For those sailing to and from the Colombian Caribbean coast, this is a short update on Los Monjes, Venezuela.

On board our catamaran MILOCURA we did a one day stop at Los Monjes.

We contacted the Guarda Costa (Coast Guard) when we were about five miles off and were requested to tie to the dock, which is frequently used by Venezuelan fishing boats of the area.

We eventually tied to the rope tied between the two islands, which was being used by three other fishing boats. There were no other cruisers.

We would like to report that the Venezuelan sailors were very polite and professional and that their only request was to board to do a safety inspection.

They looked at flares, life jackets, fire suppression equipment and the like, filled a form and gave us the copy. Did not bother even asking nationalities or looking at passports, all in a very short time.

The fishermen tied to the same rope were also polite and helpful at all times, to the point that we did not even notice when they left very early in the morning.

All in all our fellow cruisers should know that Los Monjes is a safe and interesting place to stop, where cruisers are welcomed.

Regards,

Orestes Trifilio

Catamaran MILOCURA