For Future Reference:

For future reference:
-Torchlight
-Long sleeves and pants
-Soap
-Hammock (as well as rope)

To what do these items refer? Essentials for a Rupununi outing – ones that I failed to fathom, this time at least. These essentials, as well as others that my party did remember to walk with, such as salt, farine, a pot and a cutlass, seem to be staples any outing from a simple picnic, to a day trip on the river, to camping overnight. I’ve participated in two and will experience the third in a few days, so I should pay attention.

Torchlight – for when the day trip turns into a night trip and you need to see the river’s path – or just your hand in front of your face – to guide the boat back to the landing. For when you are walking up a steep path back to your village, one filled with tree stumps and crevices. Long sleeves and pants – because even though it’s the dry season and the mosquitoes, caboras and sandflies have abated in general, by the water, they are by the thousands and show no mercy. There’ll be no tank tops and shorts on THESE trips to the river. Soap – because it’s more efficient to bathe at the same time you’re swimming, besides, everyone else is doing it. Hammock – because while you’re eating and liming in between fishing, you need a place to lie around. It requires minimal assembly and provides a place to sit off the ground, a place to swing for fun, and a place to take a five... or ten.

All these things and more I learned today because I had the pleasure of accompanying CH and Ashley & family to Simoni for fishing and it was great. “The guys” go to this place for some serious fishing, and I was excited to finally be out on the water, seeing a part of what they do when they go out. The invite to go with them sometime has been open for months, and it was a nice time to cash that invite in since it wasn’t just a guys thing, plus Franzea was going, too. The day was perfect – except I couldn’t catch a fish! Ok, fine, I caught two pirie and one piranha, but I didn’t catch a TRUE “fish.” Lukanani is one of them, it’s THE fish to catch here. It’s what they all come back with each fishing trip, what’s abundant in the waters, and what’s delicious to eat. And, you might say “Oh, you just need practice,” or “Well, you still caught 3 fish!’ but you wouldn’t if you knew how amazingly plentiful Rupununi fishing was like. It’s practically like shooting fish in a barrel – excuse my all-too-fitting analogy. The fish are abundant (in the dry season, at least) and the fishing is simple – lure with 2 4-prong hooks on a line with a spinner – toss out and hold as the boat goes forward at a slow, to medium pace, pulling the line behind it. You feel resistance, pull your line in, letting it gather at your feet. Unhook fish, throw on boat floor and toss out your line again. Repeat a dozen or more times in a few hours, more if you’re lucky, less if you’re me. Sure, Ash did some fly fishing, Cindy used a rod, and the boys did some diving with spear guns, but that’s the basic method of producing mass quantities of fish. Ash’s boat came away with more than 30, and our boat with at least 25. Mostly lukanani, but Juju caught a big tiger fish, and some hooked pirie, which were mostly tossed back – yeah, my fish were tossed back. Anthony caught a basha and there was another weird looking one in the boat, a mangi, too.

No matter how many spots they went to, how many lines they unknotted, checked and did maintenance on for me, a lukanani would not hook itself on the line I was holding. Fernando gave me his good line, with Ashley’s good lure, but nothing. Gah. Though I know we created distractions and were somewhat high maintenance (as well as bad luck, they said), I appreciated the aid and attention from the guys. Franzea was obviously more competent than me, but they all helped us with our lines and things. Then there was reciprocation at “camp,” our base for the day.

Truly the women made our camping back home look like a stay at Holiday Inn. The entire style of the day was basic, yet effective. I noticed this when I went fishing the last time with Franzea on that picnic. With few more items than the ones I’ve mentioned, food and rest was more than adequately provided. Hammocks were hung, a fire was made and means for cooking lunch and then roasting the extra fish were quickly constructed. The river became sink, drinking fountain, rubbish bin, bath and dishwasher all in one. As fish were brought in, they got cleaned and prepared on the water's edge. I even jumped in and gutted some still moving fish! Once they were cleaned and prepared, the fish were carried and placed over the fire on sticks held up with forked sticks in the ground. It was amazing to see such a feast and such an outing come from so few carried supplies.

The outing was enhanced by the unbelievable ambiance surround us. Capuchin monkey pounding a nut against a tree. Herons and cranes. Iguana. River dogs. Caimans 50 feet away. Bad luck birds (I can’t remember their name, but Cindy said they bring bad luck). Sandbanks, winding rivers, sunset on the river, stars on the river...

As I held a plate of farine soaked in fish broth and a cup of cari while the boat bumpily sped home as darkness was fast approaching, I couldn’t help but think “This is the life.” Sure, Juju and Anthony were cleaning the last of the fish in the front of the boat and I probably had fish scales and fish guts flung on my face, but who cares? It’s an experience! How many minutes of how many days do I go around withOUT fish guts on my face? Plenty. How boring, right? Sure, I fell into the river at the drop off where our boats were and was soaked for the windy ride back, but how many times have I experienced that? It’s a story, it’s dynamic, it’s fun! All sorts of things like that really add up to make my experience here great. I seriously appreciate the dynamo of these experiences, it makes me feel alive. If temporary discomfort is part of it, well, that’s ok. And anyway, discomfort is all in the eye of the beholder. I felt pretty darn good and content.

And it occurred to me again today that many people go away to have fun on the river or at the lake or go fishing or bathing or lounging in hammocks. But not me, not my village – it’s our backyard! Mountains, rivers, wildlife, fruits, boating, fishing... it’s all right here. So, even though I did not catch a lukanani, something that vexed me to no end, I’m still able to be pretty happy and thankful, not just about the day, but about my placement here in general.

“Don’t feel no way,” Anthony said several times as I sat, hand holding my line, waiting. And I didn’t.