Over dinner that night, we look at the questionable forecast and decide to push for an early morning and hope for the best. The plan is to take a panga (a small fishing boat) to explore another deep water reef protected in a large cove an hour north of camp. Morning comes quickly and as we pack up the truck in the dark with our fingers crossed, we’re still hoping for a miracle break in the storm. After a long bumpy ride, we arrive at a lonely fishing village where our panga is waiting for us on the beach. The air is calm as the skies awaken in a reddish-purple haze. The boat driver gives us the thumbs up. It’s on!
Boat packed and ready, we wait out a couple of big waves and then make our way out. Off in the distance, I can just make out the hazy whitewater explosion from the reef. My mind is racing. I wonder what we will find. The water around the boat is a murky greenish-brown from all the rain that has washed down the mountains and into the rivers.
