There’s a lot of good news for folks fishing in September. The weather is often times very conducive to striped bass and giant tuna fishing. Although there will be windy days throughout the month, odds are that we will also have many calm days and evenings. Often times the waters around Cape Cod are as flat as a pond. Its days like this that make you forget that you are fishing on the ocean. And then there will be those breezy days and nights. However in September, a big wind is not always a bad thing. A brisk onshore breeze often lights up the fishing in spots that are surprisingly close to shore.

Striped bass behavior changes during September. This is the month when bass on Cape Cod begin to stage for their southerly migration. Many of the stripers that you could not entice a single bite from during July will now hop all over a tossed offering. The bass become noticeably more aggressive as October approaches. During September, there is a good chance that if you find the bass, you will be able to catch them. “Lockjaw” does not seem to be as much as a problem during this month.

Finding the fish in the first place also becomes easier as September inches its way towards October. Large schools of big stipers tend to hang a bit closer to the beach during this month. The days of trolling and cruising around in 60-70 feet of water are now (hopefully!) over. Searching in water as shallow as 20 feet often yields higher catches than spending time in deeper water at this time of the season.

Towards the end of the month, the bass will really put the feedbag on as they prepare for their southerly migration. I’m getting a little ahead of myself here, but I can not help but remember the great fishing we had during late September 2010. Of course, who knows what will happen in 2011. However the odds are in our favor that we will be able to at least put a few seriously large bass and giant tuna in the boat.

Just seeing a giant tuna crashing on the surface is a sight to remember. Hooking up and landing one is a completely different story!

Big blues and snapper blues invade Cape Cod during September. Pefect tuna bait size bluefish (20 inches or so) will often be around in full force. If 10 plus pound bluefish are your target, than look no further than Cape Cod Bay. Race Point, Sandy Neck and Billingsgate Shoal all produce big bluefish during September.

For smaller bluefish and snappers, concentrate on the south side of the Cape. The many bays and estuaries that litter the Cape’s southside, including Buzzards Bay, are home to these baby bluefish. Ultra light tackle is the way to go. Small lures or minnows fished on micro sized spinning reels is a blast. Kids usually love catching snappers. The action can be fast and furious at times. These small bluefish taste great and also make good live bait for tuna.

This is the time of the year when we hear stories of more exotic fish entering the water around Cape Cod. Even more exotic fish like Spanish Mackerel are caught off the southside of the Cape. These fish are usually taken by anglers fishing for bonito and false albies. Mahi-mahi are routinely taken by anglers fishing farther offshore. Actually, many exotic species inhabit the offshore areas such as yellowfin tuna, blue and white marlin, bigeye tuna and a variety of sharks-to name just a few.

Cape Cod has many fantastic fishing opportunities. All of these opportunities only get better as September turns into October. Now is the time to go fishing before the cold, windy days of November arrive!

Captain Ryan Collins fishes for striped bass and Bluefin tuna off Cape Cod, MA. Visit his blog, myfishingcapecod.com for insider tips. Click on trolling for striped bass.

Golden’s largest summer event (and one of the largest in the area) is the five-day Buffalo Bill Days, occurring July 27 to 31. Thousands of attendees show up for activities as diverse as a golf tourney at Fossil Trace, live music, a kiddie train, and the man of the hour himself, Buffalo Bill Cody, roaming the midway. Perhaps the biggest event anchoring Buffalo Bill Days is the enormous parade, which takes place 10 a.m. Saturday, July 30. On Sunday kids can test their mettle astride a sheep in the popular Muttin Bustin’ event. The festival features two car shows, on July 31 – one is pre-1971, while the “Orphan” show features cars whose manufacturers no longer exist, such as Studdebaker, Fraser, Kaiser, Hudson and DeLorean. These shows are free and open to registrants who have insurance.

Nationally recognized by “Sunset” magazine as one of the best arts festivals in the country, the Golden Fine Arts Festival occurs this summer Aug. 21 to 22 along Washington Ave. The festival – which is set amid the breathtaking backdrop of the foothills and Clear Creek in the summer – hosts up to 150 artists selling their wares, which include such varied media as ceramics, glass, jewelry, painting, photography and sculpture. The Activities Tent gives kids an opportunity to make their own arts and crafts, and learn about history of traditional art. The festival also features live music on five stages, this year sporting such diverse acts as Rojos Calientes, The Road Hazards, Julia Bryan Band, and Chris Thompson and Coral Creek. Although the festival features artists from different parts of the country, there is a strong focus (up to 80 percent) on Colorado artists.

Embracing one of the major interests of the area, Golden merchants sponsor the Wild West Auto Roundup on June 11. A consummate favorite of locals and visitors (an estimated 15,000), participants and patrons can take in more than 200 classic cars, including vintage, stock cars and trucks. Take a seat on one of Washington’s outdoor patios for a leisurely view of the autos. In addition to the cars there are fly-fishing and kayaking demonstrations at Clear Creek and several kid-friendly activities.

Consult the various Golden websites or simply ask around for more details about Golden’s entertainment options this summer. For those whose vacations might be close to home, or for those who simply want to fill their weekends with some spice, Golden fits the bill.

Discovering unique things to do in Colorado really isn’t difficult! Check out the great calendar of events this summer in Golden, CO. Found just outside of Denver, Golden offers unique dining and great events throughout the summer. Visit us soon!

Although you may not even have known it exists the leatherback sea turtle probably is the most amazing animal on the planet. It is one of only six remaining species of marine turtle, and uncounted eons in the past its forebears walked the earth on four legs. About a hundred ten million years ago, its legs and feet evolved into massive flippers and it began to populate the Seven Seas, or, more accurately, the sea, because the Seven Seas did not exist that long ago.

Mother Earth was a very different place way back then. The Himalayas of Tibet did not exist that long ago. Indeed, there would be no Himalayas for sixty five million more years. Antarctica was joined to Australia when the first leatherbacks took to the sea and would not uncouple from it for about thirty million more generations of these sea animals. South America remained near West Antarctica. Another eighty million years would pass before Antarctica would turn into the frigid continent we see. The South Atlantic Ocean was still forming. Indeed, not only were there no Seven Seas way back then, there were not seven continents, either.

They lived during the Age of Dinosaurs. Actually, they were here millions of years before the first dinosaur left its footprint. They were swimming the oceans 400,000 centuries before the awesome T Rex made its debut. Yes, you read it correctly, 400,000 centuries. This incredible species of animal outlived the dinosaurs and even survived the greatest mass extinction the world has ever experienced.

Perhaps you learned in science class that whales and dolphins were animals that used to be terrestrial but now are found in the ocean. But, porpoises and whales are mammals (whose closest relative is the hippopotamus) that did not exist until millions of years after the last dinosaur passed away. Sea turtles had already been swimming in the sea for fifty million years before these mighty mammalian leviathans first left land for the water.

Leatherbacks are big turtles weighing as much as a ton. This is not exaggerated because one, captured in Wales tipped the scales at 1,980 pounds. And, despite its size, this great creature survived the extraordinary and terrible mass extinction that brought about the destruction of the dinosaurs. For that reason alone it might be considered the most amazing animal on the globe. But, there is more.

Consider this: the world marveled, and properly so, at Michael Phelps’s 200 meter freestyle world swimming record. But, as fast as he covered that length, a huge leatherback, weighing about as much as the entire offensive line of a professional football team, would swim a thousand meters. In fact, this sea turtle is listed in the 1992 Guinness Book of World Records as the fastest reptile on earth!

This marine speed demon is also a marathoner of epic proportions and may migrate farther than any other creature alive today. One of these turtles was tracked by scientists migrating 13,000 miles.

Are you getting convinced this is the most amazing animal yet? Hold on, there is more. Besides being the world’s fastest reptile and maybe the world’s greatest long-distance marathon swimmer, it regularly does something Man has never accomplished. It can dive nearly 4,000 feet deep in the ocean. At that depth pressure approaches two thousand pounds per square inch. How much pressure is that? Well, it has been estimated that today’s best nuclear attack submarines would crush at about 2,400 feet. Even the world’s best technology and strongest metal and composite materials are no match for the diving ability of a one hundred million year old race of creatures we imagine primitive.

There is also another amazing fact. Except where Man has killed them off, leatherbacks swim all tropical and subtropical waters on earth. But, it is jaw-dropping that they have been seen as far north as the Arctic Circle and as far south as Africa’s Cape of Good Hope and even New Zealand where waters are as cold as 40 degrees fahrenheit. Yet, even though they are like all reptiles, cold blooded, they stay warm and comfortable because they can maintain a body temperature as much as 32 degrees higher than the surrounding water.

Disastrously, in literally the last three decades, this magnificent animal has been decimated in numbers and is in danger of extinction. In 1980, Mexico boasted two-thirds leatherbacks on earth. By 2005, its leatherback population had plummeted 99%, a catastrophe by any measure. In far off Malaysia, on beaches that once had 10,000 leatherback nests a year, there were two nestings in 2008. Never underestimate the power of Man’s stupidity, rapaciousness, and destructiveness. The Angels are surely weeping.

Today, more than 100 countries and hundreds of conservation groups are fighting to stem the decline of this magnificent being but it remains to be seen if this most ancient of all creatures can survive your generation and mine.

If you are considering a Costa Rica vacation, be sure to visit one of its world-famous sea turtle parks or reserves. Tortuguero National Parkis on its Caribbean coast and is home to the largest green sea turtle nesting on earth. Travel Costa Rica west to the Pacific and you’ll see the largest nesting invasion of olive ridley sea turtles on earth. Leatherbacks nest at many Costa Rica beaches.

If you were asked to pick the place with the highest satisfaction of life and happiness, where would you choose? Hint: Disneyworld which brags it is the “happiest place on earth” did not make the finals (or the list for that matter). It is officially tiny Costa Rica, winner of the Happy Planet Index as the most satisfying place to live on the planet.

The Index measures three factors in 143 countries, encompassing 99 percent of the population on the planet: high life expectancy, high life satisfaction, and a low ecological footprint. Costa Rica came out on top by a large margin.

The Happy Planet Index asked three questions: 1. What is a person’s life expectancy ( premise: it is better to live longer than die young)? 2. While alive, how satisfied are people with the quality of their life (premise: living longer but miserably is not very satisfying)? 3. How much does a country cost the planet (premise: sustainable development is better than exhausting resources and has less effect on global warming) ?

Like me, you probably assume that the richest nations will come in towards the top but that is not the case. Despite its wealth and power, the United States sits at number 114. England does better but still only ranks 74th.

The difference between Costa Rica and the USA is striking. Costa Ricans live longer than Americans (health care is nationalized, nearly free, and universal in Costa Rica), report much higher levels of life satisfaction (they are very happy with their life), and yet have a carbon footprint which is less than a quarter the size of the States.

Costa Rica reached the top of the rankings for many reasons. The country does not just talk about sustainable development, it is committed to it. While the developed world and rising powers of China and India rely upon nonrenewable resources (think oil) for power while contributing to serious global pollution and global warming, an incredible 99% of Costa Rica’s energy is completely renewable and sustainable. As the States and other developed countries dither about how to address power needs, chase more and more resources to use up, and argue about the challenges of global warming, tiny Costa Rica has been taking action. Even as more and more of the world is being deforested, there are 20% more forested areas in Costa Rica than just 20 years ago. And, though there may be large oil deposits off its shores, the country has ignored its Siren Song and refuses to allow oil drilling. Also, it is the first, and so far the only, country to commit to being completely carbon neutral by 2021.

Costa Rica’s per capita income is only a fraction of that of the United States and other western countries but its ranking at number 1 in all the world is a model to emulate.

Situated off the southern Pacific coast of Costa Rica along the shores of the Osa Peninsula, almost on the Panama border, you will find the Parque Nacional Corcovado (Corcovado National Park). This is a unique protected habitat and is the largest surviving forest on the Pacific Coast from Mexico to South America. There are eight different habitats to be found in the 42,000 hectares (100,000 acres) which form a tiny national park that remains for the most part unspoiled. Though teeny, it is one-of-a-kind. Literally.

When Christopher Columbus explored the Americas in 1502 he traveled the Caribbean from Mexico south to a land he called ‘Costa Rica’, the ‘rich coast’. The name stuck. Fabulous tropical forests covered the land from the Atlantic to the Pacific and there were so many sea turtles that sometimes mariners, lost in the fog, found land by listening to the sounds of tens of thousands of animals paddling towards nesting beaches. Unfortunately, the passage of 500 years has not been kind to either the forests or animals and today most of the primary forests from Mexico to South America have been cut down or burned. Fortunately, Costa Rica had the good sense to preserve Corcovado.

Columbus never saw Corcovado. The first Western explorer to see it was Sir Frances Drake (remember him? The sea captain who destroyed the Spanish Armada in 1588 and saved England from Spain) who landed just north of the Osa Peninsula in a beautiful place now named after him: Drake Bay. The bay serves as the gateway to Corcovado.

Corcovado is very tiny (not small, tiny), less than 160 square miles in size. That is about 20 miles long and 8 miles deep. Tiny. Even so, it is incredible. Described as ‘the most biologically intense place’ on earth by National Georgraphic, it is largely unspoiled and the single largest surviving rain forest situated on the Pacific Coast from Mexico to South America. The mangroves and other biodiverse areas of Corcovado protect an incredible array of plants and animals. There are 139 species of mammals, including the mighty jaguar, puma, ocelot, and three other kinds of wild cats. You will also find 400 different species of birds (the entire continent of Europe has 1000 species and the continental U.S. has 900) living in an area less than half the size of New York City! The largest remaining Central America population of scarlet macasws live here, along with 116 kinds of amphibians and reptiles. ‘Intense” is exactly right: 10% of all the different kinds of mammals in the whole of the Americas are found here—in a park less than 1/20th the size of Yellowstone National Park.

If you like frogs (and who does not?) then visiting this national park will be a rare treat. There are species of poison-arrow, glass, and re-eyed tree frogs which make this park their home. It is one of just a couple of places in Costa Rica to find squirrel monkeys, and visitors are able to watch fishing bats fish the rivers of the reserve at night. At one time you could also find the harpy eagle in Corcovado, however, it has not been see for a number of years and is believed to be extinct in the area.

The seemingly deserted beaches of the park provide a nesting ground for four species of sea turtle and because of the large tapir population jaguars and crocodiles also inhabit this area. They prefer to hunt around the edges of the Corcovado Lagoon and are often sighted. The footprints of this large carnivorous cat are often found in the mud trails which surround the lagoon.

Corcovado is one of the best tropical rainforests on earth. You will see why it is called the Amazon of Costa Rica because it is as impressive as any rain forest in Brazil, Indonesia, or Malaysia. Torrential rains fall in the area from April to December so the best time to visit is in the dry months from January to April.

Fresh water angling can be a very involving and relaxing sport that involves catching fish in lakes, rivers and streams. It involves a lot of patience, as well as challenge and skill. To begin, check with the state for laws regarding fishing to see if a license is required in order to fish. If it is, you must acquire one by checking a sporting goods store i.e. the back of wal-mart who will help you to get it, and some will even provide it for you.

During the time that you are in your favorite sporting goods store, you can choose to look over the store’s stock and buy the right fishing equipment that you will be need for your trip. For a beginning fisherman make sure you budget well on the cost of the equipment, not purchasing on expensive equipment buy only the basic things you will need.

If you aren’t sure what you need ask the help of the store keeper, but do keep in mind that you are on a budget. Take as much time as you need and don’t hesitate to ask how to use the gear that you are shown. Artificial lures can be used as bait or you might want to seek out worms from the backyard a cheap rod and reel will suffice in conjunction with a fishing line, hooks, weights, a bobber (this keeps your line afloat), fishing lures and net. A polarized sunglass is also essential, as it’ll help to see clearly through the water and lessen the glare.

You should of course take a friend with you as if an emergency strikes, so there can be someone who will be able to seek help. Additionally, it would be smarter and safer to begin by fishing in shallow areas. Drop your line in rocky areas where water is known to be deep since fish are will be residing. As your skill level develops and increases, you might then decide to brave the deeper waters but before that, take the time to practice casting so you can become more familiar with your equipment.

One better place to practice is your backyard. And to do it you will use a rope to mark an area and use this as your guide in aiming your cast. Pay close attention to your methods to discover a method that will work for you but cast with your wrist not with your arm. Fishing hooks can be sharp and should be carefully handled to avoid injury so before you throw your line you should take a look around yourself and make sure you remain unobstructed to avoid hurting other people with your hook.

When the right time has come and you finally go fishing remember to cast out just ahead of the fish making sure your bait lands slowly with very little splash. Pay attention to your bobber to see if there is any activity because when a fish grabs the bait, your bobber will submerge signaling that you have a fish so just remain calm. Keeping tension on your line slowly reel in your catch, and use your net to bring the fish in the rest of the way, take care to remove the hook from the fish’s mouth with great care.

If you got an undersized fish (as noted in the state’s regulation book), quickly return it to the water. Similarly if you don’t plan in eating your catch, don’t waste the fish and return it to the water. Letting the fish go will keep more fish in the water giving other anglers the simple pleasure of catching the fish

Are you considering your next holidays in Cuba? If so you are in for an unforgettable experience. Cuba?s charm is comparable to no other destination in the Caribbean, for not to mention its history and impressive architecture patrimony.

Cuba is the largest of the Antilles and offers a wide variety of holidays. If you are looking for just relaxation on a beach resort or get to know the island by joining an escorted tour Cuba certainly does not lack options

Guardalavaca in the eastern part of Cuba should be considered as number one option for those looking for just relaxation on a beach resort. It is not too commercialized as perhaps other beach locations in Cuba and it is definitely one of the best places for snorkeling in Cuba.

Interested in Nature? Well then you have to explore the mountains, valleys and rivers of Cuba. Pinar del Rio area, Escambray Mountain and Sierra Maestra are the richest in terms of natural attributes.

Trinidad de Cuba one of the most charming colonial villages in Cuba dates back from the 17th Century. Today Trinidad is considered a World Heritage Site definitely worth visiting.

Havana has to be my favourite place. Not only was I born in Havana and know it quite well, I can say with confidence that I have walked every corner of this amazing City. You have to visit Havana if you really want to feel you have been to Cuba. I particularly recommend the Old Town area to stay and the night clubs of Vedado neighborhood.

For history lovers and thouse wanting to get to know the real Caribbean culture there is no better place than Santiago the Cuba. With a very rich cultural heritage Santiago de Cuba is the best place to enjoy a Cuban Carnival which takes place around the 26th of July every year.

Some think that Cuba might change in the next couple of years. I personally have been hearing this same thing for the past 20 years and Cuba still remains the same defiant and beautiful country. However it is important to highlight that in the past few years the expectation of a change has increased. My advice is not to leave your visit for too late or you might miss have a century of history and culture.