The Yak about has begun.

i have my new blog up for my Yak About project

www.onayakabout.blogspot.com

I plan to travel to worldly destinations with my new Trak T1600 folding kayak and paddle the waters that are found there. I also plan to paddle wild water of the rivers in the areas I visit when possible. I will use whatever vessel I can find, thats suitable (if the Trak won’t do) to enjoy the challenge.

this blog will share my experiences with those who wish to look, and celebrate and promote the places, beauty and characters that i stumble across on my way.

Thanks Trak for supplying me with the Boat and a chance to see what it can do.

J.

Check it out.

Bone Fishing Belize

I stand in crystal clear knee deep water, the bleach white sand below me also stretches into oblivion. Through the gentle ripples of the Azure framed Sand Flat, I watch from afar as slight dark shapes move about. My carefully casted fly is waiting just in front of the moving submarine ghosts. I begin to strip in the line with a twitching motion as the movement approaches closer to the fly. I unwittingly hold my breath as three shapes move out of the now more obvious group of bone fish and follow my fly. A tug on my line, I strip in, another tug I strip again and this time the line rapidly pulls back. The line feeds out as quickly as my heart now races, the slack line engages the reel and there comes a “whizz!” as the line is taken and taken (bone fish are famous for their fight, despite their small size they can put up one hell of a fight). this is the joy of bone fishing, or any fishing to that matter, the play of wits, beautiful surroundings and occasionally the joy of sneering your pray.

Miles of shallow water stretches the coast of Belize, which boasts the second largest barrier reef in the world (after Australia's Great Barrier Reef). this relatively protected water, behind the barrier reef and inside Belize three Atoll reefs, not only provides wonderful and stunning waters to kayak in and hundreds of Cayes (islands) to stay on; it also provides for some world class salt water fly fishing.

Tabbaco caye

South water Caye at sunset

fly fishing and kayaking can work wonderfully together, kitted with a kayak and a four or six piece collapsible rod with reel, you have the ability to access some prime reef flats, choc a bloc with Permit, Tarpon and the sought after Bone fish. Also it allows you personal freedom to explore at will deep mangrove channels, wide clear reef flats and with the help of mask and snorkel, the beautiful coral reef and the many reef fish not attached to the end of your fly rod.

I have spent a week now at Glover’s reef atoll, enjoying some great kayaking, snorkelling and fly fishing between the 5 islands. I have had years of experience in Belize leading tours and thoroughly recommend the experience here.

I encourage any keen fly fisherman or kayaker to pack a Trak kayak and/or a collapsible fly rod and explore the coast of Belize. You can choose to camp out or you can stay at any number of great lodges on the many Cayes. If you need to rent a kayak (haven’t got your Trak kayak yet?) you can contact Island expeditions www.islandexpeditions.com for kayak rentals, camping equipment and local advice.

Tonight I sit at bar at the end of a dock over the water and drink a wonderful Local beer called Belikin and gaze at the stars as the warm NE trade winds blow through the palm leaves. I have a week left in Belize before the next adventure starts, so I will make the most of it and enjoy every moment and experience as though I may never experience it again.

J.

At the end of the Panama Leg

surfing at Playa Estero at sunset.

Well it is time to move on, i have decided to Fly out to Belize From San Jose, Costa Rica instead of heading south again to Panama City to fly out. This saves time for Ian Who needs to head North any way, and also lets me explore a bit more of Costa Rica (the flights are cheaper also).

Playa Estero

I had a spectacular night, last night, surfing by myself at sunset, my choice of waves, left or right, no other surfer out, a sky on fire, off shore breeze, and a warm embracing sea, a sweet sweet way to leave Santa Catalina. I want more i want to stay there are more people to meet, and more challenging surf breaks i want to conquer.

I tried surfing La Punta in Santa Catalina ( a reef point break) i got a three OK rides, though mostly ate it in a big green lip that proceeded to send me through a spin cycle. I never touched the reef however and getting back out through the waves on the inside wasn't too challenging, all and all a forgiving point break to get your fitness and steal honed on for bigger days or tougher breaks. however not just the surf is addictive, the sheer beauty and accessibility to remote wonders in this land calls you to stay.

The Point on an average day. La Punta, Santa Catalina, Panama.

I don't want to leave, i want to stay in panama, to buy a little house, become a fisherman or some other Romantic notion of a simple life profession. I desire to surf the waves and kayak the islands, climb the trees and journey the rivers of this wonderful land called Panama, it hits a chord some where deep in me, a primordial calling drawing me into its beauty and wildness, all my senses are excited yet also at ease.

I must concede to the reality that I will have to thankfully return again to panama, and see more of what I have not seen and enjoy again some of what I have, this land has earned a spot in my soul and I hope it doesn't change to quickly that it loses the magic that has captured, despite the fact I have seen only a portion of what it has to offer.


Playa Estero
For those of you looking for the gaps in the story so far, I will post it all ASAP now that again I have easy access to the net.

Thanks for your enjoyment J.



Note: thanks to other surfers and tourists for the shots with no watermarks.

Reminiscing Coiba

Golden Sand, Blue Crystal waters, Turtles, Mantas, Monkeys and Sharks. this Is a Lost World of wonder Hardly explored and full of beauty. I feel privileged to have visited Isla Coiba.

we spent nights under the star filled skies watching the waxing moon build to its climax over the nights. the crescendo was our final night paddling back to the cabins at the ranger station where the sunset the sky on fire, as well as the moon that simultaneously rose out of the east. it was large and red and framed by the silhouettes of the Islets covered in jungle, we lingered and watched it rise to its milky white heights and felt humbled to be in such a serene place.

during the days we often walked into the shade of the Forest, where monkeys played and birds sang and the sun dappled green Leaves like glowing green jewels, hid the source of many a strange cry of beauty. however now and then little white faced monkey troops privileged us with lengthy sightings of there clan as they rummaged through the trees or along the coastal shores.

Our kayaks where our transport and the rolling warm pacific seas our medium to travel upon. below us the depths called, you could see the fish swimming below and in the shallows the bright colours of the coral reefs beckoned for us to snorkel at every moment. tall trees reached high from the rocky shores to the sky promising cool shade from the hot sun, though the water won out more often than not.

the waters where warm yet cooling and full of fish that danced and swirled and encompassed you if you chose to plunge into the depths. Giant pacific green turtles would rise from the reef to get a better look at us if we floated as still as could be, while Hawks billed turtles would swim around you close enough to be touched when you dove down to visit them. Coral Gardens stretched out in continuous or sporadic areas of action.

above the water and on the sand hermit crabs are kings. They scamper all about and climb everything they can, searching for all that is edible and cleaning the areas of all things that may become foul. there extra terrestrial presence created a constant memory that the greatest fascinations and wonders that need to be protected are found right here on earth.

this is a land of wonder. Viva Isla Coiba
J.

Nicaragua

in nicaragua, got a bit of surf in this morning, heading to costa rica today.

hope to find time to get posts up. no time for computers at the moment.

Truck fixin day

The part for the truck came into Belize City the other night, but did not clear customs, so we headed to Belizecustoms and then get to fixing the truck.
City to sort out the

The part cost about $900.00 US to buy and get sent here, at customs they wanted to charge us a further $250.00US to get it out, we explained that the part wouldn’t be staying in the country and the truck was leaving as soon as we could fix it. We where then sent to the senior officer, Mr Tillet to resolve the issue, without a second glance Mr Tillet signed it off and at a administration fee of $30.00 Belize ($15.00 US) we were out the door.

We had a nice drive back to Dangriga along the Coastal RD; however we damaged a part on the Suspension when we hit a large rut a bit too fast. On arriving back in Dangriga we headed to the great mechanic around the corner from the house where we were staying, this guy let us use his property and his tools (just the ones we didn't have) so Ian could Replace the throttle body and fix the Airbag in the suspension. We worked well into the dark; though there wasn't much I could do Ian new his truck and the parts. At about 7.30pm we were done and the truck was running great.

Well all things well we will be deep into Guatemala by the end of tomorrow

J

Ian is in town

today Ian and his dog Buddy (shogun) the Shiba Inu, rolled into Dangriga Belize. they had just driven from Wyoming over the last couple of months via Baja. they where tired and sick of driving when they arrived and had some good story's of adventures and mis-adventures in Mexico.

the truck had some issues, its throttle body ;which controls the air intake for the injectors; was stuffed and the truck wouldn't run properly, but got Ian and buddy here to Belize, just.

now we need to fix it before i can join them on the mission to Panama of the next 10 days.