The Islands of Las Aves is situated some 30 miles west of Los Roques and 45 miles East of Bonaire.
With around 90 miles from La Guaira, (on the North coast of Venezuela).
It takes a bit more than a nights sail from La Guaire or Carenero Higarote with a Sailboat, the only way to get there.
The group of islands consists of Aves de Barlovento and Aves de Sotavento. Together they cover the same area in Square miles as Los Roques, Around 355 s.m. with most barrier reef and some 16 small and big Islands.
People who like to sail, dive, swim, fish or just enjoy the complete solitude and completely deserted islands, will not find an more unspoiled paradise in the whole of the Caribbean, it has no inhabitants apart from a couple of very friendly fishermen who lives here for about 3 months a year and a small Guardia Nacional outpost with 4 young guys to guard the Islands.
Las Aves has no airstrip so that means that there is no day tours or mass tourism to spoil the nature, it is not a National Park and you will find more life in the sea here than other parts of the Southern Caribbean known for its abundance of marine life includes Los Roques and Bonaire which are National parks! but with people and fishermen.
Just snorkeling in Las Aves you will see quantities of King conch (Botuto), Lobsters, Turtles and other species that now has been extinct for good in the northern Caribbean.
Aves Barlovento is also the most spectacular Bird Sanctuary we have ever seen, with all kinds of sea birds, they live in the south on the main island.
One can watch the birds very close passing trough the canals in the dinghy between the mangroves which trough the years have developed in to tall trees, about 20 meters tall and 40 centimeters in diameter.
It is not seen anywhere else in the world. Mangroves do not grow that tall!
Aves Sotavento is known for it's many wreaks, both old and modern and there are a lot of wreaks scattered along the barrier reef.
Lots of old cannons, Anchors pieces of amphora's and other antique items can be found in very shallow water.
The Sailboat "Spirit of Obsession" and crew have done many trips to the Islands during the last years, on one of our trips we had the famous underwater treasure hunter (Barry Clifford) onboard including Discovery Channel and National Geographic.
They re-discovered one of the ships that went aground in 1678 from the famous French fleet of Count D`Estrees` where all of the 7 ships in the fleet went on the reef of Las Aves Sotavento in one night the 4 of may.
After a lot of publications in the press, (see news headlines) and photos, national and world wide, It was decided to do an even better organized expedition to Las Aves. The 4 of may 1998, 320 years after the disaster, Obsession and crew went back on a one week expedition to try and locate all of the wreak sites, with great success, more than 10 new locations where found and explored, and there is much more to be discovered.
See related map!
Various artifacts where discovered. Las Aves has it all for the real adventurer.... While it still lasts.
Isla Tesoro (Treasure Island) is the name of one the Islands and probably has the most beautiful anchorage in all of the Caribbean. Red. Henrik Bratfeldt
.. it is said that the early fishermen from the 1900 found traces of treasure there, with the latest equipment, money and time, we will soon bee ready for another land expedition to Isla Tesoro.
The Sailboat Obsession returned from a trip to Las Aves Barlovento reporting good fishing, and scuba diving with lots of King Conches and Lobsters.
