1995 Belize Fishing trip

2-16-95 Ft. George Radisson, Belize City, Belize

Well, its been a long time, but here I am, back again. How did I get here? That's a long story. You see, back in June '94 I was on my way to South Twin with Joe Urban [an old college friend] when I decided to suggest to my dad that we go to Alaska and fish. I didn't really expect anything big to happen, so it blew me away when he suggested bonefishing in Belize instead.

To make the story long, we were off season to fish Belize so we went to Alaska had a heyday. Pike? Slayed 'em. Silvers? Killed 'em. Halibut? Too easy! So that July; this is now.

Anecdote for the day: My dad and I are looking around and discover that this place has at least 6 floors. So, we find an elevator, but it takes a key. As we are standing there looking confused, a maid comes by and we ask her how to get to the top using the elevator. She then calmly informs us that we need to push the hithertofor unseen button and step inside (she demonstrates as she goes), so we follow here and she explains how an elevator works, assuming we know nothing. Boy, did we feel stupid! She's probably telling the entire staff how incredibly dumb we are. Who can blame her? We asked how the elevator works. [In our defense, the buttons were set flush into the steel panel next to the elevator. Even after she showed us where they were, they still weren't readily visible.]

Funny fact of the day: There is some sort of Central American summit going on in the city and several dignitaries (Presidents, I was told, but doubt) are staying in this hotel, therefore, about every 3rd person we see is an undercover policeman. [In fact, when we finally did get to the top of the motel, the roof, we were followed diligently by several agents.]

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2-17-95 Belize
One thing I forgot to mention yesterday was the wino on a bench at the Commercial Centre (Shopping Mall). He was actually in an island in the street, unit in hand, draining the main vein. Today, my dad and I saw the Howler Baboon sanctuary at Altun Ha. The sanctuary was totally cool because we not only saw Black Howler monkeys, but our guide, Robert, also showed us all kinds of cool stuff about the local flora and fauna.

The first thing they showed us on the nature walk was how to recognize and avoid fire ants. So naturally, I managed to avoid missing them on our trip. I stood on a mound (for lack of a better word; they don't really have 'mounds') and got bit four or five times. I also ate at least 3 kinds of fruit I've never seen before. Two were coconuts (cahune? and IDK) one was a nut you peel and suck on. It tastes like glue and makes your mouth sticky. I think its called super or supra, I'm not sure. And, by the way, Allspice numbs your tongue just like coca.

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2-18-95 Belize
Today we went river fishing all over the place. There is a system of rivers that inter-connect all throughout a mangrove swamp. Part of it is called Haulover Creek. Part of Mosquito Coast and Heart of Darkness [I think I meant Apocalypse Now.] was filmed there. It was totally overgrown; a complete tunnel.

The fishing was lousy, we started late. Still, I caught a snook and a cavalie jack on good ol' Dolly. ['Dolly' was the name I gave my favorite fishing pole, a seven foot Eagle Claw camping pole that went with me everywhere for several years. As of 1-13-06, I still have it, though it is rarely used now.] Dad was pretty much P.O.'d. In his mind, we paid to catch fish, not just see the swamp. He caught a black snapper and a snook. Pretty measly take. Our guide's name was Al and he's got a service out on Turneffe Island called 'Pirate's View.'

Man, dad is totally bitter. He's bent on yelling at the hotel manager to nail Denese (the gal who booked our trip here at Guest Services). He is just certain that there's some kind of conspiracy or something to screw him. Yes, there was some miscommunication, but I feel sorry for what's about to happen. He's got a bad temper, and right now it's got control of him.

Lord, please, don't let this happen to me. I know I've got the Smith temper, so please, take it away. I don't ever want my anger or frustration to get the best of me. Teach me to let go. Help my dad to do the same. Amen.

One last thing: although we didn't catch any tarpon, we saw a bunch. They're HUGE. 5-6 feet long and 80lbs. at least. Wow!

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2-19-95 Belize
Today we saw Lamanai and learned that since there are no traffic police in Belize, speed bumps are in front of schools and stuff like that. They are called 'Sleeping Policemen' by the locals. Lamanai was great; we rode in on a boat through more jungle and the ruins looked like something out of Raiders of the Lost Ark. There were Howlers in the trees and crocodiles in the river. It was as if we were on the jungle safari ride at Disneyland, only this was real.

P.S. God answers prayer. Thanks, Lord. I prayed that dad would catch fish on 2-18 (I caught mine early) and 5 minutes before we went in, he caught two.

This morning we went to talk to the hotel manager about our trip being ruined, and he was calm and sensible: no one got their head chewed off, no voices were raised. Thank you so much that you are a God who answers and listens (or vice-versa). Amen.

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2-20-95 Flores, Guatemala
Pense que hablaran Ingles aqui porque Flores es tan cerca al borde de Belize. Fui incorrecto. In fact, I'll probably speak more Spanish than our guide will English. Our hotel is sweet. The fish is caught fresh daily in the lagoon. Even I caught one. He was only about 3 inches, but at least he was a fish. White Bass, I think. The tour co. screwed up our time, so when we flew we were the only passengers on the shuttle. Us, the pilots, and twenty or more empty seats; cool. [It was indeed cool. Because the plane was small and empty, we could move around at will to observe whatever we happened to be flying over, which was mostly untamed jungle.] Tomorrow we do Tikal. G'nite!

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2-21-95 Flores, Guatemala
I climbed Tikal 4 & 2 (?) and drove a microbus into town. [A microbus is about half a step removed from a clown car. It was insanely small, lacked a door on one side and required a room key to rent from the hotel, not a driver's license.] I was wrong about the guide. Flores sits on an island in a lake. That's neat. You drive out on a sort of jetti to get there. [Actually, our hotel wasn't in town, but just outside of town, not on the island.]

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2-22-95 San Pedro, Ambergis Caye, Belize
We spontaneously went fishing this afternoon and I should've brought my pole. On the guide's tackle. I caught at least 9 trigger fish. They are incredibly beautiful. Dad caught a yellow-tailed snapper which was also brilliant. Tomorrow we hit the flats for bonefish.

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2-23-95 Belize
Today was 50/50. On one hand I caught two bonefish and a small barracuda. Dad got a 'cuda and 2 needlefish. He also made me sit and fry for an hour while he flyfished for boneys. [Dad is NOT a flyfisherman and never has been. His obsession with catching a boney on a fly was both aggravating and painful.] I'm dangerously dehydrated and he went 0 for at least a hundred [casting]. The bonefish were everywhere, hundreds, and I watched and shriveled. It's my own fault really; next time drink water!

Please God heal me! Please. I'm not burnt too badly; just my hands and wrists a little. My kidneys are still working, so I think I'll be OK. [I truly was concerned about heat stroke given the amount of time I spent in the sun and heat without water.]

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2-25-95 Belize
Well, I'm not as sick now. At least I could go fishing, and a great day for fishing it was. Today I caught triggerfish and yellow-tail snapper on Dolly and red snapper, a 3-foot 'cuda and a 2.5 foot sand (?) shark. [I remember the guide beat the living Hell out of that shark before he brought it into the boat. I mean he really laid into it with the gaff for a good five minutes.] I lost a spanish mackerel that was bigger than the 'cuda, right next to the boat. Tomorrow we try again.

We also might go snorkeling. That is by far my greatest fear; deep water. It makes no sense really; I'm a good swimmer and have done it before, but there it is. Irrational? Yes, but real nonetheless. Basically, I'm just afraid that something will grab me. One too many Jaws movies I guess.

2-26-95 Belize
Last night on this lousy bed. Hurray! [It really was a terrible bed for me. Every morning I woke up to the feeling that I had been secretly beaten by several armed men in the night.] Today I caught a black durgeon and a small (very) grouper on Dolly as well as a big Nassau grouper. Then we went to Hol Chan Marine Preserve and snorkeled with most of the fish we've been catching. Too cool! My head looks like a tomato now because I've burned my face to a crisp. And today is Carnabal. That's like Mardi Gras Belize style. People dance and dress up and 'paint' each other with flour, eggs, paint, pretty much whatever comes to hand. I hope I'm OK, my face is really burned, and my stomach is still giving me trouble. [I think I either had a touch of food poisoning or heat exhaustion on the 24th. That day dad went fishing alone and I stayed near the bathroom with stomach cramps and diarrhea. So much fun...]