After our whale encounter in Dominica, we turned Barbara Ann southwest, to the Venezuelan offshore islands known as Los Roques. On the way, our resident fishing pro, Tyler, caught a big "bull" dorado. I did a better job filleting it this time, and we had fresh mahi-mahi for days. Tyler has his own website, with his perspective on fishing; visit http://tylerrhunt.googlepages.com/home





"The Rocks" were a particular favorite of ours from our 2005 trip trough the area, and we were looking forward to returning there.  Check out www.venezuelatuya.com/losroques/indexeng.htm for a look at this out of the way jewel. Los Roques is also known for some of the best bonefishing in the world. Since the area is shielded by an outside reef, no waves bother you as you sail through the clear, deep waters surrounding the islands and reefs. A unique experience. Here are the Hunt boys on the island of Sarqui.





After Los Roques, we stopped briefly at Barlovento, Las Aves. Las Aves means The Birds in Spanish, since these small islands are home to a large, and noisy, population of Boobies. We managed not to get hit by bird droppings as we went ashore to visit a cairn of stones that cruisers have left there over the years. The stones have boat names and clever logos drawn on them and we wanted to find the one we left 2 years previous. We did find it, and refreshed our faded-out name with a magic marker. Under a full moon, we enjoyed a bonfire onshore that evening, complete with marshmallows.



Bonaire was our next stop, where the boys had completed their Scuba certification 2 years ago. Any diver knows that Bonaire is one of the premier spots in the Caribbean, and the sailboat moorings are directly over a healthy coral reef. We spent the next week Scuba diving and snorkeling the days away.








When we weren't under the crystal-clear water we were still enjoying it. Here's Jackie swinging from our neighbors' spinnaker pole.





Life wasn't always so hedonistic on Bonaire. These huts were used to house the slaves that worked the salt flats in the 1800's. They've been rebuilt, but are the exact size as the originals. To show the scale, check out the boys in one of them. As an old saying goes, "they're so small, you'd have to go outside to change your mind!"









Despite protests from the younger crew onboard, it was soon time to leave Bonaire. On our way to Curacao, we spent one night off the deserted island of Klein Curacao. Its reef has claimed its share of boats through the years, as this picture attests. This unfortunate yacht went on the reef there a few months before we arrived. Here's Tyler doing what her owner should have.









Dolphins at the bow! We never get tired of watching them. Here's part of a large pod that played in our bow wake on the way from Klein Curacao to Curacao.





Here's Austin & Tyler (red shirt) on their 3rd day of windsurfing lessons in Curacao. Somehow, the boys convinced us to buy a windsurfer after learning how. Now if I can only figure out where to put it....





It was a long hike, but definitely worth it. Here's the view from Mt. Kristoffel, highest point on Curacao.





This was the start of a great  ATV trip to the wild side of Curacao. We also had our good friends, Glenn & Pam, from Anything Goes, along for the ride.




Glenn & Pam liked Curacao so much they bought a piece of it. How about this view from their condo's porch?












Some snorkeling shots






Here's the route we traveled since entering the Caribbean. Our next stop will be Colombia, then on to the San Blas Islands, and the Panama Canal. The Pacific is calling...


To the Panama Canal