by Marie Mendel

The panorama of the south Nicaraguan coast was our backdrop - thick green vegetation on steep hills overlooking unspoiled beaches. We had pulled out of the port of San Juan del Sur earlier in the day and were heading south towards Costa Rica, the volcanoes peeking over the horizon on our left.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the Ballyhoo baitfish jumping, signaling action just below the ocean surface. Again, the silver fish shot out of the cool blue water, this time with the dorsal fin of a sailfish breaking the surface behind him. The sailfish played with his prey. “The sail is a sleeper,” I thought, suspended on the surface, hanging out and making short runs at other fish for fun. Richard, my partner, kicked the gear into neutral and killed the engine of the 32-foot sports fishing boat.