And so after 10 most fantastic days it all came to an end. I sit here at the bar in Turneffe Flats (alone as everyone else has succumb to the sun, fishing and diving) after one too many Palm Beaches (a cocktail here involving rum, gin, pineapple and coconut) wishing i could stay for longer....Those elusive permit got the better of me (i cast at school for about 20 minutes this afternoon, but to no avail) in fact today was the first blank day fishing, but a good one all the same.I didnt fish with my guide Cap this week as he was destined for bigger and better things (i.e. fishing with the Orvis group!!) but my new guide Micheal was equally as good. Younger, more chatty and as knowledgeable as Cap in every aspect of fishing, we hooked up with numerous bones and yesterday a truckload of barracuda (the ladies in the kitchen asked me to bring them back a fish and so we thought a 20lb 'cuda would do the job.... it did and fed all the staff last night... i have to admit that even i went and tried a bit with them in the kitchen... and damn fine it was too!!) I feel very sad to leave i have to say as this really is an awesome place and somehow everyone has decided that i'm one of them (to get to eat in the kitchen with the guides is the ultimate honour, something i've done twice in the last few days) but Guatemala beckons with many new adventures....
Things i'll remember and miss....
My little cabin with AC at night in this heat (but it appears that thats when i get bitten to death by the marauding mossies here...!)
The early morning stroll along the beach/flats....
Watching the Osprey catch bone fish in font of my cabin every other night....
Casting to that school of permit with Cap for 2 hrs before hooking and losing one within about 5 seconds...
Learning how to double haul properly...
But realising that casting lessons are a must before every saltwater fly trip (something i remind myself after every fishing trip i go on...)
Bizarrely getting told this afternoon that my casting to the school of permit was spot on and no one could have done it better (something that i know to be true)
Getting narced at the Blue Hole and then seeing a tonne of sharks that circled us for at least 10 minutes....
The Red Footed Boobies...
The Belikin beers at the bar......
Making a load of new friends that i know at some stage i will definitely see again (Jeff.... Alaska in Sep is a must!!)
Just generally being in a truly amazing place in Belize.....
My days fishing today was with Michael and Jeff (the director of fishing here) and i havent had such a fun day in a long time. The wind dropped, the sun was blisteringly hot and my casting, well, it was like i'd never cast a fly rod in my life.... desperately embarrassing but eventually sorted out when Jeff showed me how it should be done (and promptly hooked and lost a bone fish on his first cast!!) They always say that at the best places its always about the staff and the little things. Well here the staff are top notch from top to bottom and nothing is too much effort..... i will definitely be back, hopefully with a few fisher friends in tow.
Tomorrow i leave here at 7.30am to goto Belize City airport and fly to Flores in northern Guatemala (my trip through Belize City has unfortunately had to be postponed as i dont have time...) I spend 2 days there before heading to Guatemala City and then onto Antigua where i will try to immerse myself in Spanish to the degree that i'll be fluent by the time i return to Blighty ( a tall order i know!!) Who knows what will happen, or even how long i'll stay there (the folks here have already tried to hook me up with people diving, fishing, or just hanging out right through Central America) - so we'll have to see what happens.....
So until next time...
Hasta Luego!!!
B
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