Maracaibo is located on Lake Maracaibo, which…

Maracaibo is located on Lake Maracaibo, which can be accessed only through a narrow, winding channel twelve feet deep and sprinkled with islands and sandbars.

The French captain claims that he can direct the ships safely through it, but unbeknownst to him the Spanish had built a fort at the channel’s narrowest point since the time of the captain’s last visit.

When the fleet reaches this point, they are unable to navigate the rough terrain because of the cannon and gunfire coming from the fort, leaving Morgan no choice but to order his men to land on the beach despite their lack of protection from the Spanish guns.

When nightfall arrives, Morgan and his men cautiously enter the fort, finding not Spaniards bit only a slow-burning explosive left as a trap for the buccaneers.

In order to protect his fleet for their voyage back through the channel, Morgan stole strips all of the supplies from the fort and orders his men to bury the cannons in the sand.

Because the Spanish now know of Morgan’s plan to attack Maracaibo, the men take canoes and small vessels through the channel to the town as opposed to the lengthy process of bringing the larger vessels.

Despite this modified plan of attack, the residents of Maracaibo are able to escape with their valuables before the buccaneers arrive.

Morgan and his men, after searching the area for three week and torturing any citizens they can find, load the large vessels with their provisions and booty, as well as prisoners to be used as messengers, and set off to attack the nearby town of Gibraltar.