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Thursday, March 10, 2016

CRANKY IN COSTA RICA – part three


CRANKY IN COSTA RICA – part three
Miss Behav'in
Well part three means there is a part one and a part two:
http://joeh-crankyoldman.blogspot.com/2016/03/cranky-in-costa-rica-part-one.html
http://joeh-crankyoldman.blogspot.com/2016/03/cranky-in-costa-rica-part-two.html

Catchin

On our first morning in Los Suenos we feasted on scrambled eggs, toast, fruit, coffee and juice and then headed down to the marina and our charter boat.  The walk was a little over a half a mile, it was a good test for my tweaked knee and it passed.

Our charter boat was the “Miss Behav’in.”  It was a relatively small single engine boat, but it was roomy enough and fast enough to get to the fish which were about 20 miles out.

Captain Alex ran the show, and first mate Panther did the hard work.  Alex is a combination of a young southern Captain Quint of “Jaws” fame and the pirate Jack Sparrow.  He learned his fishing in South Carolina.  It is hard to describe Alex’s speech, a slow monotone drawl reminiscent of Richard Christy for any Howard Stern fans out there.
Captain Alex...
I know, I'm not a photographer!


Panther is a stringy muscled Costa Rican with a big smile.  He works fast slowly, like many people south of the USA, as opposed to those in the New York area who tend to work slow quickly.  When it comes to preparing to fish, fast slowly works best.

We motored out where the fish feed and the lines were set to catch sailfish.  The first fish was on a hook in minutes.  It would take too many words to describe the thrill of reeling in one of these magnificent fish, this video will give you an example.  It is taken on the Miss Behav’in and the mate shown bringing the fish to the boat is Panther, the clients are not our charter.



I caught the first fish, and my arms and back felt every bit of about a 15 minute battle.  The captain finds the fish, Panther hooks the fish and then the rod was handed to whoever was next up.  On four occasions we had a double hook up.  The trick to bringing in a fish is to do whatever Panther tells you and to also listen to Captain Alex.  I often heard Alex in his slow pattern holler,

“W a t c h   t h e   r e e e e l!  Y o u   c a a n   t   h o r s e  h i m   i i n, 

t h e y ‘ r e   t  o o o  f a a s t.”

Sometimes the captain got what passed for angry,

D a m n   i t   P a n t h e r   d o n ‘ t   c r o s s   t h e   l i i n e s  !


Panther just smiled.  He is a terrific mate.

Lunch was interesting, chicken quesadilla kept warm in foil on top of the inboard engine.  I was so hungry I didn’t even taste it.  Also, I am not much of a beer drinker, but in ninety degrees, after fighting a fish capable of swimming sixty miles an hour and leaping several feet out of the water, dang a cold beer tastes good.

On that first day we each caught four fish, a total of sixteen.  We were bushed.
Older Chris
Younger Chris

Brothers 
Cranky and FBS


Cranky cranking
Mike reeling, Panther clearing the deck




Trying to stretch out my back
We stopped catching at four o’clock and powered in to port.  We all showered, had a nice dinner at the marina, and returned to what became a nightly ritual of a glass of port and a good Costa Rican cigar before turning in and sleeping like logs.

A quick word about Costa Rica.  It is a beautiful country, from rain forests to farms and a spectacular coast.  The people are genuinely friendly and open, not just to those they are paid to be nice to, but in their interactions with other tourists and other Costa Rican citizens.  They wave, smile and honk car horns as if they all know each other and are friends…they probably do and probably are.


For a real taste of the Country's beauty and variety, Google Costa Rica and hit images.

Mike has more pictures of actual fish, but he is catching up at his work.  When he edits and sends I will post.  
 Tomorrow part four – “Fishing”

16 comments:

  1. I googled Costa Rica and it does look very pretty.

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  2. I saw something about Costa Rica on f/b.
    How come they're so nice there and so nasty in Nicaraqua, Honduras, and Guatemala?

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  3. Costa Rica is voted best place on earth for Americans to retire, with Ecuador a close second. Will we see a fish?

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  4. You're right; you're a poor photographer. On the other hand, it takes more expertise than most of us have to take pictures with all that light coming through.
    Great trip and more to come!

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  5. Loved the video. How fun. I'm so glad you had a great time.

    Have a fabulous day and weekend. ☺

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  6. How come those Carolina boys are down there in CR?

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  7. sounds like an awesome day for all of you.

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  8. Someone told me Costa Rica is a great place to which to retire. It looks like they might be right.

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  9. You are in a guy heaven. I mean really. I almost retired to Costa Rica. The American dollar goes a looooong way there.
    I want to see some fish.

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  10. I watched the youtube video...those are some big fish!

    This sounds like the perfect vacation - doing something you really enjoy during the day, having a relaxing drink at night, and then sleeping like a log.

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  11. Sounds like a great time. Your brother is a keeper.

    Twenty miles out! That would be a long swim back. That's all I would be thinking about

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  12. Assuming the ocean is calm and you can keep that breakfast down, this sounds fun!

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  13. I almost feel like I was there. Yes, must see pic of fish. So glad you all got to take that trip together.

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    1. I'm not much on picture taking, prefer to enjoy the moment. I think Mike has some good shots, when he catches up on work he will edit and I will share. They are not allowed to take the sailfish out of the water, it stresses the fish, they are let go at the boat so makes pictures a bit more difficult.

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  14. That sounds like a piece of heaven to me Joe. Dang.
    R

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  15. Now "I" want to go to Costa Rica!

    Is that a pony tail? How long you been sportin' it? :)

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