—Continued from previous page

They gave me phone numbers and three radio chan-
nels to call them on. This team, together with local
police launches, also patrols the Morro waterway in
Puerto La Cruz, a large and attractive system of canals
lined by beautiful waterside residences of every size
and description. It is highly secure and very well run.
The only change this year is the complete absence of
visiting-cruiser canal traffic, which was so prevalent
two years ago.

It’s very strange — there are definitely safety and
security problems here in Venezuela, but I personally
feel less safe in so many other places. In fact, I actu-
ally find the island of St. Vincent much more alarming;
I really watch my back there and never anchor in the
remote areas. Experience in Guadeloupe also alerts
me to the fact that certain parts can be as bad as any-
thing in Venezuela. French sailors happily cruise West
Africa for months at a time — surely that has to be as
insecure an area as anything in the Caribbean.

It is abundantly clear to me that there is no orga-
nized, premeditated piracy on yachts in this part of
Venezuela, despite what many would have you believe.
The term “piracy” is often misused. Piracy, I feel, infers
totally premeditated and highly organized crime
against vessels on the high seas. In this area of the
Caribbean, any attacks on yachts, however shocking
and violent they are, in reality remain that — random,
disorganized crimes.

Many fishing boats in Venezuela carry guns, as
much to protect the fishermen themselves against
attacks as anything else. Those guns could be used to
rob a cruising yacht, however, if the opportunity arises
and the fishing is not going well. I have also read of
boats being targeted in port and followed out to sea.
But I still believe this is highly random. Until there are
heavily armed vessels engaged solely in the business
of hunting down and robbing cruising vessels, the
term “piracy” seems inappropriate.

There are very poor people in Venezuela, living under
such hard circumstances that desperate acts of sur-
vival might be inevitable. In better circumstances,
these people would be disinclined to engage in oppor-
tunist robbery and attacks on yachts, because so
many of them see visiting vessels as important con-
tributors to the local revenue.

Most attackers only want money or something they
can sell for easy money. This may explain why some
so-called “pirates” seem inept and haphazard, nervous
and afraid. Inexperienced at robbing, unaccustomed
to modern yachts and the “different” personnel aboard,
the robbers irrationally “trash” the vessel, a classic
response resulting from an anxiety of not actually
being sure what to steal or do. Incidents can deterio-
rate into violence because both the attackers and vic-
tims lose any sense of rationale or communication that
might defuse the situation.

Most attacks happen because an opportunity pres-
ents itself. Available circumstances meet potential
perpetrators, often without premeditation. Experience
indicates that potential attackers may “go away to
think about it”, leaving a window of opportunity for
alert travellers to leave the area if they have noticed
the danger.

We do cruise here on high alert and we take a num-
ber of precautionary measures. We have very bright
floodlights that we can switch on all over the yacht. We
have security “screamers” and pepper sprays. I have a
very powerful flare gun; not much against an AK 47
perhaps, but there are few instances of that firepower
in this area, despite its reputation as a “pirate”
hotspot. We have never actually needed to use any of
our safety measures. But we have moved on from
anchorages where we felt suddenly wary, especially
after boats approached us that we did not feel comfort-
able about. A keen awareness, particularly of every

 

 

passing boat, and an innate sense of what is risky,
may be our best protection.

The largest portion of the Venezuelan population liv-
ing near the coast between Caracas and Cumana/
Golfo de Cariaco seems friendly and quite “normal” (if
there is such a thing). We were visiting the Arapos
islands just off mainland Venezuela on Columbus
Day, a local holiday, which many locals celebrated
with picnics on the beach. Hundreds of fishing-boat
“taxis” passed us throughout the weekend. As the
only yacht anywhere around, we could not have been
more obviously alone and vulnerable. Yet all we felt
was that we were an object of curiosity, and — accord-
ing to the smiles and friendly waves — one that was
very welcome.

safe enough to permit proper and enjoyable Caribbean
cruising — e.g. one is able to be at anchor without
having to monitor every hatch and sound throughout
the night.

In truth, this is probably our last visit here and I
cannot conceal my disappointment about that. Despite
everything, I just love the area. The people are interest-
ing, the culture and the climate are wonderful. What a
waste to have to leave because of security fears! But
unless things change immediately, which is unlikely,
our luck may run out if we continue to try to cruise
here with any modicum of normality.

My abiding fear is that this proud and beautiful land
is slipping into decline, in such an unnecessary way,
and despite the good-natured will of most of its people.

 

Local people tell me that those who get a taste for

robbing often quickly get caught in Venezuela — the
deep-rooted Spanish-Catholic culture disapproves of
theft as a way of life. As explained to me, very poor
eople can ill afford to lose any of their meager posses-
sions to theft, so many of them have a curious moral-
ity regarding stealing. Even when they are engaged in
it themselves against richer people, they don’t approve
of the principle.
Nonetheless, street crime in the large towns seems to
have increased. In Puerto La Cruz, just outside the
well-known Bahia Redonda Marina there is a barrio
with three good fish restaurants. In daylight, cruiser
folk still visit them. But the hundred-metre walk is
now considered too risky at night. One friendly taxi
driver, lamenting the huge loss of visiting tourists,
explained that we were two of a mere handful of visi-
tors he had carried in recent months. Five years ago,
he said, there was a thriving tourist trade with visitors
rom all over the world.

Despite an enjoyable summer's cruise, increasingly
the evidence accumulates that these once-idyllic
coastal cruising grounds of mainland Venezuela are
currently to be avoided. Ann Louise and I prefer not to
be so security conscious all the time. Nor do we intend
to be marina bound. So shortly we will be off to
Tortuga and Los Roques. The off-lying islands still feel

 

In Puerto La Cruz is a system of canals lined.
by beautiful residences

Certainly the “normal” Venezuelan people we have met
seem genuinely appalled by all the incidents. All want
something done.

One painful truth is that the official response to
attacks on visiting yachts in Venezuela has been unac-
ceptably indifferent. It is astonishing how government
officials fail to see the damage their lack of response
does to the country, its tourism and its wider econo-
my. Because of a lethargic response to crimes and the
apparent lack of control by authorities and security
services, individuals come to believe they can get away
with attacks on foreign cruising yachts with impunity.
Thus, potential participants in this sort of crime
become emboldened.

If the matter of violent crime against visitors is not
fully addressed, the sophisticated visitor/cruiser mar-
kets, already in severe decline, could collapse. The
politicians alone have the control and resources to cor-
rect these matters. So far, they offer only lip service,
not remedial action. But unless they act soon they will
be failing the people of Venezuela. History will con-
demn them for their lamentable lack of action where it
was so vitally necessary. The businesses and the trav-
ellers will already be gone.

 

 

 

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