Duckworks Magazine - The Misquito Coast

The Misquito Coast

By Bob Means - Remlik, Virginia - USA

In 1993 my wife and I were asked to go to the Atlantic Coast of Nicaragua and assist in the re-establishment of the Contra refugees who were returning from Honduras during the Contra War. At first we considered Pearl Lagoon because my wife being a nurse was to facilitate for short term medical teams to hold clinics for mothers and their children. After the initial outreach in Pearl Lagoon we ended up in Puerto Cabezas about 100 mile north.

This is a up close picture of the Miskito Coast.

We had just returned from Vietnam where we built a series of orphanages and medical clinics plus I learned how to build a Vietnamese sampan and converted it to a gaff rigged sloop. Although establishing health care was our first priority I soon recognized that the local fisherman were in need of assistance also so began a fisheries program. I introduced the Vietnamese sampan with gaff rig to the local fish folk which they simulated very quickly. Along with the boats we set up a fisherman association where a percentage of of the catch was set aside for fishing equipment and maintenance of the fleet. Also was established a marketing plan so all the product could be sold in a timely matter

	A Miskito Indian
	Miskito Family

In the end we had built 23 boats with a boatshop that employed ten boatbuilders doing new construction and repairs. I spent five years in Puerto Cabazas, Nicaragua working with this project and handed it over to local managment before I returned to the States. I had a really great time doing it with many adventures. In a lot of ways I wish it would have never ended, but I guess all good things have to come to an end sometime. Here are some photos from the time we spent there:

	Miskito Village

This was our boat shop. Here we are building one of our 32 footers. Most of the fishing boats were 21 foot.

Me working in the boatshop

Repairs being done in the boat shop. Lot of worms in those waters, had to replace planks at least once every couple of years per boat.

32 footer complete

These next few are the fleet going out to the fishing grounds.

The Fleet returning after a hard days fishing.

This a a picture of one of the local fish buyers who would wait for the return of the fleet everyday. They would give one of the boats a pound of shrimp early in the morning before they took off from the beach to lock them into buying the product at the end of the day.