Today we leave Panama for Costa Rica. We had been told of extraordinary fishing grounds some 30 nautical miles north of our current anchorage on 'Isla
Jicaron'.
We leave at 5.30 am to be there at 8.30 to fish for a few hours. This is out of our direct route to Golfito which will be another 8 hours North.
Tom and Jeanette have never travelled by sea like this before, he comments how vast the ocean is and thinks how small the country is compared to the rest of the world.On the way we see Dolphins and Whales.
We reach an Islet that has no name. Here, we catch a Benito and that is all in two hours trolling four rods.
We then head North encountering many long line fishing buoys and nets, one of which we get caught in, so we heave to and cut their line that has caught around our rudder.
We are not fishing but come across any axing large flock of birds. We think there must be Tuna around but to our surprise there are hundreds of small Dolphins feeding on what it's be an amazingly large bait ball.
We arrive in the dark through a narrow passage off the 'Golfo Dulce' into 'Banana Bay' where the town of 'Golfito' is situated.
Golfito is a small Harbour town of two hundred people. It was established as a port to handle the extensive banana industry that collapsed in the 1980's.Palm oil agriculture has replaced bananas and the town has become a tourist attraction for Game Fishing, Surfing and Eco-tourism.
Marina facilities are very basic. There are not many cruising boats. The Harbour runs along the only main street, it looks old and colourful.
Paul had met a fisherman 'Rudy' in Barbados. He is to become our guide and facilitator for all our needs while we are here. The language is Spanish, he is one of a few locals who speak English and he appears to know everyone and everything.
As soon as we clear immigration we head off on a tour of the tropical Forrest's and hills behind the town. These hills are some 600 meters above sea level, steep and rugged, with dense tropical forests.
Golfito has one of the highest rainfalls in the world, 500 mls a year with the dry season December to April.we have terenchial rain everyday, which makes the forests exceptionally lush.
From the mountaintops we have amazing views of the bay and the gulf to the Pacific.
We visit friends of Rudy's who are care taking a small farm. It is very primitive and Francesco is informative about some of the plants, one of which he brews as tea to assist in prevention of prostate cancer and colon disease. He explains a lot of the forest plants are used for medication.
In the afternoon Tom and MB take Rudy and our driver Roberto, to see the famous surf spot 'Pavones'. It is only 55 kms but after traveling about 20 kms on good roads, we realize why the journey may take two hours, as threads become dirt and potted and it is raining heavily. At one stage stage we come to a place where they are repairing the road and a bus is coming in the opposite direction. We are forced to back track and take another route. The surf at Pavones is renowned for it's very long left break. On a good day a 3 minuet ride. But today is onshore wind and not great swell. We can see the potential, the best time being early morning with an incoming tide. We have a swim and return home. Our journey home takes us through a very busy town on the border of Panama, where at one stage we cross the border to get cheap petrol. Coming back over the border there is a huge log jam of trucks qued up waiting to cross the Panama border.The girls have been walking, exploring the town and doing evening Yoga.
Wednesday. Tom and MB have a fishing charter leaving at 6 am. They are aiming to catch the famous 'Rooster Fish', as a priority from fish to eat.
The charter boat Rudy has arranged is excellent, well equipped with a good crew, with Captain Manuel, and deck hand 'Chats'.
Tom cannot believe we are catching fish with unbated hooks. We start off by catching live sardines for bait, at the entrance of the bay around a steel navigation structure. After we have about 30 sardines, we head off into the gulf to the Pacific. It is calm so the trip of about 25 nautical miles takes only 30 minuets.
We start fishing on reefs near the Pavones surf break. Our 'Deckie' says this is one of the best fishing spots for rooster fish. We are drifting with live bait on light tackle. We get nothing after an hour and move across the gulf to the opposite headland. The current is strong with incoming tide surging over rugged rocks. We get strikes, but each time loose bait and hooks, we believe from Mackerel. Again, after one hour, no roosters.
We are now in the Pacific heading along stunning National Park and high mountains for 30 minuets to another group of stunning rocks. This time we strike and Tom lands the first rooster, about 12-15 kilos. He cannot believe the fight and is exhausted. MB hooks the next 3, only to see the decky loose the fish at the boat. MB then has a massive hook- up. After a great fight Rudy uses a gaff to bring in a massive Amberjack, which he says is one of the greatest eating fish. MB then gets his photo opportunity as Rudy gaffs a rooster MB has caught. Around this large rock the fishing has become frenetic, with double and triple hook-ups of rooster fish and mullet snapper.
So we had completed our quest to catch a rooster fish. The girls have another fine day of exploration and evening Yoga. The evening meal of Amberjack and Mullet Snapper is delicious. This is followed by a Canasta game and a series of the Borges.
Thursday. We have organized to visit a coffee plantation and factory. We are told coffee grows best at higher altitudes in the tropic. Our visit takes us to 1000 meters above sea level. After a two hour drive into the mountains with steep winding roads, we travel through lush and beautiful tropical forests and what appears to be well farmed land. We stop for lunch at a small local family restaurant that specializes in local cuisine, especially slow roasted chicken on an outdoor wood-fired rotisserie oven. The other dishes include meat, rice, beans and Fajitas, roared Yuka (potato) and fried plantain. We have a local fruit juice 'Soursop', which is supposed to be very healthy and native to Central America and the Caribbean.
At the coffee factory we enjoy a tour of the stages in the production. It is a cooperative. We see local family's bring in sacks of coffee beans, which are weighed and then emptied into a large vat for washing. A large machine, like a washing machine, spins the beans to remove the skins. The beans are then sun dried, then oven dried. In the next machine the inner skin is peeled off, leaving the two halves of the bean beneath skinned. These are then dried and are ready for roasting. We visit the tasting room to sample the difference in quality, from very good to ordinary. We have a smell test followed by a sipping test. We purchase a kilo of coffee beans which we found later to be some of the best coffee we have ever had. It is quiet sweet and creamy and not too bitter.
We go to dinner at the 'Mar y Luna'. The wine from Chile is 1000 colones, or US $20. There is entry of good fish on the menu.
Back on board, a final game of Canasta with MB and Jeanette shinning.
Friday. We are going home. We fly by light plane to the capital of Costa Rica 'San Jose' for the night. We visit the Art Museum although a beautiful Spanish style building the art exhibition is quiet disappointing. We have really loved Costa Rica. It is a rugged mountainous tropical country, it's people are friendly and we loved the food.
Then early Saturday to Dallas, LA and eventually, Melbourne.
JB and Mick