I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO GO ON A SAIL FISH- ING TRIP TO MEXICO ON A PRIVATE YACHT IN 2004 WITH THOMPSON CIGARS. I DROVE TO THEIR OFFICE IN TAMPA AND BOARDED A SMALL PRIVATE PLANE. IT LANDED IN ISLE MEJOR, MEXICO. I WAS WITH DOUG CROWE THE OPERATIONS MANAGER FOR THOMPSON AND TWO OTHER VENDORS THAT WORKED FOR THEM. ONE WAS A MAN NAMED RUDY WHO WAS ONCE IN THE ARMY. THE FISHING WAS WORLD- CLASS. THE BOAT HAD A CAPTAIN, FIRST MATE, AND A SHIP’S MATE. WE SAT IN THE BACK UNDER THE SHADE WATCHING THE DEEP BLUE WATER AND OUR TALL FISHING POLES WHICH WERE SITTING IN LONG METAL CUPS. IN THE SKY WE FLEW SOME KITE LINES THAT KEPT THE FISHING LINES FAR FROM THE BOAT. ONCE A FISH STRIKED THE LINETHE KITES WOULD DETACH AND THE ROD WOULD BE AC- TIVE. THE WHOLE THING WAS AN ART. THE YOUNG SHIP MATE WAS A LOCAL MEX- ICAN BOY. HE CAREFUL- LY MADE THE BAIT READY, PERFECTLY TIEING A SMALL FISH WITH A LEADER LINE. ONCE A HUGE FISH WAS ON THE LINE AND WE STRUG- GLED TO BRING IT IN THE
CAPTAIN BACKED UP THE BOAT UP. I WAS SMITTEN TO GO ON THE TRIP AND SPEND TIME ON THE PRIVATE PLANE AND BOAT BUT THE EXPE- RIENCE OF CATCHING FISH WAS AWFUL. THE GUYS WERE DRINKING ALCOHOL. I DON’T DRINK, THE BOAT CREATED A SICKLY MOTOR OIL SMELL, THE ROLLING SEAS WERE SICKENING, AND AS A FISHERMAN, I FOUND THE EXERCISE OF BACKING UP THE BOAT TO BE DISAPPOINTING. I PRE- FER BACKWATER FISHING. THAT NIGHT RUDY PICKED A FIGHT WITH ME. HE WAS SUCH A MEAN PERSON I FELT UNCOMFORTABLE SLEEPING AT THE APART- MENT. THAT NIGHT I DID A CONTEST WITH ONE OF THE OTHER GUYS AND WE BOTH DID 100 PUSHUPS. IT WAS A TESTOSERONE FILLED TRIP. THE NEXT DAY I DECIDED NOT TO GO ON THE BOAT. INSTEAD, I GOT A GAS POWERED GOLF CART AND TOOLED AROUND THE IS- LAND TO DO DRAWING AND PAINTINGS. AT ONE COR- NER OF THE ISLAND, THERE IS A SCULPTURE GARDEN THAT JUTS OUT INTO THE OCEAN. IT’S A VERY FINE PARK. I LOVED THAT.
2004 MEXICO
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Isla Mujeres
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