If I rent a flat, I will be paying a substantial amount to live somewhere. This money would probably be equivalent to financing a boat purchase, and mooring fees. I’d probably keep more of my money if I did this (bought a boat). The question is, how much harder is it to live on a boat? What are the pitfalls? What would you do?
my ranger has a 2.5 it will pull a 10ft fiberglass boat like nothing
Alvin Starkman M.A., LL.B.
Introduction
This 2,000 kilometer driving tour serves the needs of vacationers to Oaxaca who also want to take in the sights in central Chiapas, as well as those who want to at least consider visits to the Pacific coastal resorts in Oaxaca and the Gulf beaches and cultural sights in the state of Veracruz … all without foreclosing a side trip to Puebla. The south central circuit of Mexico provides travelers with a leisurely and culturally diverse driving segment within the context of a two or three week vacation, with virtually no backtracking.
For this particular trip, our first day took us from Oaxaca to Tuxtla de Gutiérrez, then to Chiapa de Corzo. After visiting the impressive lookouts at the Parque Nacional Cañón del Sumidero the following morning, we carried on to San Cristóbal de las Casas where we spent two days in the city and visiting nearby villages. The following morning we drove to Agua Azul, and then on to Palenque, touring the ruin the following morning. That afternoon we continued through Tabasco, then Veracruz, spending our final night at Orizaba. Our sojourn concluded with a return home to Oaxaca, via Puebla. As a result of personal time constraints the excursion lasted only six days. It easily could have been extended by a week or more, taking in many additional sights and cities. Accordingly, while we saw many of the highlights noted in the tour books, a close examination of all that is available is highly recommended, in particular for those with time to spare.
For most of the drive the highways were excellent. We passed through 14 toll booths and nine military checkpoints, at the latter having been stopped, questioned and required to pop the trunk, only once. We did experience, however, one disturbing incident involving state police, in Acayucan, Veracruz, noted as an Addendum. It convinced us to deviate from our otherwise steadfast rule against night-time driving.
Distinct from Oaxaca, in Chiapas there is signage encouraging drivers to use the paved, wide, right hand shoulder; warning that physical abuse of women is met with jail time; cautioning that the fine for littering is ninety times your (daily) wage; and along many stretches of two lane highway there are small home-made signs indicating where gasoline is for sale (from householders; sometimes in plastic 10 or 20 liter containers out front as your notification). In addition, one encounters checkpoints aimed at regulating and policing the transport of animals.
Oaxaca to San Cristóbal de las Casas
The drive from Oaxaca to San Cristóbal takes about 8.5 hours, but is best done in two segments, with an overnight, assuming you want to visit more than one sight en route.
As you leave Oaxaca for the drive towards Mitla along Highway 190, fill up with gas, since there are lengthy stretches of highway without stations after you turn off and head towards the coast. You’ll approach that first interchange after close to a half hour of proceeding along straight, essentially flat highway. Take the 190 cut-off to Tehuantepec / Matatlán. After about five kilometers of rolling hills, you’ll reach the “world capital of mezcal,” Matatlán, with production facilities and shops peppering the roadsides for about three kilometers. The billowing smoke is from deep pits being readied for baking agave, and to a lesser extent the stills fueled with firewood.
For the next hour and a half you’ll be climbing, at times considerable inclines, then descending into fertile river valleys, along curvy, well-paved yet at times repaired highway. If you hadn’t filled up for gas earlier, do so just beyond the first military checkpoint, an hour into the drive, at San Pedro Totalapan.
The predominant vegetation is agave under cultivation — occasionally on the steepest of hillsides — and mixed brush, with pole cactus and palm interspersed. Towns are encountered, with small stores, restaurants, pharmacies, mechanic shops, and even a guest house at about the two hour mark, in San José de Gracia. In the area around El Camarón you’ll one again encounter a few fábricas de mezcal.
Your final descent towards the coast begins at about three hours into the drive, when you’ll finally find yourself speeding along straight-aways. Once you reach Marilú, you’ll feel you’re in the tropics, with signs offering fresh fish (mojarra) and cold coconut milk.
You’ll then have the option of heading up the coast to Huatulco, or down towards Salina Cruz, Juchitán and Tehuantepec.
The new toll road to Chiapas, along Highway 200, has an interchange which can potentially create a bit of confusion. At kilometer 240 of the trip, more or less, you’ll encounter a traffic circle with signs which do not assist in terms of reaching your destination. Take the exit which includes the words María Romero, and then ask to ensure that you have the right highway. Traffic and pedestrian activity, at least as of early 2009, are sparse. You’ll be heading towards La Ventosa, so when you see a sign so directing you, you’ll know you’re on the right road. At about four hours into your trip, near kilometer 270 of your day’s drive, you’ll pass through the La Ventosa toll booth, with clean washrooms and a gas station close by. From this point, until your arrival at Tuxtla, you’re home free.
For the next 60 kilometers you’ll be driving across flat winding plains. There’s a stretch of 15 kilometers with two sets of large white windmills, very unusual and impressive to the eye, the second set with power generating equipment apparent. There are thereafter a couple of provisional checkpoints along sections of new, and then old and badly pot-holed road in the process of being repaved.
Your arrival at San Pedro Tapanatepec follows along good highway traversing mango orchards, with a bit of ranching. In town you’ll find a gas station, Banamex, etc. After passing through the next military checkpoint, once again you’ll begin your climb into the mountains, arriving in Chiapas approximately six hours into the drive.
The approach to Tuxtla is uneventful, marked by continuing periods of ascent and descent, stretches of plains, and traveling through a couple of small cities. Upon arriving you’ll encounter a traffic circle, easy enough to navigate. You are not required to enter the city, but rather, will be traversing a number of overpasses in the course of about 20 minutes. You’ll be passing high above and to the left of the city, then descending towards the fork in the road leading you to Chiapa de Corzo. Note that the cut – off is not well marked, so when you see the choice to veering to the right or left, turn off to the right.
The two main attractions which you may find at Tuxtla and / or Chiapa de Corzo are the zoo and the Cañon del Sumidero. Both are easily accessible via Chiapa de Corzo, but could require a bit of backtracking. The advantage of staying in Chiapa de Corzo is that it’s quaint, you do not have to enter the metropolis of Tuxtla de Gutiérrez, and it makes for an easy morning beginning for a boat tour of the canyons. However, if you wish to take the boat trip as opposed to driving through the national park, you may have to wait an hour or two in the morning until there are sufficient tourists to fill up one of the many waiting vessels. It all depends on the time of year in terms of level of tourism. We arrived at the docks shortly after the 8 am opening, only to be told that we’d likely have to wait at least an hour. We therefore hopped back in the car and drove to the lookouts in the Parque Nacional Cañon del Sumidero. The site, via boat or drive, should not be missed.
The highway from Tuxtla to San Cristóbal de las Casa is perhaps the best quality stretch of roadway and most pleasant to navigate on the whole trip. Unfortunately the drive takes only about 35 minutes. It begins immediately after you pass through the toll booth as you leave Chiapa de Corzo. Almost all of the drive is ascent with easy curves. You’ll descend to San Cristóbal over the final five minutes of the brief ride. “Must” visits while in the area of San Cristóbal, preferably with a guide notwithstanding that you’ll have your own vehicle, include Chamula and Zinacantán.
San Cristóbal to Palenque
Although along the basically good, two-lane highways descending from San Cristóbal to Palenque there are several homes and businesses offering gasoline for sale, and at Ocosingo you’ll find gas stations, it’s best to fill up as you leave San Cristóbal. Don’t worry about your departure time, since with stops en route you’ll probably be too late to take the tour of the ruin, and in any event it’s best to visit the site during the early morning hours before the afternoon sun and heat preclude enjoying your visit to the maximum. Without stops, the trip takes about 4.5 hours, over the course of about 200 kilometers.
About 11 kilometers into the drive you’ll find a cut-off to the left, onto highway 186 to Ocosingo. Take it, even though there is no sign for Palenque or Agua Azul. Notwithstanding several ascents, you’ll gradually descend into the hot jungle environment characterizing Palenque, a stark contrast to the relatively cold climate of San Cristóbal you’ve just left
You’ll pass through pine forests and lumber mills, ranches, quaint roadside eateries, and stalls offering local produce for sale. At about 65 kilometers into the day’s drive, a “don´t miss” stop is at one of the two or three amber outlets, in an area where the mineral is mined and then worked into predominantly silver accented jewelery. If you’re in the market for amber, wait until your arrival here. You will have likely visited the Amber Museum in San Cristóbal, so by the time you’ve reached these workshops you will have learned how to detect the real thing from the glass and plastic imitations. These stalls boast true amber, and for the asking you’ll be shown pieces in the rough, how to identify the fakes, and how raw amber is fashioned into fine jewelery.
On the approach to Ocosingo you’ll have an opportunity to also stop at craft and coffee outlets. In the course of the decent you’ll encounter cultivated bromiliads used as impressive garden borders, and produce changing to tropical varietals such as bananas, coconut palms, sugar cane, and perhaps surprisingly, still some corn.
Almost immediately you’ll then begin to encounter more switchbacks and peaks and valleys, with once again a net descent into a lush, green forest environment with streams, waterfalls and even a water park and an ecotourism site. After the military checkpoint just over 100 kilometers into the drive, your descent will be characterized by predominantly straight-aways for close to 40 kilometers as you arrive at the cut – off to the left, for Agua Azul, another “must” on your trip. Don’t be surprised to find that you have to pay two separate tolls or entrance fees. In the parking area, you’ll be asked by a youngster if he / she can guard your car. We declined. Later we found that our car aerial had gone missing. Give the kid 10 or 20 pesos, both here and at Palenque.
The ride from Agua Azul to Palenque takes about two hours. A few kilometers into the drive you’ll pass through a stretch of stalls on both sides of the highway, selling hand embroidered skirts, blouses, dresses and shirts. From here on, until Palenque, the highway descends, with easy curves and lengthy straight-aways, featuring corn, sugar cane and plantain.
Get an early start to your day at the ruin. The gates to the park open at 7:30 am, with tickets to the site available for purchase at 8 am. You can secure a guide while waiting to buy tickets. Suggest that you wait for a group of about eight people to make the cost more reasonable. You’ll be given a per person rate on the basis of eight or ten in the group. In our case, the guide decided to take us for his per person rate for eight, with only six of us, presumably anticipating that it would take a fair bit of time to get the other two, and preferring to finish the tour before the hottest time of the day … or perhaps anticipating being able to fit in another tour if he finished with us early enough.
Palenque to Orizaba, or other stopovers in Veracruz
If you intend to spend the night in Córdoba or Orizaba, you might want to consider leaving Palenque early the following morning because of the driving time involved. Of course if you intend to head to the city of Veracruz, another plan might be in order. Between Palenque and Orizaba you’ll encounter at least three cut – offs leading to Veracruz, and at one point you’ll only be about 50 kilometers away from the city.
Choose carefully from your various lodging options, if for no other reason than to reduce the likelihood of encountering the problem which beset us … feeling compelled, at dusk, to change our plan regarding where to spend the night, and as a result having little choice but to drive at night, not the optimum way to enjoy any trip through Mexico.
Leaving Palenque along route 186 you’ll immediately encounter palm and sugar cane under cultivation as well as cattle, on both sides of a good, two lane highway with flat curves and straight-aways. After about 25 kilometers, immediately after passing through your first checkpoint you’ll turn left. During 2009, the highway was being converted from one lane in each direction, to a lane and a half, quite common throughout southern Mexico. As noted earlier, this wide shoulder is perfectly legal to drive on, and in fact speeds up traffic flow as long as drivers are prepared to yield to the right. Aside from this construction, the highways for the rest of the trip back to Oaxaca, or to Puebla, are excellent.
Within an hour or so the highway will be solid four lane, minimum. It will be basically toll road for the rest of the journey. About 125 kilometers into the day’s trip you’ll have the option of staying at an impressive Hilton Hotel & Conference Center, easily visible from the highway. Just before that complex you’ll see a large underpass where there’s a gas station. About 25 kilometers further, as you enter Villahermosa, take the Cárdenas cut off and proceed along highway 180. You’ll be continuing along a highway with plantations of bananas, coconuts and sugar cane, and fields of familiar tropical flowers. Consider a brief stop at La Venta, a small town known for its Olmec ruin. But the site closes at 4 pm, so keep that in mind if interested in a visit to the site.
After about a half hour, roadway curves will once again begin, and less crops will be apparent, now with more herds grazing. You’ll pass through river plains and over a large suspension bridge. Based upon the recommendation of at least one tour book, we had planned to spend the night in Acayucan, Veracruz, but as noted earlier felt compelled to continue on to Orizaba, after dark (see Addendum). The saving grace, at least in our minds, was somewhat of a comfort in passing through four toll booths over the next 2.5 hours, between Acayucan and our ultimate stop for the night, Orizaba. The cut – offs are clearly marked and leave little room for error. From Acayucan, just continue along the highways marked for one or more of Puebla, Mexico City, Oaxaca, since it’s well after Orizaba that you’ll actually be turning off for Oaxaca.
For those interested in floriculture, plants, cactus and succulents, consider a stopover at Fortín de Las Flores, perhaps as a taking – off point for a diversion to Veracruz. Córdoba is a reasonable option for spending the night, close to Fortín de Las Flores, and with many more hotel options as well as daytime sights. But Orizaba also has a number of interesting options worthy of consideration for a stopover, and a visit to its tourist office makes for a good start for a short, pleasant visit to the city before continuing on to Oaxaca.
Orizaba to Oaxaca
The drive from Orizaba to the Oaxaca / Puebla interchange is extremely scenic, climbing dramatically for all but the final few minutes. The snow-capped peak of Orizaba is particularly impressive. You’ll pass by areas of large, ornamental agave, used as property boundary lines. Simply follow the signs indicating Puebla / Mexico for about 30 – 40 minutes, until you finally see the Oaxaca cut – off, at which point you’ll either carry on to Puebla, or return to Oaxaca.
The home stretch of your journey should take about 2 ½ hours, without stops other than to rest and gas up. However, there are couple of worthwhile sights to consider. Unless you want to spend time in Tehuacan, your first stop will be at the onyx / marble village of San Antonio Texcala. Take the second Tehuacan exit (after the Tehuacan toll booth), onto highway 125 leading to Huajuapan. After 6 km you’ll arrive at the village, with several factory outlets where you can by almost anything into which onyx and marbel can be shaped — tequila sets, plates, sinks, lamps, tables, bowls, boxes, unicorns, fish, hash pipes, and of course a number of diverse ornaments with religious imagery. Prices are about half of what you’ll pay elsewhere.
Next is the Museo de Agua, or water museum, actually a misnomer because it is so much more. Take the well-marked next exit after your return to the toll road, for Sangabriel and Chilac. There will also be signage for the museum. You’ll be given a tour (in Spanish) in the main building, and of the outside surrounding landscapes. You’ll learn how progress is being made to teach villagers in desolate regions where water is scarce and soil fertility is lacking, to conserve and recycle water; to use compost, worm culture and other techniques to enrich the land; and to grow and market nutritious produce such as amaranth.
In terms of the land use and sights, near Tehuacan you’ll see long narrow white-topped buildings where poultry is produced and then trucked throughout the state of Puebla and other nearby states. There will be a couple of lookouts demarcated as stops for tourists to pull over and appreciate and photograph the deep valleys and high mountaintops. Long, well-marked expansion bridges showcase the valleys and mountains. You’ll pass over a geological fault. There will be several kilometers of impressive pole cactus. Close to the approach to Oaxaca you’ll see vendors on each side of the highway selling brightly colored miniature wooden trucks.
The last of several toll booths is Huitzo. About 15 – 20 minutes later you’ll approach Oaxaca. A few minutes after entering the city, you’ll be given two opportunities to turn to the left (one of the signs is difficult to interpret), but unless you’ve been provided with specific instructions to get to your hotel or B & B, and know it’s in a northern suburb, best is to just keep driving straight, eventually entering onto a one-way street which will lead you to the core of the downtown area and the zócalo.
Addendum
We had planned to spend our last night in Acayucan, Veracruz, having noted three hotels, one of which piqued our interest because it appeared to be the only middle-of-the-road and acceptable option, at least for us. Immediately upon entering the town, at about 6:30 pm, we were pulled over by two state troopers, and asked to produce some type of sticker about which we knew nothing. I produced license and ownership without a request to do so. The more belligerent of the officers, Taurino Santiago Ramas (Santiago) insisted he would phone for a tow truck, and did pull out his cellular and make a call.
After ten minutes of heated banter, I told me wife to just ask him “how much?” Santiago said he didn’t want money. This was a shock, since my initial assumption was that it would just be a matter of how long, and how much. He became more testy, almost as much as we had become.
Out of the blue, Santiago’s mood suddenly changed. He asked us about our plans for the night. We indicated that we intended to stay in town. He immediately mentioned his hotel recommendation and how to get there. It was the same hotel at which we had planned to stay. We assured him we would indeed lodge there, whereupon he told us that we would have to pay a 1,000 peso fine the next day. In the same breath, in a softer tone, he proposed “but since I’m a nice guy, and have a kind heart, if you like, instead you can pay something to me.”
I pulled three fifties and a twenty peso bill from my pocket, and offered him one hundred pesos. Santiago demanded, “I’ll take them all.” So 170 pesos lighter we got back in the car, hearing Santiago’s loud laughs, directed at his partner, us, and anyone else on the crowded street within earshot.
But I think we got the last laugh. Santiago certainly assumed that we were going to stay at his suggested hotel, and in fact we drove off in that direction with he and his sidekick watching. He had probably called not for a tow truck, but the hotel, and advised that we’d be coming by, and confirmed the amount of his commission for the referral. Otherwise, he probably would have demanded a bigger bribe. Of course we did not want to stay anywhere he suggested. We were concerned that overnight our belongings might be snatched from the car. We decided it would not be prudent to stay in Acayucan at all, so we high-tailed it out of Dodge, and drove a further 2 ½ hours, during the night, until bedding down in the city of Orizaba.
Hey guy’s thanks for reading brief descpription i catfish and never had a boat just got a vhull and a friends 5 hp motor for some reason some part of the motor is putting horizontal slits about an inch from the bottom of the boat in the back. I don’t know if I’m not mounting it right? thanks for any input
Northwest Newfoundland is a penisula starting at Gros Morne Naitonal Park in the South to L’Anse aux Meadows on the Noth end. This as one area not to be missed.
Today we traveled to Gros Morne National Park. Our first stop, however, was at the Newfoundland Insectarium outside of Deer Lake. They have a tropical butterfly garden and exhibits of many worldwide insects. Some of them are huge. But the most dangerous ones to man seem to be the smaller ones, like the mosquito.
Off to Gros Morne. We camped at Lomond River Campground, just outside the park. For $16.00 CA, we received full hookup. The campgrounds in the park charge $29.00 per night for no services. That is pretty steep. Took the walking trail along the Lomond River, a salmon river. The salmon were not running, but the scenery was outstanding.
Thursday, August 21, 2003
Off we went hiking today on one of the many trails in the park. We chose the Green Garden Trail. There are two versions: the long one and the short one. Of course we chose the short one, only nine kilometers in length. We avoided the long hill of the one trail. But we did not miss the one going down to the shore. What goes down must go up, etc. The views were spectacular. The garden is known for its sea stacks and sea caves when the tide has ebbed. The hills are a challenge, but WOW! Neither words nor pictures can do justice for the variety of beauty. Once again the weather was perfect. Rain will be coming, however.
Friday, August 22, 2003
This morning it rained. By the afternoon the rain stopped and we were able to hike the Tableland Trail. The Tablelands is an interesting phenomenon in Gros Morne. Millions of years ago, when the Appalachian Mountains were formed by a collision of the African Continent and the North American Continent, the Tablelands were the upheaval of the ocean floor. What were left are deposits of heavy metals, such as nickel, iron, manganese, etc., which do not support much life. The rare plant life is found where there is coursing water down the sides of the mountains.. The Provincial plant of Newfoundland, the pitcher plant, grows in abundance. It does not need nutrients from the soil. It receives its nourishment from insects drawn to their death inside the interior of the plant—Yum, Yum!! Audrey II, where are you? Visually, the area looks like someone stripped mined the region and left slag hills as a reminded. This time, however, man is not responsible. The tops of the mountains are relatively flat; thus giving the name of The Tablelands. Across the road is the Green Gardens trail, which is comparatively lush in growth. That trail we took yesterday.
From the Tablelands we drove to Trout Lake, once a fjord. A delta formed and enclosed the fjord, making it an inland lake. Here the Tablelands rise to the left, while verdant cliffs ascend to the right. The contrast of geological landscapes is stunning. Neither pictures nor words can adequately describe the beauty.
On the way back home, we stopped at the Discovery Center, which explains many of the unique features of this world renowned park. The exhibits were done with a sense of humor, to take some of the stuffiness out of unpronounceable geological names and eras in the world’s development.
Saturday, August 23, 2003
Another overcast day. We wanted to take the fjord trip on Western Brook Pond. A pond is the Newfoundland name for a lake. WB Pond was once an open fjord filled with salt water. Over the years the mouth filled with debris and the only water in it is fresh from snow melt and from rains. The water is almost pure, sustaining very little life. That means that there is very few fish, little plant life and bacterial life. After parking we have to walk almost one hour to the boat ramp through a variety of coastal ecosystems: peat bogs, marshes, boreal forests, etc. Once we arrived at the wharf with the other 120 tourists, we were greeted with a downpour. Welcome to the fjords. A fjord is literally a finger carved out of the mountains by glacial flow thousands of years in the making.. The walls of the mountains rise from almost 500 feet in the water to over 2500 feet into the sky. Combined with the erosion from the water and the air, these monuments of grandeur are in constant change. Rockfalls can occur any time,and do.
The boat takes us through the entire length of the fjord, about 16 miles. The clouds, mists, fog, sun and occasional downpour play with our senses as we travel the canyons.
After two and a half hours we return to the wharf for the hike back. Everyone was a buzz with the experience of the trip.
We headed North out of the park and wisely stopped at Parson’s Pond overlooking the Bay of St. Lawrence. Almost immediately came a sea squall with rains and winds buffeting our trailer. We were happy to have shelter. When the rain ended we were rewarded with a beautiful sunset and afterglow, the best one we’ve had since Sarasota, FL. We also learned here that the earth is truly round. With our GPS in hand we tried to point our satellite dish at 22 degrees. Even though we were fifty feet up on a cliff, we were unable to get a signal. To all the members of the Flat Earth Society: “You are wrong”.
Sunday, August 24, 2003
Started our trek on the Northern Peninsula. Our first stop was the Arches, a natural phenomenon of four arches carved into one rock. Further along is Daniel’s Harbour, the home of Myra Bennett, the Florence Nightingale of the North. She ministered up and down the coast as the only medical practitioner around, delivering over 700 babies, setting bones, performing surgeries, and tending to the general health care of the population. The town was in the news yesterday, having the funeral of the modern doctor who had allegedly killed her baby and then herself.
Port au Choix is a National Historic Site, having been the home to the Atlantic Maritime, Dorset Indians and numerous other tribes. Each left records in the earth of their habitation of the area. All along the coast are small towns, whose main occupations were fishing or sealing. Today the government has banned cod fishing, and has put monthly limits on halibut, turbot, lobster, crab and other sea food. From the number of lobster traps seen along the highway, the lobster business must be very good in the area. On the opposite side of the road are the Long Range Mountains, part of the Appalachian Mountain Range. The scenery is stunning.
Saw Labrador across the Strait of Belle Isle. We made reservations for the ferry from Cartwright to Goose Bay for Friday evening. We have a few days to spend on the peninsula. The road took us across the peninsula near the northern tip. Here the land is marsh and bog, the home of the highest concentration of moose and caribou on the island. We spent the night along the road near a quarry. So far no moose or caribou. Perhaps they are afraid of Morgana. We did see a bald eagle flying along the coast: a first for us.
All along the road in the bog areas the locals have planted their vegetable gardens, usually of potatoes, turnips, onions, cabbage, etc.-all of the ingredients for a genuine ‘jigs dinner’. Their plots are twenty by twenty and larger. Some are miles from the nearest towns. There is no poaching of another’s garden, except by the moose and caribou.
Monday, August 25, 2003
Drove to L’Anse aux Meadows (Anse is an Old French term for Cove) , an UNESCO World Heritage Site. The site was discovered by Drs. Helge and Stine Ingstad who had been searching for the Viking settlement known as Vinland in the New World. From the Norse sagas and maps drawn they knew that the Vikings had come to the area about 1,000 AD. They traveled the route taken and recorded by the Viking sagas and stopped at the isolated villages asking if there were any ruins in the area. When they came to L’Anse aux Meadows after hundreds of disappointments, fisherman George Decker brought them to some ruins in the grazing fields. The origins were still unknown. It could have been from paleoeskimo times or other Aboriginal Tribes. With permission they uncovered Viking ruins c. 1000 AD. They found an iron smelter, the first one in North America, with the remains of leftover slag. With the help of the National Geographic Society, they uncovered eight buildings, including dwellings, workshops, smithy and furnace. They have come to believe that a group of 70-90 people settled here as a jumping off point for further exploration South. They are led to believe that Leif Eiriksson even spent some time in the settlement, where ships were repaired and sailors were given a safe haven. The site is directly on the Labrador Current, which extends from Greenland and passes by Labrador and Newfoundland. From the site you can see the shore of Labrador about twenty miles distance. Also found were chips of European Pine, used for ship building and a bronze pin to hold their garments together. No one knows why the area was abandoned. Inuit legend says that they warred with strange men and drove them away. Also on the premises is a modern reconstruction of an Iron Age Viking village. Because of safety reasons more ventilation is provided and the fire is propane. The rest of the building is pretty authentic, judging from my memory of visiting similar structures years ago in Europe.
On the way out of the parking lot, we encountered our first moose: three bulls and one cow. They were at the side of the road, the males laying down chewing their cud, while the female was standing over them. After a while she gave up on them and sauntered off into the forested area. In a month the scene will change and the males will not be so contented. It will be rutting season and they will be vying against each other for the amorous attentions of the cow. Right now they are acting like couch potatoes, munching on their snacks and watching the tourists.
Our next stop was the Black Tickle Ecomuseum of berries. Here local berries are made into jams and other delicacies. These berries include such exotic names as bake apple, squash, partridge, crow, blue, black, cracker, etc. The visitor can view the process of making the products through glass windows and then sample some of the products for sale.
Our next step is the Burnt Cape Ecological Reserve. Guided tours are given by the staff at Pistolet Provincial Park twice daily. We were too late for them and went on our own. The area looks like a barren rock with patches of green interspersed. In these green areas are over three hundred different varieties of plants, at least thirty are extremely rare and some are only found at this site. What makes this place so unique is the weather patterns. The area is about one hundred feet above the shore. The winds and waves have carved out sea caves and other interesting oddities. These same winds, frequent rain and constant fluctuations between hot hand cold make this area a unique ecosystem. Many of the flowers are no larger than a pin head. You have to be careful of where you walk lest you crush one of them. There are trails which you can follow to other parts of the reserve. They are very narrow and the drop-off to the sea is usually fatal. Took the tail a way, but then saw storm clouds quickly rising in the West. Seeing that trail would be very slippery when wet, I did not want to have a swim in the cold waters. So I headed back to safety.
Our final stop was St. Anthony to pick up necessary provisions. This is the home of Dr. Wilfred Grenfell, a medical missionary, who helped develop the area and minister to the needs of the settlers about 100 years ago.
Tuesday, August 26, 2003
More rain and wind today with temperatures in the 40s F. We are happy we did our sightseeing yesterday. We made the decision to drive to the ferry in St. Barbe and go over to Labrador. We arrived at the ticket office in plenty of time for the 13:00 crossing, but were told that it was dangerous goods only. We reserved a spot of the 18:00 crossing. Mags was very interested in the departure of the ferry boat, with the bow of the ship closing like a shark’s mouth. So for the next five hours we did an Otis Redding (Sitting on the Dock of the Bay), had lunch and read, while the wind howled around us.
At 17:30 we were the first to board the ship and had a nose position in stern-the ferry opens at both ends for easy moving of cars and trucks. The crossing took only 1 ½ hours, fighting the high winds and the Labrador Current. Many passengers were using the little white bags. The Apollo is quite a dowager, in need of some TLC. She has staterooms, a sit-down restaurant, and cafeteria, play area for the kids, lounge and a few recliners. The latter were hard to get. Since we were one of the first ones on board, we were lucky. They broadcast the news on a television right in front of us. Because of the headwinds we arrived a little behind schedule at Blanc Sablon, PQ. Mags was delighted again, because she saw the boat opening up from the inside this time.(She amuses easily.) First off the boat, we found a perfect parking spot on a hill overlooking Blanc Sablon on one side and L’Anse-au-Clair, NF on the other: A Tale of Two Cities and Provinces.
For our efforts of the day, we were rewarded with a beautiful sunset and afterglow starring all the colors of the spectrum.
Q – Richard, you just got back to New Zealand after another season in the Maldives working at Hudhuranfushi. How was this season?
Richard- What can I say? It was epic…. but if I must be specific, it was quite a slow start this season, well, just a lot of mid sized, fun days to start with. The first solid swell of the season was the week following the QS comp (early June) but remember that even when the surf is average, most guests are having the best surf of their lives. That’s the thing with the Maldives, as I have said before and I will say again and again, it is simply the most idyllic place in the world to go surfing. Sure there are many amazing places to surf and travel, Tahiti is beautiful and sitting in the line-up is breathtaking but you don’t truly have time to appreciate it because the very real “fear factor” means that you are not truly relaxed in your surfing. The beauty of the Maldives is that it’s comparatively “user friendly” yet can get big and hollow enough to be challenging no matter where you’re from. I have had guys who charge in Hawaii come to Lohi’s for a romantic get away with their partner, not really expecting to surf much and they end up surfing more than they do at home and really love it… at the other end of the scale are the guys and girls who’ve not really surfed over reef before, perhaps they are on a first trip overseas, they’re a bit nervous, worried that it might be too big and heavy for them but they ease into it, and end up having the best surfing experience of their lives…there is just something for everyone here.
Q- So, when is the best time to visit the Maldives?
Richard- If it’s the surf season (April – Nov) then any time is a good time!! In 2008 September and October were virtually deserted and pumping, we scored back-to-back swells with no one around for two straight months. July was good as well but the crowds were in full effect. This year July was empty and pumping and on-island crowds at Lohi’s were at a record low, but Sept and Oct were quite busy and the swells not quite as big as the previous year. Early season seems to be slightly more variable, it’s typically smaller, though often very glassy…crowds are usually lighter too…. I wasn’t joking when I said that any time’s a good time! You can get really good waves at any point in the season. When you book anything in advance, it can be a gamble if it involves the fickle moods of Mother Nature and the weather. It’s reassuring to know that the winds and storms that generate the waves we ride do follow seasonal patterns, so don’t stress the dates just book when you can!
Q-What boards should one bring to the Maldives?
Richard- Anything goes! Whatever you normally ride will be fine. I’d always pack for a slightly bigger day and also a board that goes well when it’s small and then you have everything covered. I’ve talked about boards in a previous blog so go to the World Surfaris blog page and check it out!
Q- Do I need a wetsuit, how’s the weather?
Richard- No wetsuit required! Boardies and a T-shirt or rashie is all you need, though I sometimes wear a 2mm vest if it’s windy…but I’ve softened right up!! The weather is usually wonderful but it can rain and when it does, it’s torrential! Each season there seems to be a week when it rains pretty much everyday. As much as I know it sucks for those wanting to relax poolside I quite like surfing in the rain – it’s quite refreshing and saves sunscreen. “Lohis perfection after the rain, nice shot Darryl!”
Q- What is the reef like? Do you need booties?
Richard- The waves break over a fairly flat rock bottom reef, but of course if you hit the bottom hard you can always get cut. The Maldives reef is pretty forgiving compared to Indo or Tahiti and some people bring booties but not many wear them, especially if they’ve got a surf pass and they are jumping from the boat out the back twice a day.
Q- Do you have to have a surf pass?
Richard- You have to be staying on island at Hudhuranfushi to surf Lohi’s. To surf any other waves you will need to go by boat and there are limited spaces on the boats. The boats go twice a day, morning and afternoon. Having a surf pass guarantees your spot on the boat. If you don’t have a surf pass and would like to surf another spot besides Lohi’s you can pay as you go but only if spaces are available. Surf pass holders have priority on all boats, which is a great feeling when it’s pumping at the other breaks!! To answer you question, you don’t have to have a surf pass but I do recommend buying one.
Q- Where do the boats go?
Richard- We have two boats; they both go morning (9:30 am) and afternoon (3:30pm). Typically, one boat will go north to the Cokes/Chickens breaks and one boat will go south toward Sultans/Honkies/Jails. Of course, it’s dependent on the conditions but if it’s on, we’ve got it covered!
Q- What are the waves like? Does it barrel like Indo?
Richard- I have talked about the waves on my past blogs so I’ll be brief! The waves are super fun and rippable, yet there are some days with epic barrels at all the breaks. Cokes can be the heaviest wave in North Male. It is a right hand barrel with a heavy inside section over fairly shallow reef. Chickens is the perfect left across the channel from Cokes – long and fast with some good barrel sections. In the other direction from Lohi’s is Sultans which is a super fun, very consistent right with many good sections…Honkys is the left breaking next to Sultans, another perfect wave that is so much fun when it’s on! Across the next channel is Jails, a long, perfect, slightly softer right, warm water J bay is how it’s often described! Does that sound appealing? Lohi’s is the very consistent left at Hudhuranfushi. It’s surfable pretty much every day and can be epic. It really is a wave of many faces from 2-3ft super fun and glassy perfection, to heaving stand up barrels.
Q- Can you learn to surf in the Maldives? Are there any beginner spots?
Richard- The Maldives is not really a good place to learn to surf. To be honest, you need to have a certain level of competence to surf over any reef. It is not ideal for someone who has never surfed before. However it’s the best place in the world to improve once you’ve learned the basics. The waves can be so perfectly mechanical you can really work on every aspect of your surfing…
Q- On average what are the crowds like?
Richard- Like anywhere it can be crowded, but most of the time the crowds are manageable and you can often get a session with no other boats. What I must stress is that compared to so many of the great waves in the world, the waves in this area have a number of take off spots so the crowd gets spread out. Again, I know I’ve been spoilt so my perception isn’t necessarily reality. I’ve surfed the best waves of my life in the Maldives with no one but a couple lucky guests…just lucky timing….so now even if I think it’s crowded the guests are saying ‘wow, there’s almost no one out’!! Like I say, no matter how many surfers are in the water you can always get waves….all the spots are surfable on any tide so it’s not a case of everyone in the area surfing the same waves on a certain tide before it goes un-rideable…
Q- Last time I went to Indo it seemed like every pro surfer and want to be pro was there on photo shoots. It was almost impossible to get waves. Does this happen in the Maldives?
Richard- No not really, of course around the contest there’s a huge influx of pro’s and cameras but I find they’re pretty cool to surf with and I actually quite enjoy it. Over the rest of the season you hardly see any, perhaps one or two boat trips or pro’s traveling with their girl but it’s inspiring rather than a problem.
Q- Who have you seen in the water? Any standouts?
Richard- hmmm..I guess I’ve seen most of the guys on the QS…All the Saffa’s are classics…Davey Weare and Greg,… Shaun Cansdell, Mick Cambell, Dan Ross…. They all just surf so well… How Shaun Cansdell is not on the Ct is a mystery to me. At Lohi’s, his was some of the best, most precise, stylish surfing I’ve ever seen. He owes me a tail pad though if you see him tell him to bring it next year! Mick Cambo is a legend! He’s all time, he would be talking it up to everyone all day – guests who knew nothing about surfing, who’d never even seen it before all loved him, the full on super gregarious Aussie larrikin. He was surfing more than anyone, hitting the cocktails then paddling out and blowing up!! I watched Dan Ross in a couple heats this year; he’s about 6’5” yet he was destroying these tiny little waves at Pasta Point. His spray was going twice as high as everyone else! We’d be surfing Sultans and we could see when he paddled out for a heat just by the spray he was chucking! It’s humbling yet inspirational to surf with guys like this.
Q- Is it easy to take photos – my girlfriend is really getting into surf photography – will she be able to shoot my sessions!?
Richard-!!!!? Hmmm… yeah for sure!! The deck at Lohi’s must be one of the easiest places to “get the shot” she can sit there under an umbrella, sipping a cocktail and take photo’s of you all day! Just make sure you remember it’s her holiday too, I find those spa packages seem to be a great incentive!
Q- OK, so can you do it on the cheap? Can you just turn up and find budget places to stay?
Richard- It is possible to stay on a couple of the islands, though I don’t really recommend it. More often than not, after a frustrating and fruitless time trying to arrange local boats and missing waves the guys wanting to “do it cheap” end up trying to come down to stay at Lohi’s. It is also a place you would never want to take your lady! With the Muslim religion as law on all local islands, she would have to cover up completely (cant show shoulders or above the knees) and no alcohol allowed, so it wouldn’t be such a fun trip for her.
Q- How is the food at the resort?
Richard- The food is pretty good, there is something for everyone. Fresh fish and salad everyday, and plenty of fruit… you can eat healthy if you choose to. There is a wide variety and many desserts you can hit it as hard as you like. It is a good feeling coming off the boat after the morning surf, and knowing lunch is ready and waiting….
Q- Local culture?
Richard- To be frank, the island is it’s own little world. A complete getaway from reality, however there is a cultural night once a week that is great with Maldivian food and drums and dancing after dinner. There is also the option of a day trip to Male via speedboat for a nominal fee through the resort.
Q-How does the Muslim religion affect the stay?
Richard- Not at all, apart from not being able to bring duty free alcohol through customs and hearing the call to prayer from the mosque at Cokes and Jails. You are at a resort and pretty much isolated which is neither good or bad…as I mentioned before, the rules are very strict for the local islands but the resorts do not fall under that law.
Q- So you can drink alcohol?
Richard- Of course!!! The World Surfaris deal is all-inclusive and you can drink as much or as little beer/wine as you want at no extra cost. The arvo boat arrives back to the resort at beer o’clock most nights! Cocktails are charged to your room and you settle up the night before you leave.
Q-Is it just honeymoon couples? How is the nightlife?
Richard- It really is a beautiful, idyllic little island and a wonderful place for a honeymoon or romantic getaway. At the same time I must stress that it is not just honeymooners, there is a broad spectrum of guests to Hudhuranfushi…. couples, groups of guys who come every year for a boys surf trip, girlfriends coming on girls surf adventure, to Russian air hostesses who seem to bring any party to life. There are cocktail nights and beach parties and a local Dj…but it’s not like Kuta beach in Bali!
Q-What else is there to do if there is no waves?
Richard- You can usually go surfing every single day and most surfers do, be it 2 ft onshore, 6-8 ft and barreling or the Maldivian norm – 3-5ft perfection. However if you happen to not be surfing, the snorkeling and diving is amazing (it’s a great place to get certified) and I do recommend bringing a mask and fins on the boat every session –I’ve been in the water with literally hundreds of Dolphins all around me and I’ve had massive Manta Ray’s gliding right over me. On the island, there’s a tennis court, a gym, table tennis, volleyball (by the beach bar – great fun for late arvo beers) squash, badminton and the Water Sports center where you can windsurf, jet ski, wakeboard or rent a canoe to go snorkeling further afield!
Q- What about yoga/Pilates?
Richard- We don’t have classes as such but the deck at Lohi’s is a great place to stretch out before a surf! I’ve had a number of guests who are Yoga teachers and they sometimes organize a small group and teach a class or two if anyone’s interested.
Q- Massage?
Richard- How could I forget to mention the Spa!! The Coconut spa is great, they offer pretty much every treatment from strong sports massage to facials and other stuff for the ladies that I don’t know much about! Seriously though, it is a great set up and after a good swell there’s nothing like a good massage to ease the aching shoulders.
Q-Can you go fishing?
You can organize excursions for both early morning and night fishing. Also, the surf boat captains are usually quite happy to troll to and from the waves or drop a line over the side while we surf.
Q- Do the boats stay while you surf?
Richard- Yes, the boat is usually anchored right next to us in the channel which is ideal if you want to take photo’s! If we have split up, say between Cokes and Chickens the boat usually stays where I am surfing so that I can organize the pick-ups. But it’s never far away!
Q- Is it possible to take a spare board on the boat?
Richard- Yes! If it’s big I think it’s a good idea. Also, we sometimes have “swap a board sessions” where we get as many different boards on the boat as possible and mix it up…always fun!
Q- Does the boat have a roof? Are you sheltered from the sun/rain.
Richard- Yes.
Q- Can my wife/girlfriend/partner come on the boat to watch and shoot photos
Richard – Yes, there’s a $15 charge but well worth it!!
Q- Is there Internet?
Richard – Yes, The Hotel reception is a Wifi zone and there are also a couple computers available. The wireless is reasonably cheap so if you need to get online regularly, bringing your Laptop is a good idea!
Q- Surf shop?
Richard- No, bring everything you think you might need. Don’t forget to bring tropical surf wax – I find that Blue Zoggs is the best. Saying that, as with anywhere that surfers gather there is quite an active board market and it is often possible to buy or sell a board from/to a fellow traveler. I’ve noticed that whenever there’s a big swell and boards are being snapped, that 6’3 round pins are suddenly very valuable!!
Q- Are there any serious health concerns?
Richard- I know I’m always making comparisons but compared to Indo the Maldives is incredibly safe. The management is very strict with food and hygiene standards in the kitchens and water is bottled. The island has a mosquito control program and there’s no Malaria. Saying that, I’d still bring some insect repellant but there’s none of the Malaria paranoia you feel in the depths of Indo. The Hotel has an on island doctor, but he does much more reading than Doctoring! Safe as it is, I still recommend travel insurance. Another important point is to really look after any small cuts or reef scrapes. Even the smallest cut should be well cleaned and kept covered to reduce the risk of infection.
Q- Is it a good place to bring children?
Richard- It’s a small island with water pretty much everywhere so it’s both dangerous and a wonderful natural playground. I’ve had many guests bring their young children and thoroughly enjoy the experience. It’s so relaxing, and apparently there is always something on the buffet that’s good for kids… there’s some great shallow water snorkeling and “Nemo” and his friends appear everywhere! If you are traveling with children do have a back up plan just in case the weather dictates an indoor activity day and make sure your children are water-safe!
Q- Now then, the million dollar question…..How did you get the dream job, and is it the dream job?
Richard- Haha!! I get asked this every single day of the season!! For sure it’s the dream job! I’m living on a beautiful, Maldivian island and can surf every day. I wake up every day knowing that I’m incredibly lucky, though I’ve always said that we make our own luck. In the surf industry and the surf travel industry it really is a case of who, rather than what you know … and I just got very lucky!
The story goes…..I had been spending a lot of time in Indo, I did a bit of work on a boat, I got to know a few people, I met a friend of Jeff -the guy who was working at Lohi’s prior to me. He introduced us, Jeff was coming to NZ and he came to stay with me in Raglan. The next year I spent a month with him in the Maldives…we kept in touch, he hinted that he was getting burnt out and asked me if I’d be interested in taking over from him if he quit! Of course I was frothing!! The following year I was in El Salvador and I received an E-mail basically saying that I was good to go for the following season…Now I have just finished my second epic season!
Q- So that was it? No interview? No meeting?
Richard- Well I was trying to keep it brief! Look, Jeff had worked at Lohi’s for five years and had done a great job. I think that Shaun Levings ( owner of World Surfaris) trusted his opinion, which was lucky for me! We spoke on the phone and exchanged E-mails, but it was hard at first as from El Sal I went straight to Indo and jumped on a mates boat for a couple months, so I was out of contact for long periods of time and just hoping that I still had the job! In fact I didn’t meet Shaun until my first day at work! We surfed perfect Jails together and I managed to not drop in on him and we’ve got on pretty good ever since!
Q- Classic mate! Finally, I spent time with you at Lohi’s last year. You always seemed so positive and amped to surf every day. How do you maintain your enthusiasm over the entire season?
Richard- Thanks! I guess it’s important to remember that you are working and that even if you’re feeling surfed out and tired the guests who’ve just arrived are full of energy and want to surf as much as possible. I try to look at it through their eyes, which motivates me to make sure they get the best waves possible and have a memorable trip to Hudhuranfushi.
I am buying a 14 foot flat bottom boat tomorrow. No motor or anything. Is it feasable to try and haul it home strapped down on top of my minivan (96 Mercury Villager). The boat is 14 feet long and 56 inches wide at the top.
I don’t plan on going that fast with it and I will be using several tie downs and bungee straps to secure it.
Lake Talquin holds good populations of black bass, Striped bass, white bass, black crappie, bluegill, and redear sunfish. Lake Talquin is one of the best black bass lakes during the winter, But if you want to catch specs, bream, and redear sunfish Lake Talquin is the place to be! The Florida Fish And Wildlife Commission Maintains the population of Stripers by stocking. The striper ave. catch size is between 10 and 15lbs but very few stripers over 20lbs are ever caught. The good months for Stripers are normally caught during February, March and April.
Lake Talquin has an abundance of natural bait fish that keep the predator fish population very active. You can find Golden shiner, seminole killfish, sunfish, crayfish, threadfin shad and gizzard shad are the most common forage. Minnows such as sailfin mollies, pot-guts and a variety of others. You can also find Insect larvae, clams, mussels, frogs, tadpoles, leeches, sirens and water dogs that keep the fish on the move.
Largemouth bass can be caught in drop-offs and channels. Anchor your boat in 6 to 8 ft of water and fish into the deeper channels using Texas- or Carolina rigged plastic worms. In the spring fish the grass flats in 4 to 7 feet of water. Make sure you search along the river and creek channels for spawning habitat. Minnow imitations and plastic worms are effective where the creeks empty into lake Talquin.
You can catch Stripers all year round on lake Talquin, but one of the funnest times for fishing is in the fall. The striper school in open water and feed on vigorously during the fall and winter. You can spot them by watching the birds. If the birds are diving on bait the open waters, chances are the there are strippers schooling and feeding on threadfin shad. Fish any artificial bait that imitates these shad. Some suggestions would be to fish Minnow imitations and chugger-style topwater lures. They seem to work well on stripers that are feeding on Shad.
The best live bait for shellcraker and bream is grass shrimp. Shellcraker and bream are very active during from april through may and you can get some great catches. Catch Black crappie in the winter months by drifting or slow trolling open water. spider rigging is most effective. Make sure you vary depths until you find the schools of crappie. They will be suspended.
Area #1 Talquin Fishing Lake Report Picnic Point is a sandbar in one of the widest sections of the Ochlockonee River. There is heavy cover on top of the bar and 5-foot depths along the edge that drop to about 22 feet at midchannel. A jig or crankbait like a Big N worked down the drop is most effective. .
Area #2 The Smokehouse area off the mouth of Hunter Creek is a flat about 4 feet deep with good spring bass fishing. Stumps and vegetation along the channel provide great cover for both forage and largemouth bass. When the water is running, use deep-diving crankbaits. Plastic worms are also good bets throughout the year. There is good spring fishing when rainfall allows access to the shallows.
Area #3 Lake Talquin Fishing Report The Iron Post, also known as the Talquin flats area, has a deep hole at the end of an old submerged channel. Work auger tail and paddle tail worms along the ledge of the adjacent flooded flats for big bass. Topwater stick baits such as the Bomber Long A take smaller, schooling bass during summer and early fall.
Area #4 A bend in the river channel directly across from Coe’s Landing is a prime largemouth spot during the winter months. The water drops from 5 feet to 18 feet in the channel. Cast plastic worms and deep-running crankbaits in the stumps and nearby flats. Be careful of stumps.
Area #5 This minor creek channel on the Coe’s Landing side is at the southern tip of what local anglers call the Iron Curtain. Bass hold on sandbar drop-offs along the tiny creek. Using plastic worms along the creek drop-offs, which runs almost to Williams Landing, is effective for winter bass. Target schooling bass here in the summer.
Area #6The deep channel at High Bluff provides excellent winter fishing for striper and largemouth on live shiners or deep-diving crankbaits. Fish the creek channel that runs from Double Creek to the old wooden pier. Fish the creek channel and pier pilings for big bass and striped bass. For stripers, cast small crank baits, vibration lures, plastic worms, and stick baits in pockets of open water surrounded by lily pads.
Area #7 A 20-foot drop-off near the small island holds winter largemouth that will take plastic worms dragged along bottom and down the drop. In the heat of summer, if bass are not schooling on the surface nearby, a jigging spoon can sometimes entice fish from the depths. A plastic worm, rigged Carolina style, is effective along the edge of the river channel. Bend the hook back into the worm to prevent snags, then drag it back, imparting no movement, through the stumpy drop-off. This is one of the most productive big bass spots on the lake.
Area #8Lake Talquin Fishing Report Fish this delta-shaped inlet with old docks for black bass. Work the shallow drop-off into the cove, a small spring-fed channel called Cootermill Creek, and the nearby Ochlockonee River channel, which averages about 22 feet deep. Fish plastic worms and jig spoons in the holes and drop-offs, and toss crankbaits along edges of the channel. A floating worm snaked through the lily pads in areas with cypress trees and stumps may draw a strike.
Area #9Plenty of shellcracker beds, sometimes more than an acre of them, are found just off the High Bluff area around mid-April. The sandy flats remain loaded with beds for about 3 months. Move in carefully over the stumpy-area. Fish the edges of the flats with spinnerbaits and floating worms for bass. In close, cast small Beetle Spin lures or switch to shellcracker rigs and use crickets or worms.
Area #10 Talquin Lake Fishing Report The mouth of Mews Creek is a good year-round area for schooling bass. Work plastic worms for largemouth where Mewes Creek and Ochlockonee River channels merge. Cast toward the bank then work the creek channel
Area #11The bends on Little River average about 12 feet deep and hold crappie during winter. One method is to use a rake or paddle to scoop a hole in the floating hyacinth, and then check for minnows. If bait is present, crappie are generally below. Drop a live minnow or small jig through the hole in the weed canopy. In the summer, bass and striper school are here, feeding on thick populations of shad. Near here an old boat house collapsed into the water, creating a good spot. This is also a spawning area, from February through May.
Area #12Pre-spawn bass provide excellent action in the back of Little River Arm. The depth varies from 12 feet in the river channel to 7 or 8 feet along the edge. Work shad-colored crankbaits along the channel during early spring. When there’s a flow, move up the creek and work likely areas with a plastic crayfish or 1/4-ounce, lipless crankbait.
Well I hope the 12 areas identified in this Florida lake Talquin Fishing Report will help on you plan your next freshwater fishing trip to Florida. Lets Go Fish’in!
I do not know a lot about the other lakes in Georgia except what I read. He fishes most of the lakes in Georgia in his tournaments. From what I read most of the lakes north of here have become overrun by spotted bass. He seldom catches one over 3lbs.
I have fished Ray’s lake only a couple of times and have caught some small bass but those pads on the north end should hold some big bass and I am sure they have in the past. The carp you see are the white amour carp put into that area by the “DNR” to try and control weeds. The only result is that they have controlled the bass. The gates do, I am certain keep migrating bass out of the area as well as supposedly keeping the carp in. I hope, for the sake of the rest of the lake that they are successful in containing the carp.
Spring Creek used to be some of the best bass fishing in the nation. I used to catch 5-8 lb bass quite often and a limit of ten fish was not unusual. However in 1999 the DNR put a drip system at the bridge where SR253 crosses Spring Creek. This chemical was to kill off the hydrilla that covered about 85% of the Spring Creek arm. The result was a complete success. It killed almost all of the hydrilla, but with the hydrilla went the fish and I mean almost all of them. We used to have hydrilla around our dock and each spring the brim and shellcrackers bedded around the dock.
The year 2000 we had hundreds of big crackers and brim. A year later there were was nothing. I see a few around my dock now and people up and down the shoreline are catching them. I did not feed them this year to attract them so I do not know if that is the reason I do not have many.
I fished Spring Creek regularly in ‘02through ‘05 with little luck. Last year I began to catch a few nice bass again but both my boat and my health gave me problems since then and have not been able to fish this year like I usually did. I have heard reports that the bass have returned to Spring creek. I hope so but can’t prove it.
I am hoping to get my boat back in the water tomorrow and get to fishing again regularly. I wish I could tell you that Lake Seminole is anything like it was in the late 90s but that would be false. I do believe, however that there are still lots of big fighting bass but not in Fish Pond Drain area because of the carp.
Have you ever tried the main lake? There are some places along the left shore, facing up the Flint, that have some good places for topwaters. Up around the islands there are some places where holes in the flats contain some good places. Also up the Flint the channel twists and turns with flats on both sides that produce on top.
The Chatahoochee side also has some good places upstream on the right is a marked channel, you have to look close to see it, that leads through hundreds of acres of pads. I have caught some bass there. I seldom go there because it is such a long run for me but much closer via the Fish Pond Drain. By the way Ronnie caught some fair fish in the pads at the lower end of Fish Pond Drain in a recent tournament, but no really big ones.
I believe that the lake is coming back now that the hydrilla is coming back. Now if the state will just keep hands off and let nature take it’s way it will be a great bass lake again. One more thing I can tell you is that the flats on Spring Creek have never been that productive for me. The creek channel and the stump fields on either side have produced most of my bass over the years. I have caught a few small ones on the flats but the bigger ones have come from the creek channel areas.
Also almost all of my topwater fishing has taken place from the time the sun gets to the treetops until dark and sometimes even after dark. I caught my biggest bass ever, just over 9lbs, about 11 pm one moonless night on a muskie jitterbug. I cast back to the same hole in the hydrilla and caught one just under 9lbs. Of course I have gone fishless on many evenings and nights too but then that is bass fishing.
Now after telling you that I still believe this lake has a lot of good fishing but I also know that when your friends give up and don’t come back it is difficult. Maybe you should talk to them and see if they have had better success elsewhere if they are still fishing. If they have had success perhaps you might give their place a try but maybe come back in some future vacation.
Also maybe you could give me a follow up in a few months and see if I have had more success since my health problem is now in check and my boat ready for the water. I hate to see people give up on the lake but I also see reasons for it in recent years largely due to errors by the State.