f Paria - Ins and Outs of Trinidad & Tobago 2013

Tobago
experience
Stephen Broadbridge
Marlin Madness
Tobago is a waterman’s paradise.
Sandwiched by the Atlantic Ocean on its
east coast and the Caribbean Sea on its
west coast, Tobago’s 120-odd kilometres
of coastline, offers a massive playground
for water-sports enthusiasts of every
discipline and level of proficiency. From
professional surfer to first time angler,
there is an experience for everyone just
waiting to be enjoyed on “Robinson
Crusoe’s Island.”
Visitors and locals can enjoy the
excitement of sailing, windsurfing, kite
boarding, wake boarding, jet skiing,
scuba diving, snorkeling and sport fishing
in Tobago. On this incredible island, it is
possible to set out fishing in the morning,
tag and release a blue marlin or sailfish
before lunch, and return to mooring for
an afternoon surf session in the pointbreak
perfection of Mt. Irvine Bay.
Offshore sport fishing is a major
attraction in Tobago and it can be enjoyed
all year round. The two international
fishing tournaments held there each year
are among the best in the Caribbean.
The Tobago International Game Fishing
Tournament (www.tgft.com) is held
in Charlotteville and is a favourite of
Caribbean anglers because of its great
local vibe and proximity to the marlin
grounds. The Trinidad and Tobago Game
Fishing Association’s (www.ttgfa.com)
Marlin Madness Tournament, which has
been around a lot longer, has created
quite a legacy of its own in recent years.
In 2008, fifteen-year-old junior angler,
Sean Mendonca, broke the local blue
marlin record with a fish that weighed
890 lb., during the Marlin Madness event
held that year at Speyside. This catch
became legend as it was later confirmed
by the International Game Fishing
Association (www.igfa.org) to be a junior
world record for this species. One year
later at the Marlin Madness 2009 event,
angler Jovan Jangoo of sport fisher, Reel
Fanatic, caught an 825 lb. blue marlin
and his team won the tournament. Fish
of this magnitude are unheard of in the
southeastern Caribbean tournaments,
which normally weigh in fish averaging
400–600 lb., making these two
catches by far the greatest in a regional
tournament to date.
In addition to great fishing, Tobago also
hosts world-class surfing potential. A lot
like fishing though, it requires patience
and persistence to really score an epic
experience. But have no fear, when you
score in Tobago it is like nothing else you
have ever experienced. Aside from having
by Keith Lewis
an array of different breaks ranging from
perfect points breaking over coral reef
to challenging beach breaks breaking
on compact sand, Tobago has the most
incredible beach culture and vibe.
Surfers in Tobago are like a family
of good friends who enjoy sharing the
natural beauty of the island. On any given
day they can be seen casually relaxing in
their hammocks under the almond trees,
cooking fresh fish, sharing entertaining
stories and even playing music. There is
always a great mix of people, in and out
of the water, with both pros and novices
alike from Trinidad, Tobago, the U.K., the
U.S., even Norway; families, children,
young and old rejoicing in the sun, surf
and sand.
There is a great amount of respect
among these people, both surfers and
nonsurfers, for each other and the fragile
beach-ocean environment that provides
so much joy. Many of the avid surfers
that live in Tobago are also dedicated
fishermen and many are involved with
sport-fishing charter companies. These
Caribbean watermen also traverse easily
through the many disciplines of water
sports possible in Tobago, enjoying
whichever is most fitting for the current
swell, wind and tide conditions.
The Ins & Outs of Trinidad and Tobago
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