And so the fun begins

Panama is kind of like being hypnotized… remember the stopwatch going back and forth and the magician saying “You are getting very sleepy…”, well, here I am getting “very relaxed”… and it just keeps getting better.

On Friday afternoon our friends from Ponte Vedra, FL, Don and Carroll Miniard, arrived at the David airport, after a long travel day that started in Orlando at 4:45 am. We had arranged for our favorite Panama City taxi driver, a great guy named Luciano, to meet them at the large Tocumen Intl Airport, and transfer them to the smaller Allbrook airport, across town. That pick up went without a hitch, thankfully, and after a quick flight to David, they were soon in our car heading down the Boca Chica, stocked with a cooler full of cold Panamanian beer, iced tea, and water.

Saturday was a relaxing day, which we always try to plan since the day before was full of travel. It gives your head and your body clock time to decompress and resettle into the vacation time mode. On Saturday night we went down the street, to one of our local resorts, Gone Fishing Panama, to help celebrate the 70^th birthday of an ex-pat named Jon that we met on a trip here a few years ago. He and his lovely wife Phyllis live in Boquete, but leave their boat at GFP all year long, because he is a fishing addict. The party was lots of fun and it was great to reconnect with many ex-pats that we’ve met on previous trips. The night ended with Bruce playing Mombo #5 on the stereo, and the disco ball in the ceiling going all out, because some things in Boca Chica never change, and I’m glad for that.

Sunday was our first fish day, which was an inshore day, because Carroll and I, being you know, G I R L S, had no desire to run two hours out to the Hannibal Bank, just to try to catch a thousand pound marlin. We are both of the mindset that would rather catch a good sale than a good sail, if you know what I mean. The day was a blast, not so hot fishing wise, but we did catch some bait for today’s trip. Our captain is a local Boca Chican named Hugo, and it’s great to see him again and to communicate without knowing too much of each others language. We really do seem to get along just fine. We were bottom fishing with top water plugs, I have no idea what this means but I was instructed to add this detail. During one catch Randy brought up his Sabiki rig and had six little red snappers, one on each hook, kind of like fresh fish garland. Have you determined yet that I really know very little about this sport? Thank God I can help to create great fishing t-shirts and headwear, this will help to maintain my value with this group.

Today the guys headed offshore, to Montosa, and we just got a Noon report that they’ve released two Pacific Sailfish, and caught a snapper, so we will be eating well tonight. They’ve still got the afternoon to fish, so hopefully the waters will release a few more nice ones to bring home and fill up the freezer.

Carroll and I did some aquatic exercising this morning, had a fun lunch here in the shade by the pool, and will relax until about 3:00, when the intensity of the sun will wane and allow us back to the cool water. I am processing orders from today, and every day, in case any of my colleagues from Native Sons or any of my customers are reading this, so please feel free to e-mail me your t-shirt needs!