OCC CRUISING INFORMATION SERVICE

Editor: George Curtis, Blacksmiths Cottage, Aston Tirrold, Oxfordshire, OX11 9DQ, England

Tel/Fax:+44 (0) 1235 850794; e-mail cis@oceancruisingclub.org

Venezuela - Country Page

1. Formal requirements for yachts entering from abroad:

Clearance from previous port, certificate of boat registration, valid passports. Crew list and other paperwork is supplied by the local officials.and a Passport

It is strongly recommended that you use an agent to clear customs and immigration – the bureaucracy is immense and you would need to speak fluent Spanish. Legally a yacht only needs international clearance, however the officials interpret the law differently and demand that you must also clear in and out in every state.

2. Visa requirements:

None for UK, USA, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand, Scandinavian, most Western European citizens. Some countries do need visas.

3. Cruising permits and restrictions:

Yachts can stay in Venezuela for up to 18 months although Immigration will normally only grant Individuals a 3 month stay at a time (with extensions up to 18 months)

A cruising permit is required and this is given when clearing in. This is ostensibly for an 18 month period but you still have to renew it every 6 months. After 18 months the boat must leave Venezuelan waters.

If you wish to extend or renew a cruising permit or immigration visa, talk to the agent you cleared in with. You will be amazed at what can be done.

4. Formal procedures when departing from one port and entering another:

This can be a little complicated.

It may be necessary to clear in and out of every state.

You may check in Internationally at any of the following Ports of Clearance:- Guiria, Puerto Cabello, Carupano, Cumana, La Guaira, Puerto La Cruz and Porlamar (Margarita). However, whilst you can travel between these Major Ports, you have to clear in and out of them nationally if you intend to stop there for more than 24 hours.

It is possible to get clearance from one end of Venezuela to the other and visit all Ports in between which gives you freedom to visit all of the Venezuelan Offshore Islands and most of the Coastline as long as you do not spend more than one night en route (for example, clear in Internationally to Porlamar, then clear out of Porlamar Nationally for Puerto Cabello). We strongly recommend the use of an Agent which is inexpensive and takes away most of the hassle.

5. Recommended cruising guides:

Cruising Guide to Venezuela by Chris Doyle and Jeff Fisher. ISBN 0-944428-58-4 (Note: a new version is out, it may have a different ISBN number).

Cruising Guide to Venezuela and Bonaire by Chris Doyle – This is excellent although you need to check locally upon arrival as to whether all the anchorages detailed are still acceptably safe for visiting yachtsmen. For example, in 2007, it was strongly recommended to only use the anchorages in Porlamar and Juan Griego when visiting the Island of Margarita.

6. Web links providing local cruising information:

www.doyleguides.com,

Noonsite (although not just local information)

7. Some of the Ports of entry:

(East to West mainland) Guiria, Carupano, Cumana, Puerto La Cruz, La Guaira, Puerto Cabello plus Porlamar (Isla Margarita)

8. Recommended sources of weather and climate information and reliability:

SSB radio. Chris Parker 8137 USB at 07.00, 8104 USB at 08.30. George 7250 LSB at 07.15 and 7086 LSB at 16.30. All local times. The VHF radio nets in Puerto La Cruz and Porlamar also have very reliable weather forecasts.

9. Where to obtain tidal information:

Tides are small but the current along the coast and out islands can be strong, normally flowing in a west or north west direction. There is sometimes a counter current close into the coast.

10: How to contact the search and rescue organisation:

Coastguard: VHF 16, they are not efficient at answering so consider yourself “on your own”.

11: Any comments on radio and communications:

There are cruisers’ nets at Porlamar (08.00) and Puerto la Cruz (07.45) both on VHF 72. provides good information on weather and security issues in addition to any Social Functions.

12. Any comments on emergency and health services:

Treatment in private hospitals is of the highest quality, better than UK private hospitals at significantly lower cost. Private dental care is also good. Venezuela also specialises in laser eye surgery and tooth implants.

13: Any comments on importing spares:

There is no reliable postal service in Venezuela and couriers are very expensive. There are some fairly basic chandleries in Puerto La Cruz but it’s best to carry all the spares you need.

14: General advice, places to go, warnings:

Venezuela is an awesome country with a climate range from tropical to alpine. Must visit places include the Orinoco river, Angel Falls (the world’s highest waterfall), the Los Llanos wetlands and Merida (the world’s highest cable car) in the Andes. Many people also fly to Peru from Venezuela.

Take US$ and change them for local Bolivars on the black market (the rate is at least double the official rate), ask around for who changes money. Do not use Credit / Cash Cards as they are vulnerable to fraud and exchange rates are extremely unfavourable. All cruisers should take a ready supply of USD cash which can be easily exchanged at top rates.

Check availability of foodstuffs before you go and take what you need. When we were last there (November 2007) products that were difficult to find included: fresh and powdered milk; rice; fresh meat products; sugar; white flour.

Take heed of Pilot Book warnings and check with local knowledge before venturing to places that have been cautioned against. (Eg The Northern coast of the Gulf of Paria has long been out of bounds toYachtmen).

The Offshore Islands are beautiful and perfectly safe.

15: Any comments on safety and security:

Be alert - as you would be anywhere and don’t flash expensive jewellery / watches / cash etc

There are many rumours, half truths and misleading information about security in Venezuela. There are two basic issues:

- Ashore. Behave just as if you were in a large city. Don’t carry large sums of money, lots of credit cards, flashy jewellery etc. Blend in with the locals, smart jeans and a polo shirt are a good start. Do not walk through Barrios (slums). The Venezuelan out-islands are completely safe.

- Afloat. A few years ago there were a number of boardings and some cruisers were shot. The background to this is that the USA blockaded the Columbian coast, the drug runners had to find a new route (via Venezuela).

Most of the incidents had little to do with robbing yachts, the bad guys were trying to scare yachts away from certain areas so there would be no witnesses to their activities.

There are still “no go areas”: stay fifty miles off the Paria Peninsula, there are no roads and the drugs go by sea. Stay clear of Santa Fe where drugs are switched from road to boat, and stay clear of any area where there is a main road along the coast. It is generally best to anchor only with other boats. The coast west of Puerto la Cruz to Columbia has some beautiful anchorages and is viewed to be safe. Always lift your dinghy at night, wherever you are.

The bottom line is the Cobbes spent nearly a year in Venezuela with no trouble at all. Most crime incidents occur because cruisers have acted foolishly.

When they first arrived in Venezuela there had been no armed robberies of yachts for eighteen months (people had learned where to avoid). Limited yacht crime is being reported again in Venezuela because: initially people avoided the “no go” areas; no crime was reported from the “no go” areas; people started to go there again. Don’t.

The OCC Cruising Information Service is provided by the OCC. The information is supplied to the OCC by members and is for OCC members only. The date given in the above is the date that the members supplying the information visited this place and the information may have changed at any time. The OCC has taken no steps to verify the information, which should be confirmed independently. The OCC accepts no responsibility for the accuracy of the information and cannot be held liable for any damage howsoever caused whether directly or indirectly or any consequential losses.