Mark and I awaken about 4:30 a.m. to the sound of howler monkeys and a gentle rain out the back door of our little open air cabana. We were staying at an isolated jungle-beach lodge at Tortuguerro National Park in Northeastern Costa Rica. This was the last day of the “jungle-ocean” portion of a week long adventure. The week had featured white water rafting, climbing, grueling mountain hikes, cross-cultural experiences, lots of journaling and several individual sessions with a “life coach”. Our team of six men and two women were testing a new model for discovering your life purposes and passions.

Even a very structured mid-life adventure has some built in free time. One life passion I didn’t have to search for was my love for fishing.

The afternoon before, two of my teammates and I had taken advantage of our only free time to hire a tarpon guide. In just three short hours of jigging bucktails on light saltwater tackle, Mark had landed a 95 lb. tarpon and Gary had brought a large bonita to the boat. I had missed a few strikes.

Our charter plane would carry us out of this jungle-beach paradise at 9 a.m., but we were determined to squeeze in one more fishing adventure. In the black-gray pre-dawn mist, our little 21 foot boat crashes through 5-6 foot surf to escape the river. As we encounter the Caribbean, the ocean vista is spectacular. Looking to the west we see the rest of our team on the beach for an early morning jog. They are hoping to catch an ocean sunrise. None of us are disappointed. The rain stops, as if on cue and the Master Artist paints a gorgeous Caribbean sunrise.

As the boat drifts about a mile off shore, I look to the west again where a half moon is setting behind a massive volcano that rises 11,000 feet from the jungle floor. My Costa Rican epiphany is interrupted by Roberto, our guide screaming, “Tarpon!, Tarpon!” We all see a giant silver fish leaping within six feet of our little boat. To everyone’s surprise (including the guide) the tarpon has a bucktail jig in his mouth. The guide hands me the rod and after twenty wonderful minutes, filled with spectacular jumps, I catch and release my first tarpon.

We are back at the lodge by 8:30 a.m. just in time to inhale a bowl of granola and run to catch our plane. There is a cheer as our twin engine Piper barely clears the palm trees at the end of a very short jungle air strip. Sometimes dreams come true; this is one of those days. Thank you Lord.

Jim Hall
February 2003