This is the second tarpon for the day…….This tarpon I hooked and released so I call this my first tarpon……they don’t count unless there successfully released.

This video was taken just after I got down to CR. I should give some quick background…..When I got to Moyas camp with my little boat there was these 2 “kids” ……18 to 24 yrs old kids…… that were hanging around (one was Moyas son and his friend) and they had just had a wreck with their motor. So we put my motor on their boat and went to check the shrimp traps. We were up these small streams and I had a ball. Being as this was my first few weeks in the jungle I was still very careful (scared might be a better word) of the jungle creatures.  Sorry for the FBOMBS but they come out when I am stressed (scared).

Well……it’s time to get the blog up and running again……I must apologize for the long absence. My last posts were from last summer when I was hanging out in Tortuguero. As I was getting my phlebotomies in San Jose once a week everything was going well until I came down with a severe bout of depression. I was warned by my Dr.’s that was a common occurrence and they were quick to offer “happy pills”. But being stubborn I proved that I didn’t need them but it sure was a nasty summer. I got my iron down to normal by fall and felt the depression start lifting by early winter and everything has been back to normal since Christmas. Having had no prior experience with depression this has been a real eye opener and gave me a new understanding into the problems that people have with depression. Hopefully I won’t have any more firsthand experience.   But that is the reason for the long absence.

I am back in the store for the summer giving Marina a break and am looking forward to a summer of racing and a few good bike runs. I will be posting as I go.

July 30, 2009   10:00a.m.    Hey guess what? It’s raining. Some lightning and thunder around 3 am and rained off and on till 7:00 and then it has been raining hard since. I did put the boat in the water by 5:30 and Tony and I did get some fishing in……until we were fully soaked but by 7:30 we came home for breakfast. I am still hopeful that she will clear up for the afternoon and maybe get some river fishing in. We fished the river mouth this am.  I was going to get some pictures but it was to wet.

11:00a.m.  It is trying to clear off . I’m just hanging out and see what happens.

5:35  p.m.  Nice afternoon  ….. went out with Tony again and caught some snook……going to have a fish fry tonight. It looks like we might have a great evening ….. it is nice and cool and looks like it might be a perfect evening to fry up some snook.

I am showing some pics of the boys from Colorado. They were going home after a road trip. After talking to them for a bit I was going to take their picture and that’s when the “rodeo” started. Take note of the one fellow “sleeping” in the middle. “Boy will be boys”

July 27, 2009  Came into San Jose this morning and got a phlebotomy. A little dizzy this afternoon so I am taking it pretty cool for the rest of the day.  The technician that takes my blood thinks maybe we should do some blood tests and see where we are at. I agree. I think things are cool but it is time to make sure. I don’t want to get to dizzy/light headed while I’m out in the boat. See how I feel in the morning. Hopefully I can make the morning bus back to Tortuguero. I have felt better this week than I have since I started this circus. Hopefully tomorrow will be good. If I have to I will drop a week and heal up. Take it as it comes.

Good day today ……Still haven’t got up to Moyas. Instead I went with the Captain and Coco down to Parismina and watched some football. Had a blast. We did some fishing before the game and again the Captain has the touch. He caught 3 snook , one was a good size. We stopped in at “rest stop/diner” that is just north of parismina and got the good folks there to cook us up the two smaller snook. Man was that a good feed. Some gallo pinto and some fried plantains and you got a feed fit for a king. Snook is as good as any eating fish. The only fish that I have had  that is maybe as good is a pickrell from northern lakes.

Here is a few pictures of the soccer.

July 25, 2009  Saturday morning …… Went out fishing yesterday and caught 1 sea bass. It rained off and on most of the morning. Cleared off and was sunny and hot for the afternoon. Going to go out and fish for a while this morning again and hopefully catch a snook. I could really use a good feed of snook. If the weather is good I hope to run up to Moyas and get some more of my stuff. Then maybe go up and fill fuel in Colorado.  I only get fuel in Tortuguero when I have no other options. It is more expensive and there barrels have “rust” in them. I’m not sure how you get rust from a plastic barrel but they do. I filled there once last year and there was a cup full of crud in the bottom of the pail. This would have been in my tank if I hadn’t stopped him and took over the “filling” process. Just had a feeling and I was right. One of my fears is to be stranded in a back canal approaching dark. This is another good reason to stay on the bigger canals/river when it gets on in the day.

Update 6:00 putting in time till 7 and then will try skpe and talk with Marina. They were out of fuel in Tortuguero so if there is no rain I am off to Colorado and fill my fuel cans and fish Barradda and Samai on the way back. Coco is going with me to interpret and maybe can get some visiting with Moya.

It is hard to explain how incredibly beautiful the canals are.  As long as your not caught out in a downpour and even then you just get wet, this land is beyond beauty. There is not great fishing a lot of the time but it is always beautiful.

Been up since 5 this morning ,wanting to get a good start on a day of fishing. The fellow where I have my boat stored has been on a 3 day drunk and is not around. It is now 9 and no sign of him. So is life.

I had some sad news this morning. While waiting for my buddy I was visiting with a fellow that I have seen from Colorado and he asked if I had heard about another buddy. Apparently he was fishing from shore at Samai ( this is a river port between Tortuguero and Colorado)with his family and went into the river for some reason and just went under. They found his body washed up the next day.  Just another reminder how frail life can be.

I am going to try and go back to Tortuguero this morning. I spent yesterday resting and I seem to be felling fairly well ……..at least so far. I get tired very easily but other than that I feel pretty good.  The weather sounds pretty good for the next few days and if I can muster up the energy I plan on getting the boat out for some fishing.  Maybe a good feed of fresh snook will get me going. The water should be cleaning up after the heavy rains from last week. The fishing should pick up.