Fishing is something that can bring people together from all cultures, races and regions around the world. Unfortunately this is true of Cystic Fibrosis as well. Cystic Fibrosis is an inherited disease mostly found in people from Northern Eurpoean descent. Though very rare but it has been found in African and Asian descent as well. This is a disease process that can shorten it’s victims lifespan and cause a lifetime of illness and hospitalizations. Knot Working Charters decided to join the fight with Pipeline to a Cure in 2018 by donating a full day offshore fishing charter. The Wilmington, North Carolina chapter holds an auction every year with donations from different companies. The winners of the 2018 auction for our Full Day Offshore fishing charter and a weeks stay in a Playa Bejuco condo were the Rabon Family. The couple with their two small children had never been to Costa Rica. They were not disappointed. Costa Rica is after all famous for our fishing gounds.
The day started early for the Rabon’s, waking up the little ones and arriving at the docks by 6AM. It looked to be a beautiful day with fair seas for their trip offshore. Once out to the fishing gounds they came along a large pod of dolphins. This is always a good luck sign. Within a few minutes they hooked up a large blue Marlin, then the fight was on. This Blue did not want to be caught. Will fought it for about 25 minutes before bringing it to the boat. Once the blue marlin was released Will (being exhausted) decided he would rest and let Noel be next up to fish. This was great for Noel as she managed to reel in a large yellow fin tuna after a few missed opportunities. Any fisherman who has caught a yellow fin tuna know that they are fast fish and once slack gets in the line, they are gone. After battling the yellow fin, Noel caught a good size Mahi Mahi. Now the fishing was over with both adults exhausted from fishing and the children just ready to head back in for the day. The pacific ocean had other plans and brought up a couple of Humpback whales for them to see. The variety of sealife in the waters off the coast of Costa Rica is so abundant you never know what you might encounter. The Rabon family will surely remember this trip for many years to come, at least until they return again to Costa Rica.
The Pipeline to a Cure Willmington, NC chapter event took place on August 3, 2019. This years package included a weeks stay in a condo in Playa Bejuco, with airline miles from North Carolina, and our full day offshore fishing charter. We look forward to this years winners coming, and having just as much fun as the Rabon’s did on their first fishing trip out of Quepos, Costa Rica.