Safari Sailing - Las Aves

Las Aves

Located 30 miles East of our starting point of Bonaire, Las Aves are accessible yet remote. Only reachable by boat, this archipelago of deserted islands and reefs gets few visitors. Those that do come are rewarded with a pristine, undeveloped area of incredible beauty.

Now officially part of Venezuela, these islands have changed hands many times over the years. Once important for guano, today the only economic activity is a little fishing.

Due to the prevailing easterly trade winds, the trip from Bonaire can be difficult. For this reason, we suggest planning on a few extra days to give some flexibility in selecting a good weather window for this run. Nonetheless, expect a challenging, day-long ride in open water.

Las Aves means "birds" in Spanish. The area is a breeding ground for several species as well as turtles. The variety of water colors has to be seen to be believed and polarized sunglasses are a must.

Dive in for a refreshing swim then relax in the shade and enjoy the view.

Take your pick of the many deserted islands. Swim, kayak, kite or windsurf over and enjoy the fine sand beaches.

The reefs have claimed many wrecks over the centuries. The most famous being an entire French fleet in 1678. While on the way to attack the Dutch colony of Curacao, the French were lured onto the reefs by the Dutch. The result being almost 1,500 sailors and dozens of ships lost. There are so many wrecks that some of the older artifacts, like this anchor, are mingled with wreckage from more recent arrivals like this propane freighter from the 70's.

This is the place to get away from the crowd. We can guarantee a private beach and anchorage.