There is much FUD bandied about regarding the dangers in the EC islands. This is mostly hearsay and is happily passed on, mostly by newcomers to the area. As one who has sailed each winter season in the Windwards over the past ten years, I can say with some certainty that the recent security situation is vastly overblown. Some folks are victims of their own lack of taking reasonable care of their security. They tie their dink to their boat with rope and when it is gone in the morning they cry thief, and tell everyone about the danger. Would you leave your wallet on a bench in Grand Central Station in New York City? Of course not. Dave of Swan Song reports no problems in Puerto La Cruz, VZ, nor on passage there and back, but his positive experience means that he has taken proper precautions. To say that there are no serious problems there is dangerous, as there have been plenty of incidents there in recent years which are violent crime far beyond dinghy thefts. Please be cautious and by all means listen to the Security net on 8104 at 0815 each morning until you know the trouble spots and what precautions to take. For a compilation of trouble over the past years in various islands visit _http://www.safetyandsecuritynet.com/_ (http://www.safetyandsecuritynet.com/) Be aware that these pages may not be up to the minute. Go and visit the Eastern Caribbean islands and enjoy all they have to offer before they become like the rest of Paradise. Regards, John & Penny "Seahorse" ************************************** Get a sneak peek of the all-new AOL at http://discover.aol.com/memed/aolcom30tour