channel of the southeastern Caribbean Sea, between Point Peñas (the eastern end of the Paria Peninsula in northeastern Venezuela) and the northwestern extremity of the island of Trinidad (Trinidad and Tobago). The channel, about 12 miles (20 km) wide, is one of two separating Trinidad from mainland South America; the other is the Serpent's Mouth, off the island's southwestern coast. In between these passages lies the broad Gulf of Paria (Paria, Gulf of). Dragons Mouths is named for its many teethlike rocky islets; both these islets and the strong current of the channel have long been dangers to navigation.