Small Corn Island: a Carribean gem

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This has to be the best winter vacation place l've visited to-date. If it weren't so damn difficult to get to (a non-direct flight into Managua, then small plane via Bluefields to Big Corn Island, finally an up-and-down, bang'n splash, ride through the sea via panga to Small Corn Island) it would be crawling with tourists...... divers, snorkelers, wind surfers, beach combers, bar hoppers, and lots of lazy layabouts... and even some environmentalists.

I'm sitting at Casa Iguana (for breakfast & internet) on a headland overlooking much of the eastern shoreline of Small Corn Island; halfway along is Elsa's Place where I'm renting a small cabana. You can walk around about half of the whole island, from bay to bay, all on coral sand shoreline. Walking is a big deal on this isolated isle: like there's no motorized transport of any kind. None. The closest to transportation technology employed is the wheel barrow and the very occasional fat-tire bike. They do have "main roads" (read= inter-locking stone paths) and roads (read= a discernible path through the bush). On one of those "roads" through the bush, I was accompanied by a very curious big green parrot; kept hopping along but didn't quite hop on my shoulder... no food I guess... just another lousy tourrist!

Snorkelling is of course big here, straight off the northen bays and headlands or via tour to to the off-shore coral reefs. Saw a couple blown-up porcupine fish, the usual sharks and barracuda, nice corals, nice guides but truthfully Belizean snorkelling is probably more dramatic. Diving is the real thing here, with lots of hammerheads apparently on the exterior reef wall.

However, it's my kind fishing here i.e. "catching". The other afternoon I went out with an ex-contra guy, Peter the fisherman. Within an hour we had 8 hits and landed 5 barracuda. Then it was off to the coral field bottoms for sinker line fishing; again within another hour we landed some 3 dozen; a variety of Grunts, Snappers, Yellow Tails.. as well as a Permit and a Trigger Fish. While we failed to catch the fabled King Fish, I guess we were super lucky, because my cabana neighbours went out yesterday and caught nothing....too much wind and waves.

I'm staying in pretty basic digs, but the absolutely wonderful environment, people and cooking (fish and lobster* (* until March 15 season closing)) make it all feel like luxury. Beyond basic accommodation there are some really neat natural places like Ensuendos and Derek's Place and then if you want there's the pricey places like Yemani's and Corn Island Beach and Bungalow.....maybe for some other repeat occasion.

Wishing you all the best. Cheers. Pete.

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Comments

[Sofie]

Thanks for yet another entertaining account!
Hi Dad! Small Corn Island sounds unbelievable! What a fantastic adventure you're having. Way to go with your "catching" - our little fishng adventure in the Laurentians can't quite compare, eh? ;) I love your account of the geography and people, and of course your friendly parrot. Great pic, by the way! And what is that interesting bit of architecture on your last image? Wishing you a wonderful last two weeks in your great winter getaway. It is STARTING to feel like spring here. Hope it holds up for your return. Lots of love, Sofie