Open Letter To Minister:

OPEN LETTER TO MINISTRA DE TRANSPORTE:

Dear Mrs. Gonzalez,

Yesterday was a sad afternoon for the entire community in Flamingo and Reserva Conchal. A 12 yr old girl rode her rented Quadra cycle (4 wheeler) off a cliff to her death! Today the community continues to feel saddened and ask why and how could this happen? Some of us ask how it was that she was even allowed to ride on one in the first place! She came down from the U.S.A. with her friends and family to enjoy a holiday! Mrs. Gonzalez, I urge you to consider a few things from the perspective of a hotel manager living in Guanacaste.

Last night after hearing of the tragedy I ran into a language student (Andrew Bama) who told me of his weekend trip back from Limon. His rental car was stopped six times, two times of which they were asked to get out of the car and were physically searched, including his wallet! He said that there was not one police checkpoint along the way back that did not stop them. He is a university student over here for a couple of weeks and vows never to drive in Costa Rica again! What were the traffic police really looking for? Again, he was stopped six times! WHY?

On my way back from Tamarindo last night I passed two young girls on another Quadra cycle without helmets and then I passed another two young girls on a scooter without helmets! I also passed several bicycles without lights or even reflectors. Last night I tossed and turned trying to sleep as I recalled you on channel 7 several months ago introducing two gentlemen on TV. One was from England and the other was from France and you were so proud to introduce them as witnesses to the stricter traffic laws similar to the ones in Europe and the ones that have recently passed here! In Europe cyclists without reflectors would be fined (given a “Multa”), besides that they would have wider roads along with proper lighting and maybe even side walks! Wake up Mrs. Gonzalez, we are not in Europe! As in much of the legislation that passes here it is “over-kill” on one end and complete negligence on the other!

I feel that the new traffic laws here verges on the absurd and now with the new points system, we will open a Pandora’s box! Yet again, a 12 year old can ride a deadly vehicle to her death! No one should have to receive a call like that from a friend regarding a fatality regarding the death of a child on holiday!

And finally what really gets me stirred up is everyone in the tourism industry keeps talks about “Turismo Sostenible” (Sustainable Tourism). How about a crack down on the real problems mentioned above and the ones we all witness daily out here…lets just call it “Tourismo Responsable!” (Responsible Tourism!)

I implore you to reconsider your new laws and work on laws that focus on realistic regulations on all vehicles especially after the sad and unnecessary loss of life of an innocent 12 years old tourist.

Ulrik N. Oldenburg
(Ced Residente # 720-0203567-0000084)
Gerente Operaciones
Flamingo Marina Resort

To quote a few on this recent tragedy…
"Yes…from a happy CR vacation to total the worst tragedy in life the loss of a child so horrid. Should never be a death that brings change and seems no one learns and here with the lack of enforcing laws even that are will be a challenge but hopefully this little girls death will bring about change. Ulrik please email and post on Facebook this letter and let us know where and when to sign and if cannot be thru e mail I will help you get signatures and sure several business will just let me know what I can do to stop. Thanks. Do you know who this family is and from where? We all must pray for them Peggy and work to prevent this again. Horrid"
Judy Sherrill

"This is unspeakable and maybe now we will get the attention of authorities to regulate this horrible industry. I am antiquated! My heart is broken for this family."
Jeanne Cordes

For those of you concerned please pass this on so we can get the government to act!

Flamingo Coast Guard Commander Makes A Young Mans Dream Come True

Once in awhile there comes along a feel good story that gives off that special warm fuzzy feeling. When it comes to members of this town, it makes me feel especially proud to live here and continue to want to be a part of this tiny community! While the rest of you are out there watching America's Got Talent, we have got a story that residents of this town performed without asking for their 15 minutes of fame or even for the sake of money!

Please read on if you have a minute....

"(6/13/09) Last Saturday, we made a dream come true for a paralyzed 16-year-old boy. Juan Pablo Royas is a very intelligent young man from San Jose who is confined to an electric wheelchair. He prepares his studies by use of a mouth stick on a special laptop received from the President Oscar Arias for his achievement as a student.

Juan Pablo’s dream is for once in his life to be on the ocean on a boat. Since Monica Bolanos is his aunt, Gregory Fleurbaey of the BB Lodge in Potrero took care of the lodging. Captain Bruce Bennett from the Ale Watcher donated his boat for the whole day. The new commander of the Coast Guard, Major Lisandro Mendez Melendez, authorized the Ale Watcher to come into the Flamingo Marina in order to let Juan Pablo and his heavy electric wheelchair board the boat. The Coast Guard welcomed him as a special guest by giving him a Coast Guard cap. Six of the Coast Guard personnel carried him onboard assisted by Captain Bruce and crew member Danny Sabot.

The cruise went to the Catalina Islands, Sombrero Islands and along the beautiful coastline of Potrero and Flamingo. Juan Pablo was very happy and asked for a little more speed on the way in. Captain Bruce opened the throttles. Upon arrival to the marina, the Commander and his officers were waiting to assist Juan Pablo and his electric wheelchair off the boat. Juan Pablo was extremely pleased with the cruise and thanked everyone in different languages.
A special thanks to Major Lisandro and his men, Captain Bruce Bennett of the Ale Watcher, and Gregory Fleurbaey and his family from the BB Lodge to make this dream come true for this extraordinary young man."
(Bennett & Fleurbaey)





Please send me your special stories of this great community we all live in and I will post as we all need a little pick me up every now and then!

Flamingo Bite (Fishing) Report!

Been a while since last time we chatted and for me it was an almost honeymoon (short stint in Panama) and well lots to report! Fishing has been consistently good... Here is what Captain Richard & Captain Victor have to say....

"Hey Folks’

Here is what’s been happening lately with the fishing . Out front you can fish all day and see 25 to 30 free jumping sails and sailfish fining on the surface . Very few are coming in the baits for the bite but they are there . Maybe they are breading and when they get done with that they will be extra hungry . We are going further north and raising 15 to 20 sails a day with an occasional marlin bite . A few wahoo and tuna are showing up as well .

July 1st - Peter Hughes and David Daniels from England fished all day raising 14 sails with 11 bites ,catching and releasing 7 . They also caught 4 dorados ,releasing one and keeping three for dinner .

June 24th – Mark and Brooks Bailey and their friends from Saint Augustine , Florida surfed in the morning and fished long enough to catch a 40lb wahoo , a 35lb tuna and they had 3 chances at sailfish but couldn’t hang on to them .

June 23rd – Sally Dare and her crew fished a Half day at the Catalina Islands catching a 30lb rooster fish along with a mixed bag of bonitos , jacks , needle fish and mackerals .

June 21st – Frank Delatore and his friend Patty from Ft. Meyers ,Fl. raised 4 sailfish , releasing 2 of them . They also caught a 50 plus lbs Dorado .

June 18th – Luther Penny and his friends Darrel , Allen and Beth from North Carolina went fly fishing for sailfish . They raised 10 sails , had 4 bites , releasing 2 of them .

June 17th – The newly wedded couple Austin and Brooks fished a half day at the Catalina Islands catching 10 bonitas , a wahoo , a big jack , some blue runners for live bait and a hand full of makerals .

That’s all for now from the Gamefisher II .
Stay tuned in for more reports!
Good luck to all, Richard"


Captain Victor added these fish shots & words to show that the bite is still on....
28- 30 June Señor Bob Winner condo 414 Marina Resort .
Boat: Navigator
Capitan: Víctor from VIC-TOURS FLAMINGO.
Catch & release (Except for eating fish!)....21 sailfish, 6 Amberjack, 4 Wahoo, 30 Mahi Mahi."





Well Bob or James...maybe I will tag along next time!!! Have to find a way to explain to the new Mrs. Oldenburg I am out fishing? Hmmm sight inspection, maybe a FAM trip, or Ralph needs help scraping the bottom or his dive boat?!?! I will be looking from my followers for a viable tiny white lie!



Later please read about:


1) Community affairs and a young mans dreams


2) Flamingo Association community fund raiser with great raffle gifts and prizes...First place... $10,000


3) Virtual tours of the Flamingo Marina Resorts different room types for vacationers!