They say a picture tells a thousand words. If “they” are correct, the photo of a traveling angler with grin from ear to ear aboard The Hooker releasing blue marlin under the watchful eye of Capt. Skip Smith speaks volumes. It’s an exotic image like this snapped off the beaten path that triggers the adventurous spirit in all of us.
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By Zachary Granat
On May 2, the Supreme Court of Colombia ruled that recreational fishing was unconstitutional. As a result, Colombians expect a ban on recreational fishing to take effect within one year.
The decision comes after the Court’s 2019 ban on recreational hunting. Then, the Court held that recreational hunting was animal cruelty and a threat to the environment. It has made the same decision about recreational fishing.
The Bahamas Customs & Excise Department has launched its electronic submission portal for cruising permit applications on the Click2Clear platform. Visitors traveling by boat can now complete and submit declaration forms and make a cashless payment in advance of arrival. “This is all a part of our digital transformation agenda. It addresses a long-standing pain point for boaters who have been clamoring for a fully digital process. It also minimizes the opportunity for revenue leakage,” says Minister of State for Finance Kwasi Thompson. While we love living on island time, the new Cruising Permit module is expected to dramatically improve the processing time for boaters when clearing customs at the various ports of entry across the archipelago.
Hawaii-Guide.com recently provided a new update to requirements and changes in regards to Hawaii travel and the COVID vaccine parameters. Read the excerpt below or click here for the full article.
Presently, proof of vaccination is not a recognized exemption to the Hawaii travel quarantine. The state continues to evaluate the latest science and will inform travelers of any new exemptions as those decisions are made. Please see the Hawaii Travel Restrictions page for more information.
A potential Spring/Summer 2021 timeline has been proposed for Hawaii vaccination “passport” travel to begin. There is also a March-April timeline for Inter-Island Travel, potentially early May for trans-Pacific travel.
In mid-December 2020, word was received that Lieutenant Governor Josh Green, who is both a physician and is in charge of Hawaii’s Safe Travels program, had said that he would ask the governor to approve travel both trans-Pacific and interisland for anyone who has had a COVID vaccination without further requirements starting in early 2021. For travelers who choose not to get vaccinated, we believe the current restrictions, testing requirements, and quarantine policy are likely to remain in effect for most, if not all, of 2021 and potentially beyond.
Initially, it was proposed to start at the beginning of February 2021, but this has since been postponed until sometime in the Spring of 2021. After approaching the Governor about the update, the Lt. Governor has now indicated that Governor Ige is more inclined to make this change sometime in the Spring or early Summer, not in February as originally proposed. The latest news suggests, as of mid-February 2021, that vaccine/health passport travel will begin in three phases; which is outlined below.
Photo courtesy Casa de Campo
As more travel options start to open up, the Dominican Republic has likely been on the radar for many anglers and boaters. The Caribbean country is a well-known hotspot for sportfishing enthusiasts and casual vacation-goers alike with plenty of options for saltwater social distancing. Currently, U.S. citizens are able to travel to the tropical haven without the requirement of a negative COVID-19 test for entry.
Starting on October 26, visitors arriving in Costa Rica will no longer be required to provide a negative PCR coronavirus test result, according to Tourism Minister Gustavo Segura.
Photo courtesy Sevenstar
by Dave Ferrell
Magazine articles, TV shows, and social media posts continually bombard your owner with the news of tremendous action, amazing catches and/or incredible numbers in some far-off place on the globe. Cape Verde, Madeira, Australia, Galapagos Islands, Costa Rica, Tahiti, Papeete, Canary Islands, Panama, Azores even the Mediterranean Sea; all locations with a mystical pull that goes beyond the quest for big fish or big numbers, targets that represent adventure pure and simple. Going to these places, chartering a local captain for a couple of days is a lot of fun—staying and fishing on your own rig an entire season, or several, is life-changing.
Start planning your offshore trip because Nov. 1 is right around the corner.
Costa Rica will officially be reopening to visitors from all 50 US states starting November 1. However, Costa Rican authorities noted that requirements to enter Costa Rica, such as a negative PCR coronavirus test, remain unchanged.
