Live your Hemingway fantasies at Tropic Start Lodge
I am big fan of Ernest Hemingway. To me the man himself was like a character in one of his novels (even though this is romantizing it quite a bit as this brilliant writer lived a tumultuous life and eventually committed suicide in 1962). Besides writing, Hemingway was a consummate traveler and indulged in all manner of adventurous pursuits such as big game fishing in the Caribbean.
I have mentioned before that I am not much of a fisherman; however, I do enjoy the thrill of the hunt. Additionally, deep sea fishermen are generally the most adventurous power boaters around and often travel to exotic destinations in search of interesting quarry. I must also admit that sport fishing vessels with their towers and arrays of outriggers and antennae are some of the coolest boats around, in my opinion.
A while back I saw sport fishing a show on TV about a legendary fishing lodge in Panama that featured a fleet of 15 classic Bertram fishing boats, each hull painted a different color. One of the biggest draws of the Tropic Star Lodge is the abundance of Black Marlin in nearby waters. In fact, from June until September the lodge will guarantee a marlin catch or it will refund $500 towards your airfare.
Even if you don’t get to hook a 1,500-pound monster, just lounging in the sun on a classic Bertram 31 with your significant other might be worth the price of admission. These beautiful craft epitomize the sense of elegance and adventure that so attracted me to the “legend†of Hemingway.
The service at the lodge is rumored to be above equal and the surroundings are obviously idyllic. Even though the rooms are equipped with air conditioning, the lodge is fairly remote and can only be reached by plane or boat. Don’t expect to find cell phone signal or even TV in the rooms. This is a place for relaxation and—you guessed it—fishing.
The lodge is also in the forefront of conservation efforts and was the first to require circle hooks, which make it easier to release fish safely so, unless you are absolutely opposed to fishing of any kind (even catch and release), you can relax and enjoy knowing that this resource will there for others to enjoy.
