A F R O D I T E

..The 'Nowhere' Magic of Las Aves Hello everybody After a couple of weeks in Los Roques, we were ready to head into the "more remote" island category "Los Aves"! The first lagon is much more sheltered from the waves, and though the wind continued to howl at 35-plus knots, we felt more snug and secure because the tropical storm HARVEY was on. Las Aves are two separate little archipelagos comprising about 16 islands and islets and several barrier reefs. The more easterly group is called Aves de Barlovento (windward) and the westerly group is called Aves de Sotovento (leeward). The name "Aves" comes from the large number and variety of birds that call these islands home. Because of its out-of-the-way location, there are no theme parks here, no day tours or fishing excursions. (In fact, there are no settlements here at all, except a Guardacosta station in Sotovento and some transient fishing camps). The beach on Isla Oeste is long and sweep...