Sailing Avantivideo
Exploring Los Roques, underwater wonderland EP29
September 1, 2022 · 21 min · 698 views · Federal Dependencies, Venezuela
Aerial view from sailboat mast over turquoise sea and islands
What this video covers
Gerard and Jacqueline aboard the Cape Vickers 41 Avanti explore Los Roques archipelago north of Venezuela, anchoring first outside Francisqui after finding the anchorage too challenging, then working into a shallow sandbank at Half Moon Reef in 1.5 meters of water.0:20 Setting the anchor required carrying it by hand into the shallows with help from a buddy boat; their deeper draft made the maneuver difficult, while the buddy boat's lifting keel let it reach the sandbank directly.5:47 Charts throughout Los Roques proved unreliable for depths and hazards, so the crew navigated by eyeball between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. and used downloaded iPhone satellite imagery as a backup chart when out of cell range.15:23 Motoring replaced sailing through most of the narrow, reef-scattered interior channels.19:51 Dinghy safaris to Half Moon Reef's 45-kilometer reef system produced the best snorkeling the crew had seen in the Caribbean — healthy coral in multiple colors, turtles, stingrays, and barracudas in 29.5°C water — in sharp contrast to the bleached reefs seen elsewhere.10:29 A live conch, briefly kept aboard, was returned to the water.6:52 The crew sails 10 nautical miles to Kraski, reported by locals as the best snorkeling spot in Los Roques.19:23 Unreliable charts make downloaded satellite imagery and strict daylight-only eyeball navigation essential for safe transit through Los Roques.
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