenager upon receiving a packet of mail from home. Dignity was never my strong suit.
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