There's been some wonderful developments in habitat preservation and reclamation. Ditto, for groups dedicated to the preservation of fish stocks, like Bonefish and Tarpon Unlimited. However, the real bedrock is the capacity of the Planet Earth to sustain life-without which there are no fish or fish stocks. It seems like there's little time left-unless you're into massive denial- to reverse a malignant process of carbon dioxide emissions, global warming, and deforrestization that may spurn climate changes that may have catastrophic results. It's really a matter of awareness and mindfulness, and how you want the world that your children inherit to be.
Ther's simply no reason for every angler, as well as every company involved in fishing, boating, travel to embrace practices by themselves, their customers, their politicians, their cities and states that will reverse toxic emissions and stabilize our planet's atmosphere, seas, and global geobalance.
Check out the website, www.climatecrisis.net/ Forget your politics, since it's not a political issue. Review it carefully, and if anything rings true for you, do your bit to help!
Jan
Sunday, June 25, 2006
Friday, June 23, 2006
High Summer, Stay in the Shade, and Bloated Gloating
Forget the Druidic celebrations at Stonehenge and forget the longest day! Floridians have "been bakin' " in the bacon for at least a month, day after day. Summer swelter's heat felt everywhere down here. More of a time for early and late, stay in the shade, think back on Spring, forward to Fall, and catch tarpon in low light before it's white- hot. As you rest later, you might just think every so often about 'canes- so what! "Quiere una maragarita, Senor?" " Si, con much gusto, y un Mojito!" Broken spanish, a slow stretch, and lazy in the shade!
Day off today to fight the fishy bloats from prior success which threatens to oversate and the pursuit loses the magic and challenge, unless stressed to absurd levels. Part of the art of angling is knowing when not to fish, regardless of the fishing! Take it from me, 2000 bones and 1000 tarpon later.
Gratitude and gratification run high this year with last Friday's release of six silver kings from 75 to 125 pounds. The retrospectoscope winds back three weeks as the airco blows welcome chilly blasts at 8:30 a.m. and pulls up Deadman's Cay and Sam Knowles where my partner and I- me, 70 bonefish released and he, 50 bonefish released- logged our best three day flats fishing trip ever. In May, more blessings based on solid prepping at Southern Cross Club in Little Cayman, where streams of variety- jacks, triggers, snappers, tarpon, permit, and plenty of bones- culminate in a flats Grand Slam. Back up the 'scope to April with Tad VanDerMark off Flamingo guiding us to who-can-count-'em numbers of large seatrout, some topping four pounds!
With a peek forward to BC salmon, rocketland redfish, fall stripers, and Ascencion Bay, who could ever complain? A traveling angler's life for this scribe outshines The Star of India!
Jan
Day off today to fight the fishy bloats from prior success which threatens to oversate and the pursuit loses the magic and challenge, unless stressed to absurd levels. Part of the art of angling is knowing when not to fish, regardless of the fishing! Take it from me, 2000 bones and 1000 tarpon later.
Gratitude and gratification run high this year with last Friday's release of six silver kings from 75 to 125 pounds. The retrospectoscope winds back three weeks as the airco blows welcome chilly blasts at 8:30 a.m. and pulls up Deadman's Cay and Sam Knowles where my partner and I- me, 70 bonefish released and he, 50 bonefish released- logged our best three day flats fishing trip ever. In May, more blessings based on solid prepping at Southern Cross Club in Little Cayman, where streams of variety- jacks, triggers, snappers, tarpon, permit, and plenty of bones- culminate in a flats Grand Slam. Back up the 'scope to April with Tad VanDerMark off Flamingo guiding us to who-can-count-'em numbers of large seatrout, some topping four pounds!
With a peek forward to BC salmon, rocketland redfish, fall stripers, and Ascencion Bay, who could ever complain? A traveling angler's life for this scribe outshines The Star of India!
Jan
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
It's A Small World....
CREDIT/YAHOO NEWS /EMAIL
MANAGUA, Nicaragua - A freakishly powerful storm far off in the South Pacific propelled huge swells to the Americas, causing a surge of waves that battered homes and beachfront businesses from Peru to Mexico, authorities said Tuesday.
High surf kicked up as far south as northern Chile and as far north as Southern California, but no deaths or serious injuries were reported as several hundred people were evacuated in at least eight countries.
The barrage began Sunday, and the waves were beginning to weaken Tuesday afternoon, meteorologists said.
"We expect them to gradually subside over the next 24 to 48 hours," said Hugh Cobb, at the
National Hurricane Center' name=c1> SEARCHNews News Photos Images Web' name=c3> National Hurricane Center in Miami.
The waves resulted from a particularly intense low pressure system several hundred miles off New Zealand that caused hurricane force winds and rare snowfall at sea level. Masses of water were shoved eastward, creating unusually big waves when the swells hit the Americas.
"The storm system that generated these waves was fairly extraordinary," Cobb said.
The waves were not like those in a tsunami, giant swells caused by seismic shifts along the ocean floor that can be much larger and faster moving.
Crowds watched in awe as 10-foot surf pounded Southern California's beaches Tuesday. The
National Weather Service' name=c1> SEARCHNews News Photos Images Web' name=c3> National Weather Service posted high surf advisories from north of Los Angeles to San Diego.
In Sipacate, Guatemala, the pounding of in-rushing waves wrecked the 10-room Rancho Carrillo hotel, a few restaurants and about 50 homes, emergency officials said. The hotel had been evacuated before part of it collapsed Tuesday.
"The sea took away eight rooms and part of the restaurant, which was made of wood," said Brigido de Paz, the hotel manager. "The kitchen and the rooms that were made of concrete are flooded and damaged."
In the Mexican resort of Acapulco, waves reaching 6 feet began hitting on Monday and authorities ordered beaches closed. Knee-deep water engulfed 2 miles of the Costera Miguel Aleman, the famed boulevard running around the bay. Beachfront restaurants and nightclubs were flooded.
"The waves came up fairly high and it is definitely dangerous," said Areli Chavarria, concierge at the Hotel Emporio.
In neighboring Oaxaca state, waves flooded seaside restaurants and hotels along Zicatela Beach, a surfing hotspot in Puerto Escondido. Mexican soldiers evacuated 200 people and closed some 85 businesses.
Nicaraguan authorities ordered 200 people evacuated after 15-foot waves surged 100 yards up onto land, knocking down about 20 houses in Puerto Corinto, civil defense official William Rodriguez said.
Over the weekend, heavy surf wrecked 15 homes in a shantytown in Lima's port of Callao and damaged about 100 in the northern coast city of Trujillo, 300 miles northwest of the capital, National Civil Defense spokesman Jorge Arguedas said.
The Peruvian ports of Mollendo, 485 miles southeast of Lima, and Chimbote, 230 miles to the north, were also battered and officials halted shipping operations.
High surf hit as far south as Antofagasta, Chile, some 870 miles north of the capital, Santiago.
In Honduras, giant swells damaged at least 300 houses along the Gulf of Fonseca on Sunday, said emergency response official Juan Carlos Elvir. The homes were in the communities of Cedeno, Punta Raton, Marcovia and Choluteca.
At least 30 people were evacuated Monday in El Salvador'
El Salvador, where waves up to 20 feet damaged some 20 corrugated-metal homes in Playa El Mahajual, about 15 miles west of the capital of San Salvador, said Salvador Rosales, director of civil protection. Beach huts also were lost along the coast.
Officials said waves in El Salvador had subsided to about 10 feet Tuesday.
In Panama, six ramshackle homes were lost on two beaches in Cocle Province, about 90 miles west of Panama City, said National Civil Protection Agency spokeswoman Larissa Samaniego.
Costa Rican authorities reported minor flooding in several coastal communities. Twenty families were evacuated in Palo Seco de Parrita, 185 miles south of the capital of San Jose, the National Emergency Commission said.
___
On the Net:
U.S. National Hurricane Center: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov
MANAGUA, Nicaragua - A freakishly powerful storm far off in the South Pacific propelled huge swells to the Americas, causing a surge of waves that battered homes and beachfront businesses from Peru to Mexico, authorities said Tuesday.
High surf kicked up as far south as northern Chile and as far north as Southern California, but no deaths or serious injuries were reported as several hundred people were evacuated in at least eight countries.
The barrage began Sunday, and the waves were beginning to weaken Tuesday afternoon, meteorologists said.
"We expect them to gradually subside over the next 24 to 48 hours," said Hugh Cobb, at the
National Hurricane Center' name=c1> SEARCHNews News Photos Images Web' name=c3> National Hurricane Center in Miami.
The waves resulted from a particularly intense low pressure system several hundred miles off New Zealand that caused hurricane force winds and rare snowfall at sea level. Masses of water were shoved eastward, creating unusually big waves when the swells hit the Americas.
"The storm system that generated these waves was fairly extraordinary," Cobb said.
The waves were not like those in a tsunami, giant swells caused by seismic shifts along the ocean floor that can be much larger and faster moving.
Crowds watched in awe as 10-foot surf pounded Southern California's beaches Tuesday. The
National Weather Service' name=c1> SEARCHNews News Photos Images Web' name=c3> National Weather Service posted high surf advisories from north of Los Angeles to San Diego.
In Sipacate, Guatemala, the pounding of in-rushing waves wrecked the 10-room Rancho Carrillo hotel, a few restaurants and about 50 homes, emergency officials said. The hotel had been evacuated before part of it collapsed Tuesday.
"The sea took away eight rooms and part of the restaurant, which was made of wood," said Brigido de Paz, the hotel manager. "The kitchen and the rooms that were made of concrete are flooded and damaged."
In the Mexican resort of Acapulco, waves reaching 6 feet began hitting on Monday and authorities ordered beaches closed. Knee-deep water engulfed 2 miles of the Costera Miguel Aleman, the famed boulevard running around the bay. Beachfront restaurants and nightclubs were flooded.
"The waves came up fairly high and it is definitely dangerous," said Areli Chavarria, concierge at the Hotel Emporio.
In neighboring Oaxaca state, waves flooded seaside restaurants and hotels along Zicatela Beach, a surfing hotspot in Puerto Escondido. Mexican soldiers evacuated 200 people and closed some 85 businesses.
Nicaraguan authorities ordered 200 people evacuated after 15-foot waves surged 100 yards up onto land, knocking down about 20 houses in Puerto Corinto, civil defense official William Rodriguez said.
Over the weekend, heavy surf wrecked 15 homes in a shantytown in Lima's port of Callao and damaged about 100 in the northern coast city of Trujillo, 300 miles northwest of the capital, National Civil Defense spokesman Jorge Arguedas said.
The Peruvian ports of Mollendo, 485 miles southeast of Lima, and Chimbote, 230 miles to the north, were also battered and officials halted shipping operations.
High surf hit as far south as Antofagasta, Chile, some 870 miles north of the capital, Santiago.
In Honduras, giant swells damaged at least 300 houses along the Gulf of Fonseca on Sunday, said emergency response official Juan Carlos Elvir. The homes were in the communities of Cedeno, Punta Raton, Marcovia and Choluteca.
At least 30 people were evacuated Monday in El Salvador'
El Salvador, where waves up to 20 feet damaged some 20 corrugated-metal homes in Playa El Mahajual, about 15 miles west of the capital of San Salvador, said Salvador Rosales, director of civil protection. Beach huts also were lost along the coast.
Officials said waves in El Salvador had subsided to about 10 feet Tuesday.
In Panama, six ramshackle homes were lost on two beaches in Cocle Province, about 90 miles west of Panama City, said National Civil Protection Agency spokeswoman Larissa Samaniego.
Costa Rican authorities reported minor flooding in several coastal communities. Twenty families were evacuated in Palo Seco de Parrita, 185 miles south of the capital of San Jose, the National Emergency Commission said.
___
On the Net:
U.S. National Hurricane Center: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov
From the CDC to Caribbean Travelers...
Health Information for Travelers to Countries in the Caribbean
On This Page
Vaccines for Your Protection
Diseases Found in the Caribbean
Other Health Risks
What You Need To Bring With You
Staying Healthy During Your Trip
After You Return Home
For More Information
Travel Notices in Effect
Malaria, Great Exuma, Bahamas: Recommendations for Travelers(Released June 16, 2006)
U.S. Department of State
See all Traveler's Health travel notices
Vaccines for Your Protection: The Caribbean
Routine Vaccinations
Check with your healthcare provider: you and your family may need routine as well as recommended vaccinations.
Before travel, be sure you and your children are up to date on all routine immunizations according to schedules approved by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice (ACIP). See the schedule for adults and the schedule for infants and children. Some schedules can be accelerated for travel.
See your doctor at least 4–6 weeks before your trip to allow time for shots to take effect. If it is less than 4 weeks before you leave, you should still see your doctor. It might not be too late to get your shots or medications as well as other information about how to protect yourself from illness and injury while traveling.
Recommended Vaccinations and Preventive Medications
The following vaccines may be recommended for your travel to The Caribbean. Discuss your travel plans and personal health with a health-care provider to determine which vaccines you will need.
Hepatitis A or immune globulin (IG).Transmission of hepatitis A virus can occur through direct person-to-person contact; through exposure to contaminated water, ice, or shellfish harvested in contaminated water; or from fruits, vegetables, or other foods that are eaten uncooked and that were contaminated during harvesting or subsequent handling.
Hepatitis B, especially if you might be exposed to blood or body fluids (for example, health-care workers), have sexual contact with the local population, or be exposed through medical treatment. Hepatitis B vaccine is now recommended for all infants and for children ages 11–12 years who did not receive the series as infants.
Malaria: if you are traveling to a malaria-risk area in this region, see your health care provider for a prescription antimalarial drug. For details concerning risk and preventive medications, see Malaria Information for Travelers to the Caribbean.
Rabies, if you might have extensive unprotected outdoor exposure in rural areas, such as might occur during camping, hiking, or bicycling, or engaging in certain occupational activities.
Typhoid, particularly if you are visiting developing countries in this region. Typhoid fever can be contracted through contaminated drinking water or food, or by eating food or drinking beverages that have been handled by a person who is infected. Large outbreaks are most often related to fecal contamination of water supplies or foods sold by street vendors
Yellow Fever, for travelers to Trinidad and Tobago
As needed, booster doses for tetanus-diphtheria and measles.
Required Vaccinations
None.
Diseases found in the Caribbean (risk can vary by country and region within a country; quality of in-country surveillance also varies)
The preventive measures you need to take while traveling in the Caribbean depend on the areas you visit and the length of time you stay. You should observe the precautions listed in this document in most areas of this region.
Malaria
An Anopheles freeborni mosquito takes a blood meal.
Malaria is always a serious disease and may be a deadly illness.
Humans get malaria from the bite of a mosquito infected with the parasite. Prevent this serious disease by seeing your health care provider for a prescription antimalarial drug and by protecting yourself against mosquito bites (see below). All travelers to malaria-risk areas in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, including infants, children, and former residents of these islands, should take an antimalarial drug. All travelers to Haiti are at risk for malaria, except no risk in the cruise port of Labadee (Labadie). Travelers to rural areas of the Dominican Republic are at risk for malaria, with the highest risk in provinces bordering Haiti. In addition, risk in all areas of La Altagracia Province, including resort areas (Updated October 21, 2005). There is also malaria risk on Great Exuma Island, Bahamas (Updated June 16, 2006). Travelers to malaria-risk areas in Haiti, Dominican Republic, and The Bahamas should take chloroquine to prevent malaria.
For additional information on malaria risk and prevention, see Malaria Information for Travelers to the Caribbean.
There is no risk for malaria in: Anguilla (U.K.), Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Bermuda (U.K.), Cayman Islands (U.K.), Cuba, Dominica, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Jamaica, Martinique (France), Montserrat (U.K.), Netherlands Antilles, Puerto Rico (U.S.), St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos (U.K.), Virgin Islands (U.K., U.S.).
Yellow Fever
Yellow fever is present only in Trinidad & Tobago in this region. A certificate of yellow fever vaccination may be required for entry into certain countries in the region if you have visited Trinidad & Tobago or an endemic area in South America or sub-Saharan Africa. For detailed information, see Comprehensive Yellow Fever Vaccination Requirements. Also, find the nearest authorized U.S. yellow fever vaccine center.
Food and Waterborne Diseases
Avoid buying food or drink from street vendors, because it is relatively easy for such food to become contaminated.
Make sure your food and drinking water are safe. Food and waterborne diseases are the primary cause of illness in travelers. Travelers’ diarrhea can be caused by viruses, bacteria, or parasites, which are found throughout the Caribbean and can contaminate food or water. Infections may cause diarrhea and vomiting (E. coli, Salmonella, cholera, and parasites), fever (typhoid fever and toxoplasmosis), or liver damage ( hepatitis). Illness caused by a parasitic worm (Angiostrongylus cantonensis) can occur in this region. People can get infected by eating raw or undercooked snails or slugs that are infected with the parasite.
Additional information: see the Safe Food and Water page for a list of links.
Other Disease Risks
Dengue is transmitted by mosquitoes in this region. Protecting yourself against insect bites (see below) will help to prevent this disease.
Cutaneous larval migrans is a risk for travelers with exposures on beaches and leptospirosis is present. Eosinophilic meningitis caused by Angiostongylus cantonensis occurred in travelers to Jamaica. Anthrax occurs in Haiti. Other infections that tend to occur more often in longer-term travelers (or immigrants from this region) include lymphatic filariasis (Dominican Republic and Haiti), cutaneous leishmaniais (Dominican Republic), tuberculosis (Haiti), HIV (Haiti), and hepatitis B (Haiti and the Dominican Republic). There remains very limited risk of schistosomiasis in few areas. Other hazards for travelers include toxic fish poisoning
Other Health Risks
Injuries
Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of injury among travelers. Protect yourself from motor vehicle injuries: avoid drinking and driving; wear your safety belt and place children in age-appropriate restraints in the back seat; follow the local customs and laws regarding pedestrian safety and vehicle speed; obey the rules of the road; and use helmets on bikes, motorcycles, and motor bikes. Avoid boarding an overloaded bus or mini-bus. Where possible, hire a local driver.
What You Need To Bring With You
Long-sleeved shirt, long pants, and a hat to wear whenever possible while outside, to prevent illnesses carried by insects (e.g., malaria, Dengue, filariasis, leishmaniasis, and onchocerciasis).
Insect repellent containing DEET.
Bed nets treated with permethrin. For use and purchasing information, see Insecticide Treated Bednets on the CDC malaria site. Overseas, permethrin or another insecticide, deltamethrin, may be purchased to treat bed nets and clothes.
Flying-insect spray to help clear rooms of mosquitoes. The product should contain a pyrethroid insecticide; these insecticides quickly kill flying insects, including mosquitoes.
Iodine tablets and portable water filters to purify water if bottled water is not available. See Preventing Cryptosporidiosis: A Guide to Water Filters and Bottled Water for more detailed information.
Sunblock, sunglasses, and a hat for protection from harmful effects of UV sun rays. See Skin Cancer Questions and Answers for more information.
Prescription medications: make sure you have enough to last during your trip, as well as a copy of the prescription(s) or letter from your health-care provider on office stationery explaining that the medication has been prescribed for you.
Always carry medications in their original containers, in your carry-on luggage.
Be sure to bring along over-the-counter antidiarrheal medication (e.g., bismuth subsalicylate, loperamide) and an antibiotic prescribed by your doctor to self-treat moderate to severe diarrhea. See suggested over-the-counter medications and first aid items for a travel kit.
Staying Healthy During Your Trip
Travelers should take the following precautions
To stay healthy, do...
When using repellent on a child, apply it to your own hands and then rub them on your child. Avoid children's eyes and mouth and use it sparingly around their ears. Wash your hands often with soap and water or, if hands are not visibly soiled, use a waterless, alcohol-based hand rub to remove potentially infectious materials from your skin and help prevent disease transmission.
In developing countries, drink only bottled or boiled water, or carbonated (bubbly) drinks in cans or bottles. Avoid tap water, fountain drinks, and ice cubes. If this is not possible, learn how to make water safer to drink.
Take your malaria prevention medication before, during, and after travel, as directed. (See your health care provider for a prescription.)
To prevent fungal and parasitic infections, keep feet clean and dry, and do not go barefoot, even on beaches.
Always use latex condoms to reduce the risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.
Protect yourself from mosquito insect bites:
Wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and hats when outdoors.
Use insect repellents that contain DEET (N, N-diethylmethyltoluamide). For more information about insect repellents and correct use, see What You Need to Know about Mosquito Repellent on the CDC West Nile Virus site.
If no screening or air conditioning is available: use a pyrethroid-containing spray in living and sleeping areas during evening and night-time hours; sleep under bed nets, preferably insecticide-treated ones.
If you are visiting friends and relatives in your home country, see additional special information about malaria prevention in Recent Immigrants to the U.S. from Malarious Countries Returning 'Home' to Visit Friends and Relatives on the CDC Malaria site.
Do not
Do not eat food purchased from street vendors or food that is not well cooked to reduce risk of infection (i.e., hepatitis A and typhoid fever).
Do not drink beverages with ice.
Avoid dairy products, unless you know they have been pasteurized.
Do not swim in fresh water to avoid exposure to certain water-borne diseases such as schistosomiasis. (For more information, please see Swimming and Recreational Water Precautions.)
Do not handle animals, especially monkeys, dogs, and cats, to avoid bites and serious diseases (including rabies and plague). Consider pre-exposure rabies vaccination if you might have extensive unprotected outdoor exposure in rural areas. For more information, please see Animal-Associated Hazards.
Do not share needles for tattoos, body piercing or injections to prevent infections such as HIV and hepatitis B.
After You Return Home
If you have visited a malaria-risk area in Haiti or the Dominican Republic, continue taking your chloroquine for 4 weeks after leaving the risk area.
Malaria is always a serious disease and may be a deadly illness. If you become ill with a fever or flu-like illness either while traveling in a malaria-risk area or after you return home (for up to1 year), you should seek immediate medical attention and should tell the physician your travel history.
For More Information
For more information about these and other diseases, please check the Diseases page and CDC Health Topics A-Z
Diseases
On This Page
Vaccines for Your Protection
Diseases Found in the Caribbean
Other Health Risks
What You Need To Bring With You
Staying Healthy During Your Trip
After You Return Home
For More Information
Travel Notices in Effect
Malaria, Great Exuma, Bahamas: Recommendations for Travelers(Released June 16, 2006)
U.S. Department of State
See all Traveler's Health travel notices
Vaccines for Your Protection: The Caribbean
Routine Vaccinations
Check with your healthcare provider: you and your family may need routine as well as recommended vaccinations.
Before travel, be sure you and your children are up to date on all routine immunizations according to schedules approved by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice (ACIP). See the schedule for adults and the schedule for infants and children. Some schedules can be accelerated for travel.
See your doctor at least 4–6 weeks before your trip to allow time for shots to take effect. If it is less than 4 weeks before you leave, you should still see your doctor. It might not be too late to get your shots or medications as well as other information about how to protect yourself from illness and injury while traveling.
Recommended Vaccinations and Preventive Medications
The following vaccines may be recommended for your travel to The Caribbean. Discuss your travel plans and personal health with a health-care provider to determine which vaccines you will need.
Hepatitis A or immune globulin (IG).Transmission of hepatitis A virus can occur through direct person-to-person contact; through exposure to contaminated water, ice, or shellfish harvested in contaminated water; or from fruits, vegetables, or other foods that are eaten uncooked and that were contaminated during harvesting or subsequent handling.
Hepatitis B, especially if you might be exposed to blood or body fluids (for example, health-care workers), have sexual contact with the local population, or be exposed through medical treatment. Hepatitis B vaccine is now recommended for all infants and for children ages 11–12 years who did not receive the series as infants.
Malaria: if you are traveling to a malaria-risk area in this region, see your health care provider for a prescription antimalarial drug. For details concerning risk and preventive medications, see Malaria Information for Travelers to the Caribbean.
Rabies, if you might have extensive unprotected outdoor exposure in rural areas, such as might occur during camping, hiking, or bicycling, or engaging in certain occupational activities.
Typhoid, particularly if you are visiting developing countries in this region. Typhoid fever can be contracted through contaminated drinking water or food, or by eating food or drinking beverages that have been handled by a person who is infected. Large outbreaks are most often related to fecal contamination of water supplies or foods sold by street vendors
Yellow Fever, for travelers to Trinidad and Tobago
As needed, booster doses for tetanus-diphtheria and measles.
Required Vaccinations
None.
Diseases found in the Caribbean (risk can vary by country and region within a country; quality of in-country surveillance also varies)
The preventive measures you need to take while traveling in the Caribbean depend on the areas you visit and the length of time you stay. You should observe the precautions listed in this document in most areas of this region.
Malaria
An Anopheles freeborni mosquito takes a blood meal.
Malaria is always a serious disease and may be a deadly illness.
Humans get malaria from the bite of a mosquito infected with the parasite. Prevent this serious disease by seeing your health care provider for a prescription antimalarial drug and by protecting yourself against mosquito bites (see below). All travelers to malaria-risk areas in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, including infants, children, and former residents of these islands, should take an antimalarial drug. All travelers to Haiti are at risk for malaria, except no risk in the cruise port of Labadee (Labadie). Travelers to rural areas of the Dominican Republic are at risk for malaria, with the highest risk in provinces bordering Haiti. In addition, risk in all areas of La Altagracia Province, including resort areas (Updated October 21, 2005). There is also malaria risk on Great Exuma Island, Bahamas (Updated June 16, 2006). Travelers to malaria-risk areas in Haiti, Dominican Republic, and The Bahamas should take chloroquine to prevent malaria.
For additional information on malaria risk and prevention, see Malaria Information for Travelers to the Caribbean.
There is no risk for malaria in: Anguilla (U.K.), Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Bermuda (U.K.), Cayman Islands (U.K.), Cuba, Dominica, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Jamaica, Martinique (France), Montserrat (U.K.), Netherlands Antilles, Puerto Rico (U.S.), St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos (U.K.), Virgin Islands (U.K., U.S.).
Yellow Fever
Yellow fever is present only in Trinidad & Tobago in this region. A certificate of yellow fever vaccination may be required for entry into certain countries in the region if you have visited Trinidad & Tobago or an endemic area in South America or sub-Saharan Africa. For detailed information, see Comprehensive Yellow Fever Vaccination Requirements. Also, find the nearest authorized U.S. yellow fever vaccine center.
Food and Waterborne Diseases
Avoid buying food or drink from street vendors, because it is relatively easy for such food to become contaminated.
Make sure your food and drinking water are safe. Food and waterborne diseases are the primary cause of illness in travelers. Travelers’ diarrhea can be caused by viruses, bacteria, or parasites, which are found throughout the Caribbean and can contaminate food or water. Infections may cause diarrhea and vomiting (E. coli, Salmonella, cholera, and parasites), fever (typhoid fever and toxoplasmosis), or liver damage ( hepatitis). Illness caused by a parasitic worm (Angiostrongylus cantonensis) can occur in this region. People can get infected by eating raw or undercooked snails or slugs that are infected with the parasite.
Additional information: see the Safe Food and Water page for a list of links.
Other Disease Risks
Dengue is transmitted by mosquitoes in this region. Protecting yourself against insect bites (see below) will help to prevent this disease.
Cutaneous larval migrans is a risk for travelers with exposures on beaches and leptospirosis is present. Eosinophilic meningitis caused by Angiostongylus cantonensis occurred in travelers to Jamaica. Anthrax occurs in Haiti. Other infections that tend to occur more often in longer-term travelers (or immigrants from this region) include lymphatic filariasis (Dominican Republic and Haiti), cutaneous leishmaniais (Dominican Republic), tuberculosis (Haiti), HIV (Haiti), and hepatitis B (Haiti and the Dominican Republic). There remains very limited risk of schistosomiasis in few areas. Other hazards for travelers include toxic fish poisoning
Other Health Risks
Injuries
Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of injury among travelers. Protect yourself from motor vehicle injuries: avoid drinking and driving; wear your safety belt and place children in age-appropriate restraints in the back seat; follow the local customs and laws regarding pedestrian safety and vehicle speed; obey the rules of the road; and use helmets on bikes, motorcycles, and motor bikes. Avoid boarding an overloaded bus or mini-bus. Where possible, hire a local driver.
What You Need To Bring With You
Long-sleeved shirt, long pants, and a hat to wear whenever possible while outside, to prevent illnesses carried by insects (e.g., malaria, Dengue, filariasis, leishmaniasis, and onchocerciasis).
Insect repellent containing DEET.
Bed nets treated with permethrin. For use and purchasing information, see Insecticide Treated Bednets on the CDC malaria site. Overseas, permethrin or another insecticide, deltamethrin, may be purchased to treat bed nets and clothes.
Flying-insect spray to help clear rooms of mosquitoes. The product should contain a pyrethroid insecticide; these insecticides quickly kill flying insects, including mosquitoes.
Iodine tablets and portable water filters to purify water if bottled water is not available. See Preventing Cryptosporidiosis: A Guide to Water Filters and Bottled Water for more detailed information.
Sunblock, sunglasses, and a hat for protection from harmful effects of UV sun rays. See Skin Cancer Questions and Answers for more information.
Prescription medications: make sure you have enough to last during your trip, as well as a copy of the prescription(s) or letter from your health-care provider on office stationery explaining that the medication has been prescribed for you.
Always carry medications in their original containers, in your carry-on luggage.
Be sure to bring along over-the-counter antidiarrheal medication (e.g., bismuth subsalicylate, loperamide) and an antibiotic prescribed by your doctor to self-treat moderate to severe diarrhea. See suggested over-the-counter medications and first aid items for a travel kit.
Staying Healthy During Your Trip
Travelers should take the following precautions
To stay healthy, do...
When using repellent on a child, apply it to your own hands and then rub them on your child. Avoid children's eyes and mouth and use it sparingly around their ears. Wash your hands often with soap and water or, if hands are not visibly soiled, use a waterless, alcohol-based hand rub to remove potentially infectious materials from your skin and help prevent disease transmission.
In developing countries, drink only bottled or boiled water, or carbonated (bubbly) drinks in cans or bottles. Avoid tap water, fountain drinks, and ice cubes. If this is not possible, learn how to make water safer to drink.
Take your malaria prevention medication before, during, and after travel, as directed. (See your health care provider for a prescription.)
To prevent fungal and parasitic infections, keep feet clean and dry, and do not go barefoot, even on beaches.
Always use latex condoms to reduce the risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.
Protect yourself from mosquito insect bites:
Wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and hats when outdoors.
Use insect repellents that contain DEET (N, N-diethylmethyltoluamide). For more information about insect repellents and correct use, see What You Need to Know about Mosquito Repellent on the CDC West Nile Virus site.
If no screening or air conditioning is available: use a pyrethroid-containing spray in living and sleeping areas during evening and night-time hours; sleep under bed nets, preferably insecticide-treated ones.
If you are visiting friends and relatives in your home country, see additional special information about malaria prevention in Recent Immigrants to the U.S. from Malarious Countries Returning 'Home' to Visit Friends and Relatives on the CDC Malaria site.
Do not
Do not eat food purchased from street vendors or food that is not well cooked to reduce risk of infection (i.e., hepatitis A and typhoid fever).
Do not drink beverages with ice.
Avoid dairy products, unless you know they have been pasteurized.
Do not swim in fresh water to avoid exposure to certain water-borne diseases such as schistosomiasis. (For more information, please see Swimming and Recreational Water Precautions.)
Do not handle animals, especially monkeys, dogs, and cats, to avoid bites and serious diseases (including rabies and plague). Consider pre-exposure rabies vaccination if you might have extensive unprotected outdoor exposure in rural areas. For more information, please see Animal-Associated Hazards.
Do not share needles for tattoos, body piercing or injections to prevent infections such as HIV and hepatitis B.
After You Return Home
If you have visited a malaria-risk area in Haiti or the Dominican Republic, continue taking your chloroquine for 4 weeks after leaving the risk area.
Malaria is always a serious disease and may be a deadly illness. If you become ill with a fever or flu-like illness either while traveling in a malaria-risk area or after you return home (for up to1 year), you should seek immediate medical attention and should tell the physician your travel history.
For More Information
For more information about these and other diseases, please check the Diseases page and CDC Health Topics A-Z
Diseases
Monday, June 19, 2006
Exuma Alert From CDC
Travelers' Health
Travelers' Health Home > Travel Notices > Outbreak Notice
Outbreak Notice Malaria, Great Exuma, Bahamas: Recommendations for Travelers This information is current as of today,
June 19, 2006, 11:28:50 PM
Released: June 16, 2006
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recently received official reports of 14 confirmed malaria cases in Great Exuma, Bahamas, an area where malaria transmission does not normally occur and for which antimalarial drugs have not previously been recommended. Thirteen cases occurred in residents of the Bahamas, and an additional malaria infection was confirmed in a U.S. citizen who traveled to Great Exuma in early May 2006. All these confirmed infections were caused by Plasmodium falciparum. Most of the patients reported no recent travel to malaria-endemic areas, but some of the Bahamas residents may have recently traveled from Haiti, where P. falciparum is endemic.
Malaria is not considered endemic on the islands of the Bahamas. The Ministry of Health in the Bahamas has responded with heightened surveillance for and treatment of malaria cases, mosquito control measures, and education of the local population. The Caribbean Epidemiology Center and the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization are assisting the Ministry of Health with these response measures.
Antimalarial Medication
At this time, CDC is recommending chloroquine as an antimalarial medication for travelers to Great Exuma. This recommendation is expected to be temporary and does not apply to other islands of the Bahamas. Chloroquine has a long history of use and safety and is well tolerated by most people, including children. People with an allergy to chloroquine should discuss an alternative antimalarial drug with their health-care provider. To learn more about chloroquine, including dosing information, see Information for the Public: Prescription Drugs for Malaria.
Other Prevention Measures
Because antimalarial drugs are not 100% protective, travelers to Great Exuma should take precautions to protect against mosquito bites. These prevention measures should be taken by travelers to other islands in the Bahamas, as well.
Use insect repellent on exposed skin surfaces when outdoors, particularly from dusk to dawn. Repellents containing 30% – 50% DEET (N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide) are recommended. Lower concentrations of DEET offer shorter-term protection, requiring more frequent reapplication.
To learn more about preventing mosquito bites and the appropriate use of insect repellents, visit Protection Against Mosquito and Other Arthropods in Health Information for International Travel and What You Need to Know about Mosquito Repellent.
Malaria caused by P. falciparum may rapidly result in a severe, life-threatening illness if not promptly treated. If you have traveled to Great Exuma and you become ill with fever and other flu-like symptoms, you should immediately seek professional medical care; inform your health-care provider that you have visited an area currently experiencing a malaria outbreak.
Visit the CDC’s Travelers’ Health website for Health information for Travelers to Countries in the Caribbean.
Additional information about malaria can be found at the CDC Malaria homepage.
Health-care providers needing assistance with diagnosis or management of suspected cases of malaria should call the CDC Malaria Hotline: 770-488-7788 (M-F, 8 am-4:30 pm, Eastern Time). For consultation after hours, call 770-488-7100 and ask to speak with a CDC Malaria Branch clinician.
Date: June 16, 2006
Content Source: National Center for Infectious Diseases, Division of Global Migration and Quarantine
Destinations
Vaccinations
Diseases
Yellow Book
Safe Food and Water
Illness and Injury Abroad
Traveling with Children
Cruise Ship and Air Travel
Special Needs Travel
Traveling with Pets
Travel Medicine Clinics
Yellow Fever Vaccination Clinics
References and Resources
Travelers' Health Automated Information LinePHONE: 877-FYI-TRIP toll free (Information about ordering the Yellow Book and International Certificates of Vaccination and recorded messages on travel-related health topics)
VIA EMAIL: Contact Us Form
Travelers' Health Home > Travel Notices > Outbreak Notice
Outbreak Notice Malaria, Great Exuma, Bahamas: Recommendations for Travelers This information is current as of today,
June 19, 2006, 11:28:50 PM
Released: June 16, 2006
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recently received official reports of 14 confirmed malaria cases in Great Exuma, Bahamas, an area where malaria transmission does not normally occur and for which antimalarial drugs have not previously been recommended. Thirteen cases occurred in residents of the Bahamas, and an additional malaria infection was confirmed in a U.S. citizen who traveled to Great Exuma in early May 2006. All these confirmed infections were caused by Plasmodium falciparum. Most of the patients reported no recent travel to malaria-endemic areas, but some of the Bahamas residents may have recently traveled from Haiti, where P. falciparum is endemic.
Malaria is not considered endemic on the islands of the Bahamas. The Ministry of Health in the Bahamas has responded with heightened surveillance for and treatment of malaria cases, mosquito control measures, and education of the local population. The Caribbean Epidemiology Center and the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization are assisting the Ministry of Health with these response measures.
Antimalarial Medication
At this time, CDC is recommending chloroquine as an antimalarial medication for travelers to Great Exuma. This recommendation is expected to be temporary and does not apply to other islands of the Bahamas. Chloroquine has a long history of use and safety and is well tolerated by most people, including children. People with an allergy to chloroquine should discuss an alternative antimalarial drug with their health-care provider. To learn more about chloroquine, including dosing information, see Information for the Public: Prescription Drugs for Malaria.
Other Prevention Measures
Because antimalarial drugs are not 100% protective, travelers to Great Exuma should take precautions to protect against mosquito bites. These prevention measures should be taken by travelers to other islands in the Bahamas, as well.
Use insect repellent on exposed skin surfaces when outdoors, particularly from dusk to dawn. Repellents containing 30% – 50% DEET (N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide) are recommended. Lower concentrations of DEET offer shorter-term protection, requiring more frequent reapplication.
To learn more about preventing mosquito bites and the appropriate use of insect repellents, visit Protection Against Mosquito and Other Arthropods in Health Information for International Travel and What You Need to Know about Mosquito Repellent.
Malaria caused by P. falciparum may rapidly result in a severe, life-threatening illness if not promptly treated. If you have traveled to Great Exuma and you become ill with fever and other flu-like symptoms, you should immediately seek professional medical care; inform your health-care provider that you have visited an area currently experiencing a malaria outbreak.
Visit the CDC’s Travelers’ Health website for Health information for Travelers to Countries in the Caribbean.
Additional information about malaria can be found at the CDC Malaria homepage.
Health-care providers needing assistance with diagnosis or management of suspected cases of malaria should call the CDC Malaria Hotline: 770-488-7788 (M-F, 8 am-4:30 pm, Eastern Time). For consultation after hours, call 770-488-7100 and ask to speak with a CDC Malaria Branch clinician.
Date: June 16, 2006
Content Source: National Center for Infectious Diseases, Division of Global Migration and Quarantine
Destinations
Vaccinations
Diseases
Yellow Book
Safe Food and Water
Illness and Injury Abroad
Traveling with Children
Cruise Ship and Air Travel
Special Needs Travel
Traveling with Pets
Travel Medicine Clinics
Yellow Fever Vaccination Clinics
References and Resources
Travelers' Health Automated Information LinePHONE: 877-FYI-TRIP toll free (Information about ordering the Yellow Book and International Certificates of Vaccination and recorded messages on travel-related health topics)
VIA EMAIL: Contact Us Form
Sunday, June 18, 2006
When Traveling Flats Anglers Use Outfitters...
One phrase that serves as an important guide for traveling flats anglers that use an outfitting service is, " to thine ownself, be true." What this basically means is that you should honestly acknowledge to yourself what your real needs and aspirations are when you want to travel to a destination to fish. This would include at the least what the brevity or plentitude of features and amenities are at your target destination. Also, what are the physical demands placed on you enroute to where you're going, as well as once you arrive and begin fishing. Start to think about what you really want and what you really need for that angling trip of a lifetime. It's important to acknowledge your goals as well as personality and preferences. Here's just a few things to consider:
1. Are you flying, and what is the length, legroom, carry-on policy, and overall reliability of your air carrier? Different anglers have different levels of preference and tolerance for these features. A one hour flight from Fort Lauderdale to Abaco to fish the Marls is one thing and a double digit flight from Los Angeles (LAX) to Hawaii to Christmas Island is another.
2. What are the real size ranges and availability of target flats species at your destination? For instance, find out whether the camp you are going to is a real tarpon destination. Alternatively, if you want bonefish only, the Bahamas are fine.
But if you are looking for a Grand Slam, start to think about the Carib Coast of Quintana Roo State in Mexico from Ascension Bay south. If you want a trophy bonefish, think about Miami, Islamorada, Green Turtle Cay off Abaco, and maybe even Mayaguana in the Southeast Bahamas. If money and time spent is no object, go across the world and fish the northern islands of New Caledonia.
Also, insist on seeing seasonal availability charts for flats species at your intended destination. Equatorial destinations are more weather- stable. Bonaire is a year-round bonefish destination, while the flats of Bermuda are much less weather resistant.
3. Is your destination a far-flung wilderness setting that is rustic and spartan or is it a closely-located site with a full range of amenities like air conditioning, internet, twenty-four hour running generators, and such. Double check the claim that ceiling fans and ocean breezes will keep you cool and comfy at night: think about whether those rooms in the northeast Yucatan peninsula will feel one way in December and another way in August.
4. Your outfitter should even know the personalities, experience, and equipment of the fishing guides they are sending you to fish with. A laid-back but excellent guide provides one experience, while a twenty-four hour perfectionist provides another. Ask yourself who you prefer, and insist on it. A good outfitter should know all these specifics.
These are just a few of the things you should be thinking about when you are trip planning with an outfitter- the more they know about what you want, the better they can match you to a specific destination!
Jan
1. Are you flying, and what is the length, legroom, carry-on policy, and overall reliability of your air carrier? Different anglers have different levels of preference and tolerance for these features. A one hour flight from Fort Lauderdale to Abaco to fish the Marls is one thing and a double digit flight from Los Angeles (LAX) to Hawaii to Christmas Island is another.
2. What are the real size ranges and availability of target flats species at your destination? For instance, find out whether the camp you are going to is a real tarpon destination. Alternatively, if you want bonefish only, the Bahamas are fine.
But if you are looking for a Grand Slam, start to think about the Carib Coast of Quintana Roo State in Mexico from Ascension Bay south. If you want a trophy bonefish, think about Miami, Islamorada, Green Turtle Cay off Abaco, and maybe even Mayaguana in the Southeast Bahamas. If money and time spent is no object, go across the world and fish the northern islands of New Caledonia.
Also, insist on seeing seasonal availability charts for flats species at your intended destination. Equatorial destinations are more weather- stable. Bonaire is a year-round bonefish destination, while the flats of Bermuda are much less weather resistant.
3. Is your destination a far-flung wilderness setting that is rustic and spartan or is it a closely-located site with a full range of amenities like air conditioning, internet, twenty-four hour running generators, and such. Double check the claim that ceiling fans and ocean breezes will keep you cool and comfy at night: think about whether those rooms in the northeast Yucatan peninsula will feel one way in December and another way in August.
4. Your outfitter should even know the personalities, experience, and equipment of the fishing guides they are sending you to fish with. A laid-back but excellent guide provides one experience, while a twenty-four hour perfectionist provides another. Ask yourself who you prefer, and insist on it. A good outfitter should know all these specifics.
These are just a few of the things you should be thinking about when you are trip planning with an outfitter- the more they know about what you want, the better they can match you to a specific destination!
Jan
Friday, June 16, 2006
Tarpon Time...Again and Again!
Nothing like bathtub weather to bring out the silver kings. Remember to work the aspect of the water column they're on: Tail-slapping rollers on basins almost always return and hold toward the bottom. It's a good idea to make your presentations down there. Chumming will get them to rise up in the water column. Think about fragrant, oily bits. Tarpon often like things on the way down, not up! Today's results: six tarpon from 75 to 125 pounds.
Jan
Jan
Monday, June 12, 2006
Growing Better and Better.....
Congratulations, Captain Mike and Leah Genoun on the growth and continued success of one of the best fishing magazines to ever appear on the angling scene.
Jan Maizler
www.flatsfishingonline.com/
Saturday, June 10, 2006
Weather Watch Begins !
Who would have thought that so quickly after the Storm Season started after June first we'd see some consolidating system starting to cause a bit of concern- the birth of Tropical Depression #1. The area of birth is no great surprise with the vastly hot Northwest Caribbean Sea to stoke it, and further to the South, the lush rain forrests of Central America. Thrills, fear, mastery, prediction of Mother Nature's joker up her multi-colored sleeve....who's to say? But all of these things so much a part of the True-Believing Angler's Life.
Jan
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
Back From Deadman's Cay, Long Island
I've just returned from fishing with Captain Samuel Knowles of Deadman's Cay Bonefish Adventures on the fabulous salinas, transitional, and ocean flats of west central Long Island in the Bahamas. I am excited to report that photographer Art Blank of Right Angling Images and I have logged an all-time high of over 120 bonefish releases in our three days of fishing there. One of my fish was the largest of the group, and it topped six pounds. In addition, I experienced mutton snapper schools on the outside flats that were staggering to behold! I watched as a school of about twenty five fish- some topping twenty pounds- fought to grab my yellow- orange 1/8 ounce Spro baby bucktail. I caught one fish out of this school that took us over the flats for twenty minutes in a see-saw fight that ended in the fifteen pounder being bested by me and boated for the table. In addition, we caught loads of big mangrove snapper, jacks, and nassau grouper to eighteen pounds in the channels right next to the flats.
Meals served at our lodge- Smith and Wells- consisted of conch, chicken, grouper, rice, peas, and lots of ice -cold Kalik! The value of these trips is astounding, and Sam Knowles, Wayde Smith and their guides Frank and Jerry Cartwright stand ready to give you the fishing trip of a lifetime! Their website is www.deadmansbones.com/ I'll be writing about this trip extensively in the next few months.
Jan
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