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"I never found the companion that was so companionable as solitude." -- Henry David Thoreau

118--The Caribbean: Wanna See My Big Fish? @ CherieSpotting     Feb 17 2003 - 16:40 PST cherie writes: “You want to see my big fish?” He asked me. What a line! Was he trying to reel me in? “I have a boyfriend” I told him in Spanish. “He may like my fish, too?” The guy replied in Spanish. A fish that goes both ways? “What kind of fish is it?” I wondered. “A big fish.” He answered. “Yeah, you said that.” I was thinking: ‘It’s not the size of the fish that matters, it’s the taste of the fish.’ But I said: “Is the big fish on your boat?” “I have a lot of fish on my boat.” He responded. About this time, Greg came over because apparently I was talking too long to the cute stranger. The fisherman was unnerved to see that my claim to have a boyfriend was real: “Oh, I have a present for you!” the fisherman told Greg. Note: The following is a universal way to make new friends. The fisherman threw a box on our boat. It was alive with seven huge lobsters. When I say huge, I mean at least two pounds each (but sense I have a tendency to exaggerate, subtract 30% of that.) “No, no, no.” I held up my hand. “It is too much.” I was too much. “It is also for your crew.” He offered. I thought for a moment. How do I break this to him? He lives on a delapitated piece of floating crap and Greg and I have all the space in the world on our 41 foot Morgan Out Island. (The irony in this is that we have had guests on Scirocco every day since December. This was Greg and my first day alone in months!) “We have only people two abroad.” I told him. “We’ll accept four lobsters, but we can’t eat the rest.” Then I looked at Greg, and exclaimed: “We’re having a lobster lunch!” The fisherman smiled and started to row back to his pile of rust. “Wait!! I yelled after him. “I have a present for you.” I scrounged around the salon and found an old National Geographic magazine. (Friends of mine (Paul and Christine) sent us a care package including candy, movies, magazines, and other sweet reminders of home.) Note to Paul: Thanks for the magazine, we exchanged it for eight pounds of lobster! Does that mean I am a re-gifter? The fisherman was so happy tears came to his eyes. He slowly flipped through each page amazed at the photos--the Nile river, a huge manatee, each page held something new he had never even imagined before. He asked Greg and me to autograph the magazine for him. (Now I’m handing out autographs! Soon the boat won’t be able to contain my ego!) The fisherman was so pleased he convinced Greg and me that we had to come and take a tour of his boat. Greg and I scrambled into his skiff and he rowed us over to his wreck. He showed me where he slept (is that where he kept the big fish?) while Greg examined the antique engine. Then he cooked up some lobsters (his boat was brimming with the crustaceans) and we had a lobster snack that was the most delicious lobster I have ever tasted. Then the time came for him to finally show me his big fish. He asked me to help him get it out. We opened a hatch and five of us pulled up a monster! It really was a big fish! A massive Grouper! Next time a guy brags to me about his big fish, I’ll take his word for it! So on our first day visiting the islands, we went to the beach, relaxed in the hammock, ate lobster every meal and met a boatload of fisherman who made our day as much as we made theirs. Not bad for a day’s work. Click on each picture to see it full size. read comments (0) | write comment| views: 4841    | rated: 0.0    printer-friendly version   He wasn't kidding when he said he had a big fish! One of the fisherman. Fisherman come in all shapes and sizes. The fishermen row us to the beach to show us around. Three guys and a beach. Mangroves near the sea. A box of lobsters makes a nice gift in any language. Sleeping quarters for five on the fishing boat. They may not have the nicest accomodations, but they certainly eat like Kings. Obviously this fish didn't brush his teeth very well. The colorful rust of fishing boats. A fisherman repairing his net. A lady in a blue dress. Man on a bench. The local church. This lady wants to know if Greg is ever going to give her dog back. Sitting around all day appears to be contagious. The dog gives Greg dancing lessons. Inside this church is covered in real gold. Outside the people are begging for food. That's Spanish, even though it doesn't look like it. The letters are just on top of one another to conserve space on the precious marble. Peanuts drying on the side of the road. I think we've all felt "trapped" before. Aerobics class. Wild orchids are everywhere. Orchids in bloom. Even the horse-drawn carriages have to obey the law. The railroad crossing at sunset. A smile is sometimes the greatest gift someone can give. Two old dogs. What does a "mesh" shirt do? She doesn't just love him for his teeth. Kristi enjoys the sweet taste of American candies. Helmut, our Austrian friend, buys a pork leg for $15 at the local butcher. Captain in training.