Cruising Guide to Venezuela and Bonaire

Publisher: Chris Doyle Publications with Cruising Guide Publications, 3rd ed.., 2002 £ 17.95

Who could resist a guide that contains a separate section on vampire bats? This chapter concludes with the comforting comment that “….the chances of getting bitten by a bat are very low unless you anchor at Isla Boracha”!  Although Chris Doyle’s excellent cruising guides of the Caribbean need little introduction, this particular volume is probably less familiar than those covering the areas further north. Venezuela and Bonaire are off the major bareboat charter routes and probably it will be long term live-aboards who are most likely to purchase the book. There are chapters on planning a cruise followed by sections dealing with the coast of mainland Venezuela, the offshore islands and Bonaire. The latter is part of the Netherlands Antilles and famed for its spectacular scuba diving.

 The photographs are of adequate quality. The chartlets showing anchorages and port entries, which number over 100, are exceptionally clear and as with the other guides in this series, one of the most useful features. Because the number of copies sold is quite low, a four-year gap occurs between editions so alterations are recorded on the internet site www.doyleguides.com.  While I have no personal experience of the particular part of the Caribbean described and therefore cannot vouch for the guide’s accuracy, I have found others in the series absolutely first class and a delight to use. I am sure this will prove equally good for those cruising Venezuela and Bonaire. - SRD

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