Because of the mix up with the time I had allocated for our Grenada to Los Roques crossing we were due to arrive at night time. We decided to try slow down a little and even found a reef that Elayna could free dive to waste a couple of hours. Elayna jumped in but was definitely a little hesitant as we were in the deep blue. I dragged her behind La Vaga for a while (trawling for sharks) whilst she kept an eye out for anything fishy. Nothing around so we dropped out the headsail, turned off the engine and sailed into the night.
Los Roques has a large rocky mountain on the outer edge that we were to round before making our way to the anchorage. I reduced sail as I was concerned once again of wind acceleration, the foreboding rock looking like it might cause some. No acceleration and as we rounded the northern face and made our way south we found a dead patch and furled in the rest of the headsail. Approaching at night is always hairy and on Navionics there was a marking for buoys, these turned out to be gigantic buoys for refuelling ships rather than for us to tie off too but served as an indicator that we were where we thought we were. As we motored on a little we saw all the familiar bobbing lights indicating a field of Yachts. We dropped in behind a couple of Catamarans and the anchor caught second attempt beautifully. I think I was asleep before Elayna had attached the rode.
We woke early and approached another vessel hoping to get the goss on the area and in particular the price as it looked on paper like it might add up to $580 US. We found out it was more like $200 for 15 days and as I am writing this on day 5 we have only payed about $1.20 so, I don’t know, they might sting us on the way out? The lovely people at Nellys helped me sort out the outboard and the genius mechanic proved himself worthy of the task and the $10 or something he charged. The outboard and tender are both really important to Elayna and I as a safety device and also as a basic means of transport so we were really really happy to get that finally sorted out. Imagine kayaking back and forth the weeks groceries to the boat when it is blowing 20 knots. Some people do it.
Los Roques is a top spot, you can party in gran roque and get very basic supplies infrequently, fuel your not really supposed to buy but it can be organised through locals and costs like a 10$ for 40L of diesel including the bribe, there is an airport and this is where you come to check in or do anything really. From here there are dozens of islands, mostly deserted, that also happen to make brilliant anchorages. We are excited to check them out! Francis Cay, Sebastopol, Crasqui, Noronqui and Cayo de Agua are some of the ones that we want to check out, but that will be next week on SAILING LA VAGABONDE!!!
Cheers, Riley.
Comments 29
Happy New Year!! Love you guys! So what’s the story behind the broken cockpit table?
You guys are the Best!!!
I would have really liked to have seen more shots of the dead reef… I’ve only ever read about them, and never seen a video of them.
If you happen upon them again, would you mind taking a little more video?
Way to go guys .. you sound like a couple of experienced sea dogs since way when you started … great that you have each other to experience these wonderful things in life that some can only dream of … stay safe and happy sailing
Awesome!! looks like an adventure awaits!!!
I just found you and I’m addicted!!!! Love what you guys do!
i am glad that you guys are having fun and enjoying one of the many beautiful places that my old country can offer. i have not been there in at least 15 years. have fun….
Hey guys, thanks for the great video’s and have finally finished watching all of them.
Absolutely beautiful.
My wife and I are casting off in three years time and will definitely be visiting some of the spots you went to.
On your last video, I took down the recipe and will be cooking it this weekend. Can’t wait. Would you know what the recipe is called?
And since I’m the chef, I think a couple more recipes from the local spots would be excellent way to get a “taste” of what’s to come.
Thanks again,
Michel & Sonja
~~~_/)*~~~
There’ll be more videos to come for sure!
The fish recipe is Ceviche, there’s the recipe we learnt but there’s a ton of recipes online too (no guarantees they’ll be as good as the one we had on los roques though!!)
Great Vid! You guys are great together…
Safe travels~
The money dance was hilarious. Another incredible video and another place to add to my visit list. Safe sailing you two.
It is so cool that you guys are now putting a lot more of what the sailing life hiccups can be. No one likes things like outboards that do not work but in a way hearing of others issues is refreshing. It makes it easier to prepare for a life like that. So how is the water maker doing? Any more boat improvements in the works?
Beutiful, continiu vith luck!
I absolutely love these video’s . They’re so well done and I am learning so much from watching them. Safe travels and looking forward to watching more.
Living The Life of Pirates !!! Will Cross Paths One Day !!!
I’ve donated $35 USD to your grand adventure, based on the complex formula of 1 USD per YouTube video.
ALL: I strongly encourage everyone who watches the videos and enjoys them to simply donate $ 1 for each video watched. Unlike fictional movies costing far more – theirs is the REAL DEAL and “filmed on location”. Many people making a small & trivial donation will power Riley & Elayna forward. BTW I made the donation through the Paypal link on their home page as it seems Patreon takes a bit more vigorish on the donation than Paypal.
Riley & Elayna – Fair winds!!
Wow, best episode yet! The production quality is getting amazing, and a local recipe for a cooking like show was genius. I’ve been watching since the “The Atlantic Crossing” Ep. 7, and have been enjoying what you guys are doing ever since. When you get to the point where you need paid crew, as I’m sure you will one day will, I would like to put my name in the hat. I raced for 5 years, and owned a 1975 C&C 25 for a few years. She was a quick fun boat (did not race on her, raced on a SR 33 as crew). But that was a few years ago, so my sailing may have gotten rusty, but I’d catch on quick. I like to cook, so I’d be willing to learn Elayna’s cooking techniques! haha. But seriously, keep up the great work! The watermaker install was an awesome video as well!
I say, you do speak French like a Spanish cow ! Dude.
You did a pretty honourable job at hacking up the names of those two iconic figures of French culture and literature, whose photos were framed and hung on that kitchen wall.
The letter “g” in Cyrano de Bergerac is to be pronounced like a “j”.
Personally, I won’t hold it against you, but I know a couple of persons who would jump to the ceiling, and claim you should be sentenced to memorizing all the literary masterpieces of Cyrano, and in French, mind you.
Keep enjoying and Bon vent !
signed: ex-oilfield trash
Love hearing about your adventures. After your passage through the Canal, have you considered sailing north to the Gold Coast of Mexico? Lots of people hang out there before making the jump to the South Pacific. Lots of good food, surfing, diving, beach activities, like-minded sailing folks etc.
Keep up the great work.
I’m just waiting for you to head over to the San Blas Islands near Panama…I want to follow your same route in a year or so. Be sure to give me all the juicy details…. and by all means calm seas and fair winds to both of you. Good Luck.
I’m with you on that one captain Dave, I spent a couple of weeks sailing around the San Blas islands on my parents boat some time ago and never wanted to leave the small islands are like paradise.
Love watching the adventures. JB
Another great post and video. But let’s get down to what is important … Riley’s stache… Tom Selleck level right now … top notch
$1.20 – bargain.
Now.. Elayna … If anyone asks the story goes like this…?
Given all the pressing needs of the many billions of people in the world (over 3 billion living in poverty worldwide and nearly 1 billion malnourished!) I find it disheartening that people are willing to donate any amount to two very young, very capable people just trying to chase their dreams. I sincerely hope for every dollar donated here an equal dollar is donated to a worthy cause. Why not solicit a corporate sponsor or reality show deal? Why not use your exposure and charm to raise funds for something meaningful? What you are doing is great entertainment and enjoyable to watch and could really benefit others if you found a voice.
Wow…guess my previous comment was not deemed worthy of posting and was censored. Must not want you viewers to think too hard about donating to such an unworthy cause. shame on you
I’m so glad I discovered you guys. Much love from Florida <3
*Not for publication*
G’day Riley and Elayna,
Enjoying your blog. Thanks.
You would receive redundant advice from your readers and this is probably in that basket. However I have the time to write it and you have a delete button.
I’ve been unsuccessfully endeavouring to write even remotely as well as Michener, Hemingway and Maugham for half a decade. I’ll never get there, I know that but I enjoy the endeavour immensely.
One exercise I have found useful is taking a good sentence like:
“Los Roques has a large rocky mountain on the outer edge that we were to round before making our way to the anchorage. I reduced sail as I was concerned once again of wind acceleration, the foreboding rock looking like it might cause some.”
I then jot down words; ‘ominous’, ‘craggy’, ‘rugged’, dread, etc. Words I derive from my memory of that or some other recalled moment. Roget’s can be helpful. Perhaps you could play on the ‘rogue’ aspect? “The Rogue’s”, the crooks and villians?
An ominous gloom swept over me as the chilled shadow of the craggy mountain off our port bow enveloped la Vaga …
Disquieting recollections of vicious wind acceleration tightened my shoulders as scrambled forward to trim …
Tension crept across my shoulders as I scrambled forward to trim …
The possibilities are endless but I wasn’t there.
I try to communicate the mood rather than detail the actions and events so I often start the paragraph with a mood word, the sequence of events and actions seem to meld effortlessly from the mood giving a much better description.
Of coarse there is never enough time to do that for every or even a few sentences on a blog but i find it useful when I get time and i have found it does improve my writing over time.
Hope this helps.
beers,
build
BTW have you read ‘Dirt Music’?
Damn. Having now watched the video i find it’s a “q” not a “g” which is a shame, I prefer “Los Rogues” it’s much more ‘pirates of the Caribbean’.
My wife and I have thoroughly enjoyed watching all of your episodes. We have watched your adventures on Youtube while awaiting ours to begin. My wife (Shelli) loved your swimsuit from ep. 26 about one minute into the video. She wants to know where you got it so she can get one herself. In a few short years we will be sailing the carribbean maybe we can meet up have a drink but that’s another time.
Respectfully
Tim and Shelli Drake