Ilha Cubagua

Anchor spot: N 10 50.100 W064 09,575   6m deep in sand

We  weighed anchor at 04h00 for Ilha Cubagua. The route for the day was in protected waters for the first 18 Nm and the next 16 Nm was in wind and current against us.

planning the route

The weather forecast was of light winds.

The first bit was good, some sailing with wind on the starboard beam and Hennie caught a good size Mahi-mahi on the rod-and-reel with the lure he got in Nelspruit.

The wind started picking up and changed direction and soon we had 25 knots just off the nose.

A big swell-chop was building and we were making slow headway, on average 2.5 knots!

Cat Marry decided to anchor on the west coast of Cubagua and we followed them in.

Hennie caught the first Dorado

Ilha Cubagua

This is not a recognised anchorage in our cruising guide but it looked OK and it got us out of the chop and spray. Cat Marry told us they measured 30 knots max wind and only 14 knots were forecast!

A short while later a scruffy looking navy guy came in a pirogue and told us to move to the north anchorage as this one is not safe.

You don’t argue with this s

o we upped anchor and motored to Ensenada de Charagato.

Luckily the wind and swell had lessened somewhat and just before sunset we anchored at a very nice spot in front of a small fishing village.

Dinner was  whole fresh Dorado on the grill.