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Guide Updates

Venezuela

Last edited: 05/09/08

The following are updates to the new (2007) edition:

PORLAMAR, 

A TALE OF TWO VAMASCA’S (Corrections to page 95, chandlery)

In the guide, we became hopelessly confused over the Vemasca stores, It turns out there are TWO separate stores that evolved from the store that was originally started by Denis Laesker. Both are owned by members of the family but completely separate from each other.  A visit to both should be on your list of thing to do.

Vemasca Marine Supply is a chandlery and it is very conveniently placed right between Marina Juan and Marina Puerto Miguel in a block called Asovene. They sell a big range of yacht gear as well as fishing gear, everything from deck hardware to electronics and clothing, plus lots of stuff you need to work on your yacht.  They also bring things in on special order and do all the paperwork. The ad for Vemasca Marine Supply is in the wrong place in our guide on page 182 in the Puerto la Cruz section. Ritchie speaks excellent English.

Vemasca Marine Services is another big chandlery in Porlamar and it also has another branch  in Puerto La Cruz (Their ad is correctly placed on page 94, as is the location on page 95). Vemasca Marine Services also repair electronics and may be able to help with other problems. They are half a mile down the main road towards Porlamar (see picture).  It is probably best to take a cab. It is also possible to either walk down the road or dinghy close by to the beach and walk, but do not do either of these until you have checked on the current security situation.

Getting things wrong in my guide is always bad news, but having TWO VEMASCA stores instead of one in Porlamar is excellent news!

 

Jacks now Sunset now closed.

I just got he following: Sunset is now closed.  The property is again for sale.

ROBLEDAL, MARGARITA

The information I had when I did the new version of the guide was that I had not heard of many problems in this area. Update: Security is a problem in this area. Yacht Lady Anne with two people onboard suffered an armed robbery while anchored off the village. They stole all electronics and valuables. 

From the Melodye at the Safety and Security net: 

Unfortunately, there have been a number of pirate attacks in the Robedal anchorage over the past year and a half or so, all the same MO as what Lady Ann describes, including a count of three men.
 
Prior to that, one in 2000 but five in 1998!!!  ONSA has included Margarita, Coche and Cubagua in their Zona de Alto Riesgo (high risk) on their July 2006 map.

You are advised to follow the links we give to the Safety and Security Net

PUERTO LA CRUZ

Page 181 left column. Jose from Costa Rica retired, Kings service no longer in action.

NAVIMCA note.

A cruiser  recommended staying very close to the starboard buoys for the deepest water. They squeezed in with 6 feet of draft at low tide. It is best to contact the management for the controlling depth before you go, they may have dredged by now.

There have been fewer incidents, but be alert. I got the following from he safety and security net. Check their web for the latest news 

8 July
 
After some five months of no reports of major incidents in Venezuela and only a couple dinghy thefts. In the past week, the Caribbean Safety and Security Net has received two reports.  I am still trying to get additional details but this is what we know thus far:
 
1.  Sometime during the night of June 29/30, a French singlehander was forced onto a reef near the island of Coche by two fishing boats, who then boarded and robbed him.  The captain suffered some injuries and went immediately to Porlamar the next day to report this to the authorities.
 
2.  About 7 pm in the evening of June 23, a yacht anchored by themselves in Ensenada Toporo (about 1 mile north of Mochima Town in Mochima Park) was boarded by four armed men, who proceeded to beat up the captain and take numerous articles from the boat.  The boat is UK registry, although the captain is Russian and his partner is German.  They did report the attack to the local authorities in Mochima Town and then to the Guardia Costa in Cumana.

 

 

 

YOUR UPDATES TO THE NEW EDITION

Hello. I just find out that in Venezuela Cumanagoto Marina has changed their phone number into 02934000347 and VHF watch on Ch.09. So maybe you will be so kind to update your useful guide. Thanks. Vincenzo Sparavigna SY Spirit of Hope

YOUR RECENT UPDATES 

From Ellen Sanpere, Cayenne III (Thanks Ellen!)

 Cayenne III is back in Puerto La Cruz. Here's a picture of the fuel dock near Bahia Redonda. Notice, a new paint job, but the fuel pumps are gone. Gasoline is available at the powerboat dock near Puerto del Este. Vemasca must have moved or folded - it is no longer in C.C. Puerto Ensenada.

 
Three "canal police" stopped us, as we went from Plaza Mayor to Bahia Redonda in the dinghy the other night, and said a curfew has been imposed on dinghy traffic in the canals, between 6PM and 8AM. Apparently, there was a serious accident one night involving some locals and some cruisers and an unlighted speeding dinghy. Vessels may enter the canal, but only to go home, and may not go outside. This certainly crimps our fun - no dinners at MareMares or the mall unless we take a taxi, and the roads are mobbed all day/night long. Traffic around Plaza Mayor is beyond belief!
 
The marinas and yards here are full, but there aren't any people hanging around as in the past. The Fundamigos mission is this week, but the cruiser fundraising is greatly reduced from last year. The restaurant at Bahia Redonda was redecorated, and the food has improved under new management. In addition to the Sunday dominoes game, people are playing Texas Hold'em poker and Parcheesi on Saturday.
 
The light at Chimana Segunda was not lit when we stopped there last week, but people were in the national park station there all night, presumably available in case of trouble.
 
Bolivares are now at Bs5000/USD and fluctuating. Next January, there will be new currency, BsFuerte, with the last 3 zeros dropped off. Prices are to be quoted until then in both, i.e. Bs50,000/BsF50. Cruisers need to be careful to avoid mistakes when paying for things.
 
When we need fuel, we will go to Cumana - cruisers are welcome there.

 

 
Fair winds,
Ellen Sanpere
s/v Cayenne III

 

 

From Donald on  /v Quetzalcoatlv

The bureaucrats have added another layer to clearing in at Isla Margarita, Venezuela.  It is now necessary to appear at the Office of the Port Captain in Pampitar to sign a paper witnessed by an Port Captain employee.  The entire process for us using Marina Juan as an agent took eight days.
 
I would suggest that anyone not cleared into Venezuela who wants to make a quick stop at Isla Margarita, to not check in.  Lie under a yellow flag for a couple of days and continue on to your destination.

Note from Chris: In the new guide I did not mention how long clearing took. I hope this is the extreme length of time. I would like to hear from others...

From Ellen Sanpere
s/v Cayenne III

about FUEL (it is still in flux) 

Hi, Chris,
 
Well, we finally did get fuel in Venezuela: $.08/gal. at Cumanagoto marina in Cumana. They were pleasant and cheerful. The entrance was easy. The fuel dock is open 7AM-3PM. We took a slip for the night at $10.69, incl. water & electricity for a 44' boat and fueled up the next morning.  Dinner at the RetroBar in the adjacent mall was excellent. Too bad there is no grocery store or produce market nearby.
 
Meanwhile, the fuel dock in Bahia Redonda is no longer selling diesel fuel to foreign-flagged vessels, and even Venezuelan vessels must get an annual permit from the gov't., paying a stamp tax, identifying the vessel as Venezuelan. We were able to get gasoline for the dinghy easily and at the same price as at Cumana. 
 
We were told, the fuel dock in downtown PLC will sell fuel at Bs.1500/liter ($.576 USD) for less than 1000 liters. For larger loads, the vessel must obtain a permit from PDV. For awhile, some of the yard workers were bringing in 55 gal. drums of fuel, but that has been stopped.
 
We got the feeling the locals do not want cruisers in PLC - they want the rates to remain low and the cruisers are driving them up. In fact, there was one guy on the VHF several times a week loudly cursing the cruisers, especially those from the US. 
 
As for money exchange, some travel agents  will gladly give a better than official rate, Bs.2600/$1 USD last week. In Caracas, the rate was 2900, in Margarita the rate was 2400. Exchange rates for the marina and boatyard are easily negotiated when paying in dollars. It is rumored, the B will go to Bs.4500/$1 some time in 2007. 
 
The Hilton marina (now called Marina Margarita) has not quite caught up with the lovely pictures on it's web site. Only one side has electricity and a truck delivers water every morning, gratis. The rates were pretty good, (Bs.21,120 or so) and the security was good, but there was no visible change from our visit 2 years ago.

LOS ROQUES

Hi Chris, just a tip for easy navigating through the NE channel into los roques. on the southern most little island on the east side of francisqui there has been built a triangular reasonably large whit house, which is visibly for many miles from the outside (we picked it up in the early morning sun almost 5 miles out. when used in conjunction with your way point for the entrance it gives a clear and safe transit into the los roques. on a true course of about 220 you have a nice visual reference together with your gps waypoint. best personal regards, dick marx s.v. "Geramar"

JAKERA TOURS

We took a tour to Angel Falls from Puerto La Cruz and used Jakera mentionned in your guide. It was the worst tour I've ever taken. Jakera is contracting their tours out to Gecko Tours. Gecko provides no guides and no one speaks English. We ended up doing the hike back from Angel Falls in complete darkness after seeing the overlook of Angel Falls for 5 min. at dusk only.
 
Connie Finneran

 

 

 

mechanic, Puerto la Cruz, Venezuela

From: Alan and Mary Robinson (yacht Skybird)
Category: Guestbook
Date: 22 Dec 2004
Time: 06:51:42
Remote Name: 166.205.40.116

Comments

Thanks for your great and informative guide. We have recently had Perkins engine completely rebuilt by Juan Guerrero in Puerto la Cruz and can recommend him. Perhaps you could include him in any future edition of cruising Guide. His mobile is 0414 8247832. He works with a family team and is both capable and good value. He speaks reasonable English.  

 

The following letter appeared in Caribbean Compass. I feel it is worth posting it here in case anyone misses that issue. (may 08)

Dear Compass Readers,

There is bad news and good news in Venezuela.

Venezuela took a couple of bad hits recently as far as cruiser crime is concerned. Both occurred in the eastern offshore islands.

The first armed attack on a yacht ever documented in Islas Los Testigos occurred on January 26th, 2008. One of the victims was shot and rushed to Isla Margarita for emergency treatment. The bad guys got away.

Also in January, the sixth armed yacht robbery to our knowledge in Porlamar, Isla Margarita, since 2003 had the American-flagged Nomad as victim. With a shotgun and pistols in their faces the boat’s two-person crew was robbed. A local businessman heard the emergency call on VHF and telephoned the police. The police never showed up. The bad guys got away.

Detailed reports of these two incidents are posted on the website www.noonsite.com/Members/doina/R2008-03-20-2.

It is not all bad news in Venezuela, however. The Venezuelan government has simplified and centralized the bureaucracy for visiting cruisers. It is no longer necessary for private yachts to use so-called agents to clear in or out.

In Porlamar, the INEA office (Port Captain) is conveniently located in front of the Guardia Nacional station. This office has been expanded to include both Immigration and Customs. The officials now buy the required stamps for you at the local banks so that it is no longer necessary for you to do that yourself. It is now quick, one-stop shopping with no need to go elsewhere.

Señor José Casal is the current Immigration official on duty there and he speaks good English. Señor Manuel Guerra, the Customs official, also speaks good English. The Port Captain, Señor Arquemedes Bolivar and his secretary both speak enough English to get the job done. If they spoke no English at all there would still be no problem as they have done the paperwork hundreds and hundreds of times and know just what to do. The bottom line is that language is not a problem getting your paperwork done. The paperwork is professionally done, all on computer. Everyone is friendly, efficient and could not be more helpful.

There has just been an increase in the price of the required stamps. The stamp prices are linked to the rate of inflation.

These are the new service rates:


INTERNATIONAL CHECK IN:

Immigration:    No Charge
Customs:        69 BsF *
Port Captain:    139 BsF
INTERNATIONAL CHECK OUT:
Immigration:    No Charge
Customs:        69 BsF
Port Captain:    1 BsF

As indicated in Ms. Gabriele Drucker’s January 2008 letter in Compass there is still some disagreement on the need to do national check-ins and national check-outs. In any case, the good news is that there is no charge for either at the Porlamar INEA office.

There is more good news. Jackie’s Restaurant, the longtime base of so many cruisers visiting Porlamar, is again open for lunch, dinner and the ever-popular Happy Hour. Under new management, it has the new name Sunset Bar & Grill. The restaurant has been expanded and renovated and given a new expanded menu. The food is good and plentiful and supported by good service.

Another feature of the restaurant is free WiFi. If you are anchored close enough and have a good antenna, you can even get it on your boat. Depending on your location and your antenna there are a number of other free WiFi services that you can access from your boat at anchor in Porlamar.

Porlamar is one of our favourite stops. Regrettably, there is the risk of being boarded and robbed. However, with the proper precautions, it is possible to visit Porlamar unscathed, as most do every year. Forewarned is forearmed!

Kris & Sandra Hartford

S/V Nomotos

* BsF stands for “bolívar fuerte”, the new currency of Venezuela since January 1, 2008. As the highest rate of inflation in the Western hemisphere drove prices in Venezuela into the hundreds of thousands, millions or billions of bolívars, the decimal point was simply moved three places to the left. The official fixed exchange rate is now 2.15 to the US dollar (compared to last year’s official rate of 2,150 per dollar) but the black market rate will be significantly higher.

 

 






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