Taming the jungle
August 27, 2007 Filed in: Story
Taming the jungle was quite a feat. The guys acquired
and rigged up a boat before any work could begin as
they needed transportation to and from the property.
Jim and Jay first had to build a dock and clear a
portion of the grounds before ANYTHING else could be
done. The service dock was built while Jay and Jim
stayed on Isla Colon and Cayo Nancy and traveled to and
from the property. During such time they also acquired
a second piece of land adjacent to the first piece.
They built a small raised platform with a metal roof
(to catch rainwater) as their home for some time to
come. The Rancho housed a propane refrigerator, a
propane stove, a sink, water storage, and enough space
for two one man tents. Down below the platform they
built an open air shower with one of the best views in
the Caribbean Ocean. Notice – there were no formal
facilities which meant hiking into the woods with an
orthopedic potty seat and a shovel when there was
business to be addressed.
Approximately every six weeks in the beginning and quickly changing to every eight weeks we would see each other. In between we would talk on the phone once or twice a week and exchange emails on the same intervals. Over time the emails stopped as when the guys traveled to town they had too much to do to wait for a computer to sit down and write. The lodge’s location is out of reach of cell phones without an external antennae so all calls were made to and from Bocas Town until such time as the guys acquired and installed an antennae. Even with the antennae the coverage was spotty so communication ran along the same lines.
Approximately every six weeks in the beginning and quickly changing to every eight weeks we would see each other. In between we would talk on the phone once or twice a week and exchange emails on the same intervals. Over time the emails stopped as when the guys traveled to town they had too much to do to wait for a computer to sit down and write. The lodge’s location is out of reach of cell phones without an external antennae so all calls were made to and from Bocas Town until such time as the guys acquired and installed an antennae. Even with the antennae the coverage was spotty so communication ran along the same lines.