Marci and I have done pretty well with alternating adventurous days and relaxation days. Neither of us felt the need to completely fill each and every day with activities but rather, made sure that we would take some time to slow down, read, fish, sun, eat, and just spend some quiet time together in this magical place.
This morning we slept in… sort of… and woke up at 8:30 or so. A quick call to Alex and coffee and eggs benedict were delivered. The Hollandaise sauce was probably, no scratch that, DEFINITELY the best I have ever had. Marci agreed that this morning’s breakfast was the best so far. The weather is a bit overcast with a 5-10mph wind, the temperature so pleasant.
After finishing breakfast, Marci and I talked about our goals for the day. Marci’s goal… finish her book and start another (Condoleezza Rice’s biography) and get a massage. My goal, catch a barracuda on 12lb leader with a topwater popper and get a massage. Marci soon returned to her book and I to my fly rod. I decided to stalk the flats this morning. Seeing fish while wading in windy water is a challenge but my patience paid off. I happened on to a small school of bonefish about 100 yards from our house. I started casting a Gold Charlie and soon hooked up… doh, he slipped the line. Another cast or two and same thing, a hook up and a slip off. One more cast and I found my mark, then POP… the barracuda had cut my line and was rewarded with some jewelry in his face. Maybe I’ll get him with that popper later today and get my fly back.
I ran back to the house and tied on about 4 more feet of tippet along with another Gold Charlie. Thirteen feet seems to be the magic number here. A few casts later and I had my first Cayo Espanto Bonefish! While Marci and I had both caught bones with Mark this week, there is something so rewarding about stalking, finding, and catching your own little friend as I have started calling them. Marci got a pic of my friend.
Soon after I talked Marci’s ear off about what an amazing and spiritual experience it has been to learn to fly fish and catch the mighty bone on said fly, Brenda the masseuse arrived. Marci was up first. I was back to the catch… I had found a school of bones after all. As I gazed back in to the house at my beautiful bird, relaxing, getting her massage, I continued to cast to the school. Another hit… a scream of the drag, and several minutes of honest to goodness fight, another little bonefish was sent on his merry way. I was glowing with satisfaction, two bones today on my own. I decided to take a little pic of Marci in her happy place and then return to my fishing.
When I returned to the dock, it seemed the school had doubled, maybe tripled in size. There was a rainbow of flashes as the sun finally peaked from behind the clouds. This was like taking candy from a baby, so I thought. Several casts later and I felt that familiar “thud” on my line followed by serious weight. The loose fly line at my feet burned through my hand at lightning speed… that will leave a mark. Before I knew it, this little friend had stripped all of my fly line and about half of my backing. I started to play the fish, or maybe it was the fish that played me. Run after run had me hooting and hollering. Three, now four runs this bone had made stipping line to the backing, this was not the kind of fight I had with the 1-2 pounders. After 20 minutes of solid fight, running, reeling, jumping off the dock, running around the island, jumping back on the dock, then off, then to the other side of the helicopter pad, I met my little friend. Luckily I had the camera for a self portrait. Now I understand the allure of the mighty bonefish.
An hour had passed and Marci’s massage was over. I was not sure what to do. Should I leave the mighty school? Will they be there when I come back? What should I do? I showered and laid down on that massage table is what I did. Brenda has healing hands after all! An hour of complete and total relaxation as I basked in my fishing glory. When I awoke it was time for lunch. Marci and I both chose the Ceviche and Shrimp Quesadillas today. We usually try to order something different so we can try multiple dishes. Not today though. There was no way we were ordering anything different than the ceviche. It was a great decision as this was the best lunch so far. A HUGE portion of shrimp and Spiny Lobster Ceviche, Shrimp Quesadillas, and fresh corn tortilla chips. Wow what a lunch! A couple of Waves to wash it down and then it was time for Marci to feed the bonefish craving.
Marci grabbed her rod and started to wade. The wind had picked up so I decided to stay up by the house on high ground to help spot the school for her. Soon enough, we spotted part of the school about 40 ft from her. Marci false casts several times with the wind at her back and shoots the line 35 ft or so. Strip, strip… she has a fish on… doh, he slipped off. The school does not move. Several casts later, she is on again then dangit… he slips again. The school moves, Marci adjusts several steps upwind, then forward to the school. She casts again and wammo, she’s got one. After several minutes of playing the fish she lands her first Cayo Espanto Bonefish… all by her “selfing!” I love to fish, I love to catch even more, but I must say, I absolutely love to see Marci land a fish, it just makes me so proud. She is quite the natural!
For happy hour tonight we both started with dirty martinis. That got things started and before we knew it, old episodes of the Chill with the Chola podcast played on the stereo and we danced to bossas and sambas. For dinner Marci chose the Cornish Game Hen and I the Mahi Mahi. Both were quite satisfactory and, we ended the evening with a Chocolate Trio featuring a lava cake, chocolate souffle, and chocolate strawberries.
It has been a wonderful day full of relaxation and impromptu adventure with the fly rod.We spent quite a bit of time talking about how wonderful it is to be together and that it is rare that we get to spend a full week by each other’s side.We think the idea of the honeymoon is quite brilliant. You get to experience one of the most important days of your lives together, your wedding day, and then take a week to really start nurturing that loving union. We highly recommend it! 🙂
Marci did finish her book and start another. I did not get that barracuda on topwater but what I did get was, an amazing day with my wife that I will not soon forget. BTW, Marci has been quite enamored with my left hand since last Saturday. So here is a nice close up…
And here is a cute one of the bird, just because…
