Tackler's travel notes

[Ed Monton]

Lose Yourself in Nicaragua's Corn Islands

-By Cecilia Ryan

http://www.guideofnicaragua.com/1202/CornIsland.html

Photos: Diego Congote and Ligia Vaughan -

Anyone who knows me knows that I am deathly afraid of flying, especially in tiny, 16-passanger propeller planes. The whole concept just seems too unnatural to me. And although I knew I was headed to “an unspoiled Caribbean paradise,” as most people I’d spoken about the Corn Islands had referred to them, I was breaking out in a cold sweat in Managua’s 90º weather as our group headed towards the city’s International Airport.


The isolated beaches of Little Corn Island offer a placid retreat from hectic modern-day living.

I was lucky enough to have been traveling with a young and vivacious group that unknowingly kept me from swallowing my tongue in a nervous fit with their jokes and evident excitement about our up-coming adventure. But the pangs of anxiety were still there, and as I stepped off the dark green pickup that had brought us to the airport, my knees buckled. Out of embarrassment, I composed myself, grabbed my red vinyl duffel bag from the back of the truck and headed into the Atlantic Airlines check-in counter, where we and our luggage were all weighed— Reminding me of the frailty of the aircraft we were about to board on our 45-minute trip to Nicaragua’s Caribbean Coast.

But within the next couple of minutes, something happened to me— We paid our 15 Córdobas in airport taxes, presented our tickets, and headed towards the x-ray machine. The scene in the waiting area soon distracted my fidgety, dramatic mind— There was rhythmic reggae music dancing from the speakers attached to the waiting room walls and passengers in shorts, sandals and cornrows sat relaxed, chatting and laughing with each other, waiting for their names to be called as the small planes pulled up to the tarmac outside. The atmosphere was contagious and I immediately lapsed into people-watching mode and suddenly forgot about the remote yet vivid possibility of crashing into a Nicaraguan hillside in a fiery ball. (I told you I have an overly active, dramatic mind.) Although we had yet to board our plane, our trip to Nicaragua’s Caribbean was well on its way.



Great Corn Island children take a break from playing in the sand.

There was one character we dubbed “Rocket Man” who distracted me from my fears for the rest of our trip to Great Corn Island. I had noticed him in line for the x-ray machine. As airport security people tend to do, they poured out all the contents of his backpack on the static conveyer belt. Bottles and bottles of rum clinked out of his pack. “Be careful! These are for tonight’s Fiesta del Cangrejo,” he said, smiling and winking at the uninterested security guy. “Rocket Man,” with two shinning gold teeth, seemed to have a permanent smile on his face, and was quick to start up a conversation with us. Wearing a metallic-looking silver sweat suit, blond glossed curls hanging over his forehead, and a tiny boom box competing with the airport’s music clutched under his arm, he smiled at us and sat close to us—Diego and Jesse, the two guys in our group, started talking about all the diving and snorkeling they were planning on doing in the crystalline waters off Little Corn Island, when “Rocket Man” heard his cue and abruptly jumped in the conversation. He told us all about the diving adventures he’d had under the waves off his home island and the countless underwater treasures we could look forward to discovering ourselves.



Most Corn Islanders earn their living from fishing the bounties of the sea.

Next thing I knew, we were flying over the country’s impressive Lago de Nicaragua and looking down at lush green forests intersected by serpentine shiny rivers, reflecting the sunrays that radiated from above. Unimaginable hues of green appeared and changed before my eyes as passing clouds morphed the impressive landscape below me. From time to time, an air pocket would kick me out of my tranquil state, but the amazing view from 7,000 feet would soon reel me back in. The shades before me changed from green to blue as our plane reached the clear waters of the Caribbean, where sandbars, clouds, algae formations, and the sun’s rays changed the color spectrum of the water below me to shades as extensive as those found in hardware store paint displays.

We scheduled our trip to Great Corn Island to coincide with Las Fiestas del Cangrejo, a two-day festival during which locals celebrate the anniversary of the abolition of slavery in Nicaragua. This year the festivities commenced on August 27th with a “block party” that went for several blocks. People everywhere were jamming to reggae songs. There were several Palo de Mayo dancing competitions and the election of la Reina del Cangrejo. But by far, the highlight of the festival was the delectable sopa de punche (crab claw soup) that was handed out free to all the revelers.




Most people in the Corn Isands are quick to greet you with a smile.

Although the atmosphere was fun and inviting, the ocean was calling us and we soon headed to explore the parts of Great Corn Island we had braved Atlantic Airlines’ planes for— the submerged parts. Intricate rings of coral that invite exploration surround the larger of the Corn Islands. There is even a XVI century Spanish galleon submerged just 18 feet below the surface of the water. The girls and I opted to go snorkeling, but the guys decided to delve a little deeper. They recounted seeing “just about every kind of fish imaginable,” sponges, reefs, rays, and one of them even says he thinks he saw a Hawksbill Turtle swimming by— I wouldn’t know a gold fish from a shark. I was just happy to be bobbing up and down in the warm, pristine turquoise waters. I was definitely infused by the relaxed “island” temperament every Corn Islander seems to have been born with. Most islanders lead a very hassle-free lifestyle, with reggae and rum being the highest priority next to "chilling out.” Long forgotten was the stomach-turning anxiety I had felt just a few short hours before.

After a long afternoon of “fish-watching” and sunbathing we headed to our hotel for a quick shower and then walked towards the Great Corn Island Port to scope out a place to eat. Most of the locals we encountered on our four-block evening promenade to the port suggested we dine at The Fisherman’s Cave, overlooking the water. We sat at a table on the outside terrace and a round frizzy haired girl eventually made her way towards us. The first thing out of our waitress’ mouth was, “So that you know, your meal is going to take over an hour. But you’re welcome to hang out here and drink beer while you wait.” There is a downside to the Corn Island no-cares, laid-back attitude. But it was an invitation we could not refuse and soon we were telling funny stories and laughing over cold Toñas, muffling our noisy bellies until our food arrived. And although as promised, our wait lasted over an hour, the food was worth the wait. Almost all of us ordered lobster tails—Grilled, breaded, fried, boiled, drenched in garlic sauce— Every which way they prepared it, it was delicious!




Ana hanging with a local in Little Corn Island.

Although Great Corn Island has pretty amazing things— its food for one— Little Corn Island is my favorite of the two. Its desolate beaches are the perfect setting for relaxing under a shady tree, enjoying a great book and a refreshing drink of coconut’s milk— Ana and Alexandra, two of my young companions, spent almost a whole afternoon scavenging for the huge conch shells the Little Corn Island tides wash ashore. Jesse enjoyed holding his breath on and off for hours, his flippers splashing out of the clear blue water. Diego disappeared for a full two hours, capturing the incredible Little Corn Island scenery in his digital camera. And we all shared a magnificent sunset from the open-terrace of our hotel—the perfect ending to a perfect day.

The trip back to Managua was not without the usual angst of flying I so meticulously described before, but Nicaragua’s Corn Islands and their people are enchanting enough to mesmerize even the most anxiety-ridden traveler, like myself— If at least for a couple of days. Whatever your worries might be, I invite you to drown them in the crystal waters off the coasts of Nicaragua’s Corn Islands.


Little changed since they were a haven for buccaneers and pirates during the 17th century, the Corn Islands (Great Corn Island and Little Corn Island) are located approximately 55 miles east off the coasts of the Caribbean town of Bluefields, offering everything from snorkeling, scuba diving, horseback riding, fishing, and water sports to tourists. Below you’ll find some useful information for visiting the Corn Islands and some websites that can help you find out more about these paradisiacal islands before your trip.

Transportation
Since my trip to the Corn Islands, there has emerged a new alternative to the questionable existing airlines that fly to Nicaragua’s Caribbean— Air Segovia. I suggest you give them a call first.
Offices in Managua:
Air Segovia:278-7162
La Costeña: 263-1228
Atlantic Airlines: 222-3037/222-5787

All taxi rides in Great Corn Island are C$10 per person, no matter if you’re traveling a couple of blocks or traversing the whole island, but I recommend you ask how much the fare is going to be before getting in a cab. Getting around Little Corn Island is as easy and painless as a 20-minute walk from end to end.

A public boat, or panga makes several trips daily from Great Corn Island’s port to Little Corn Island. Fares are C$70 per person but you have to be willing to travel with supplies like ripe mangos, or even live chickens, and are subject to ever-changing departure and arrival times. If you are traveling on a more generous budget, I recommend renting a private panga for the day. You can ask at the port or at any of the hotels for a private panguero they would recommend. (An added bonus to visiting the Corn Islands is that everyone there speaks English.) Private boats generally run around US$15 per person if you’re traveling in a group of at least five people, and they drop you off where ever you want and pick you up at anytime you specify. Just remember to pay them after they have dropped you back off at your hotel.