Another early start today. Up at 04.30 to meet our fishing guide for 06.00 departure and we are told it is a 45 minute drive. It is a only about 7km but the road is terrible with huge potholes. We also have no address – just a pin mark on google maps and it does not appear to be on a road….

It is still dark and as we head north we are surprised by the amount of traffic. There are farm workers but also giant lorries which are completely unsuitable for the dirt road. It is slightly un-nerving to confront them in the dark just as you are trying to avoided half a dozen potholes. According to Waze we reach our destination in about 20 minutes but can see no likely properties. We drive back and forth. I suggest phoning our guide but Paul insists that, as he is a bloke, he can find it unaided. A man suddenly appears with a torch and it turns out to be our guide Napoleon. Annoyingly Paul was proved right – no call required! A bit fortuitous admittedly.

Napoleon greets us warmly and escorts us down to his boat. We set off in pursuit of tarpon. They feed in the morning and late afternoon and can be spotted rolling on the surface. The river is beautiful and teeming with life. Huge flocks of birds are roosting in the reed beds, herons and cormorants are already fishing and caiman and crocodiles laze on the banks.

It seems that every tree has iguanas roosting in the branches and large males show off the their vivid mating colours. Howler monkeys are abundant too and call loudly as we pass below. Howlers are usually black with a tan back but we spot an unusual orange one sleeping in the branches.

We anchor in a likely spot but nothing bites so we move on. This is Paul’s lucky day. We see tarpon jumping around us and Napoleon says this is a good spot. Almost instantly a tarpon bites. It is actually quite exciting and this one seems big and strong. I follow the action keenly with my camera as I want some good footage of it jumping. My patience is rewarded. It makes a run for it and leaps. It is huge. Napoleon thinks 60kg!

The tarpon was so heavy that it broke the line as Napoleon was lifting it from the water so no shots of Paul holding it but he is still very happy. The weather changes by the second here. Sunshine, cloud and occasional torrential rain but it is always hot. We even had a rainbow.

Napoleon takes us back to his house for lunch. He has a wonderfully manicured garden leading shown to the river with an abundance of tropical flowers. He feeds the birds bananas and they fill the garden with their song and bright colours. We have rice and scrambled egg for lunch which is actually very good with fruit juice. The rice has had herbs added so is very tasty. Napoleon says’ Mi casa es tu casa’ and leaves us the run of the place as he goes to pick up his wife.

I have fun photographing the garden and bird life. Paul chillaxes.

We set off again at at 2.15. Paul catches another tarpon but this one is really huge and gets away. It’s a lovely afternoon nevertheless and so much more enjoyable than the fishing experience at Tortuguero.

We thank Napoleon for his hospitality and great fishing and head home. We are shattered so have an early dinner and head straight to bed.

Paul, Napoleon and his dog