Gone Fishing

A very early start for us today. We are meeting Elvin at 06.00 who is taking us the 35km north to the remote Barra del Colorado. Here, where the Rio Colorado meets the Caribbean, at certain times of year, large numbers of tarpon congregate and Paul is hoping to catch something big.

Elgin’s boat is powerful (200hp) and we are really motoring. Lush jungle surrounds us but there is no opportunity to spot much wildlife. We are going too fast. We eventually drop anchor in the mouth of the river. It is anything but calm but it is a beautiful yet raw location. We are anchored by a sandy spit, which is like a tree graveyard, with hundreds of huge logs marooned ashore.

Elvin and Paul set up their fly rods and start fishing. The water is very churned up and rough and nothing is biting. Elvin thinks, given the conditions, that the tarpon will be the other side of the sandbar where the surf is breaking. Over the course of several hours we make numerous attempts to cross but it is just to dangerous. It feels like a scene from a movie where you are trapped on a desert island and trying to work out how to traverse the reef.

Basically nothing happens for 7 hours. I amuse myself by trying to capture as great a variety of shots as possible. No easy task as the boat is bouncing around like some kind of wurlitzer. Amazingly I am not in the least sea sick. Clearly I still have my sea legs despite not sailing for a few years.

We avoid a few squalls which is lucky and I enjoy watching the huge colony of terns that periodically launch themselves from the shore in mesmerising clouds.

At 15.15 we weigh anchor and head back to Tortuguero. Elvin suggests I sit on the front seat. I feel like I am flying down the river as we speed our way back.

When we disembark we both have incredibly wobbly legs. It feels as though the land is moving and we are both completely exhausted. This has been a long day and boat seats are so uncomfortable. I recall our comments from back in the BVI sailing days, that pretty much anything on a boat is more comfortable to sit on than the seats!

Fortunately we have booked a massage and it was bliss. Afterwards, we were almost too tired and relaxed to walk to a restaurant for dinner and jet lag is definitely playing its part. We found a very rustic bar where we ordered a beer and medium sized pizza. Glad we did not order a large one. It was huge….and delicious.