La Blanquilla Island

The waters around La Blanquilla lie in the south-eastern Caribbean, north of the Venezuelan coast. The island takes its Spanish name from its pale beaches, which stand out against low, dry scrub. Coral reefs around the island supplied material for craft and jewellery, and fishing boats worked the shallow shelves. Winds and currents shaped navigation on the route between the Venezuelan coast and the islands to the north, and the rocky reef edges made local knowledge essential for safe passage.