Los Roques safe or not

[Woodland Hills]

There’s old pilots and bold pilots, but no old bold pilots. Substitute sailors if you wish.......

[Parrothedd]

I echo that fear is a reasonable and often lifesaving human response. Read the book Gift of Fear. It tells us to listen to our instincts regarding fear. If fear tells you not to stay in a situation, listen to your instincts and get the hell out of there. I have a bit of experience from 30 years in Law Enforcement.

[Ghostrider421]

Originally Posted by redneckrob

That was a completely unnecessary comment aimed at someone providing very topical, recent, first-hand experience to the OPs question.

I don't apologize for my comments. I frequently have visited the island chain and have many friends still living there. My Dad's business partner was born on Gran and he tells me it's safe. I don't bribe officials, but have seen it done. And, I have personally seen what happens when cocky Americans attempt that.


There was a 70ft sportfisherman who anchored out and sent in his 30ft express cruiser and crew into Caraballeda marina to buy the cheap fuel - about 9-10 yrs ago. That fuel is restricted to 400gal/wk. He pumped that much and more into bladders to return it to the mothership. The crew got caught and they tried to bribe their way out of it. The boat was seized and made it return to LaGuaira port. The fine would have been about 10,000 B's (about 85USD) - instead the boat was locked up - put on the Q dock for two months. The crew wasn't allowed to leave. Soon they were running out of food and water. We gave them what they needed. Efforts on their behalf finally succeeded - they were allowed to leave and never return to Venezuela. The express cruiser was eventually sold for 150,000 B's to a friend of ours. The mothership got away and went to Trinidad - they abandoned their crew and boat. Nice guys huh?


So, you go ahead and bribe officials at your own peril.

[fcftampa]

If half of what you say is true, you know not bribing in Venezuela is close to imposible. We're talking about non experienced 1st worlders jumping in the giant cesspool of Vzla. Not worth it regardless of what a Gran Roque resident tells another venezuelan; who just like the frog, gets used to boiling water and says it's all fine.

[carlosproa]

Stay away from Los Roques, it may go fine but if it goes wrong, it will be really wrong. I still have family in Venezuela and I cannot phantom anybody risking their boat. By the way Los Roques is beautiful

[redneckrob]

Originally Posted by Ghostrider421

I don't apologize for my comments. I frequently have visited the island chain and have many friends still living there. My Dad's business partner was born on Gran and he tells me it's safe. I don't bribe officials, but have seen it done. And, I have personally seen what happens when cocky Americans attempt that.


There was a 70ft sportfisherman who anchored out and sent in his 30ft express cruiser and crew into Caraballeda marina to buy the cheap fuel - about 9-10 yrs ago. That fuel is restricted to 400gal/wk. He pumped that much and more into bladders to return it to the mothership. The crew got caught and they tried to bribe their way out of it. The boat was seized and made it return to LaGuaira port. The fine would have been about 10,000 B's (about 85USD) - instead the boat was locked up - put on the Q dock for two months. The crew wasn't allowed to leave. Soon they were running out of food and water. We gave them what they needed. Efforts on their behalf finally succeeded - they were allowed to leave and never return to Venezuela. The express cruiser was eventually sold for 150,000 B's to a friend of ours. The mothership got away and went to Trinidad - they abandoned their crew and boat. Nice guys huh?


So, you go ahead and bribe officials at your own peril.

Let's be clear, your comment you "don't apologize for" was pejoratively accusing someone providing us all accurate, useful and topical information about the subject of this thread of being afraid. In fact the entirety of your comment was "If FEAR is your factor and always present, you'd better stay home". That was completely uncalled for and an all around jerk comment to make, full stop. The poster and post you directed that at said nothing whatsoever about bribing anyone, so why you're now faffing on about bribing as if that somehow justifies your previous gratuitous personal attack is baffling at best.

[TeddyDiver]

Originally Posted by redneckrob

Let's be clear, your comment you "don't apologize for" was pejoratively accusing someone providing us all accurate, useful and topical information about the subject of this thread of being afraid. In fact the entirety of your comment was "If FEAR is your factor and always present, you'd better stay home". That was completely uncalled for and an all around jerk comment to make, full stop. The poster and post you directed that at said nothing whatsoever about bribing anyone, so why you're now faffing on about bribing as if that somehow justifies your previous gratuitous personal attack is baffling at best.

Someone who accurately was "under radar", "not checkin in". How's that accurate information?

[redneckrob]

Originally Posted by TeddyDiver

Someone who accurately was "under radar", "not checkin in". How's that accurate information?

Not sure what it has to do with "FEAR"? Or bribery?

The guy was crew on a boat. The boat he was on didn't check in. I have no reason to doubt the person is accurately conveying his experience, including that piece. Do you? Are you defending the unjustified personal attack or what exactly are you trying to accomplish?

[Ghostrider421]

Your handle says it all

[redneckrob]

Originally Posted by Ghostrider421

Your handle says it all

The handle is a social experiment. You could say it's "ironic" in that it represents close to the polar opposite of what I am (my apologies to all the actual Robs out there, I liked the alliteration). I was curious how many folks judged what I said by the contents of what I said and how many judged it by their stereotype of the speaker. We all see where you fall on that spectrum. But if you are capable of addressing what I actually said instead of continuing the personal attacks which seem sadly to characterize your posts on this thread....please do!

[Ghostrider421]

Just returned from there this past weekend. Everything is perfectly fine. Shortages yes, but nothing out of the ordinary. Guaido is under seige in his home but that's a hundred miles away from the islands. Fishing was fantastic.

[fcftampa]

Obviously you live in Vzla and are in touch with 'vzlan-reality'. Please post your opinion with that disclaimer for the random visitor of the thread who might take your advice at thresholds of normal civilization in mind.

[Ghostrider421]

Originally Posted by fcftampa

Obviously you live in Vzla and are in touch with 'vzlan-reality'. Please post your opinion with that disclaimer for the random visitor of the thread who might take your advice at thresholds of normal civilization in mind.

You are mistaken. I am Panamanian born and raised. If you bothered to read my bio here, you wouldn't be making such stupid statements.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by fcftampa

Obviously you live in Vzla and are in touch with 'vzlan-reality'. Please post your opinion with that disclaimer for the random visitor of the thread who might take your advice at thresholds of normal civilization in mind.

Really? You expect posters to "normalize" their observations. Its a big world out there with lots of different "normals"...which version of "normal" do you expect to be used for normalization?

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by fcftampa

Obviously you live in Vzla and are in touch with 'vzlan-reality'. Please post your opinion with that disclaimer for the random visitor of the thread who might take your advice at thresholds of normal civilization in mind.

What does this actually mean?