Captain George and his Rum Punch

by Kaitlin Narciso (Canada)

Making a local connection Belize

The air was thick, hot on my skin. The sun’s rays beating down unforgivably. The chatter of the local on-goings verbust as I wait on the back of a golf cart for confirmation as to whether our free diving adventure was a go. After a mess of a reservation, a change in boat, and a Mario Kart-esque golf cart ride to the opposite end of San Pedro, we reached a long dock. There waiting was a red sailboat with offwhite sails and a Jolly Rogers flag wrestling with the wind. Contrasting to the ‘largest on the island’ catamaran--the original promise for the day--the red boat was quaint, but charming with the name Rum Punch II painted in yellow. Crouched at the stern, patiently waiting, an older man with wisdom in his eyes, a smile on his lips, and wit in his barrelling laugh. As first mate Nick offered us a hand into the boat, he introduced us to the lovely couple who had allowed us on their private charter, Veer and Ann. The four of them had been on their way when Captain George--the older man and captain of Rum Punch II--received the call asking if he could take us out. Veer and Ann overheard and encouraged Captain to allow us to join their adventure. Alike Rafiki from the Lion King, Captain George had the most captivating, crazy monkey of a persona, a laugh as equally disarming, and an accent thick with personality. Though deep lines etched around his mouth from years of laughter, his skin tired from the endless kiss of the sun, and his bones more fragile than once before, his eyes shone and told stories of youthful escapades, daring adventures, and a life well lived. Aged like the rum that filled his punch, he was filled with the promise of stories that came pouring out of him like the rum into our glasses. 1985 was the year Rum Punch II was officially his; but there was so much more to their story. “The original owner was a visitor to the island,” Mistah George recounts. “The guy left us the original Rum Punch when he needed to return to his home for a few weeks--he didn’t come back for 5 years!” He laughed robustly. “At that time, we were just scooting around, drinking, fishing. Oh, but the fish--we’d bring in buckets.” The ocean back then, as he describes, was thriving. Colourful fish aplenty, corals abundant, and “lobstahs” everywhere. The origins of Rum Punch dates back to a night of drinking George’s Rum Punch. The guys were cheering and laughing when the original owner took a coconut leaf, beat the end of it until it frayed, and painted Rum Punch on the side of the vessel to commemorate the evening. “From that moment I swore--and I kept that promise--that my boat would be named Rum Punch II--and here she is.” Here she is. Three and a half decades later, filled with tales of week long sailing adventures, long days of spearfishing, and night escapades out on the water. So much history was in her frayed paint, slightly discoloured sail, and handmade mahogany body—but that’s what made her beautiful. Unpacking a well-worn pan, a little gas burner, and a beat up cooler, George traded his Captain’s hat for a Chef’s while we took in a dive. The crystal clear water was a refreshing oasis from the sun. Nick showed us how to spearfish and though we came up empty handed, George had us covered with fish, lobster, and taco goodness back on board. The aroma of the food drifted around us as our stomachs grumbled in anticipation. “Eat, eat!” George smirked, as though knowing this would be some of the tastiest food to grace our lips. He poured us all an extra tall glass of punch, raising it to us, the beautiful ocean, and the sunshiny day. The air was refreshing, the wind cool on my sun-kissed skin. The sun’s rays faded into the horizon as the sound of the waves splashed around Rum Punch II. Captain George sailed us back, standing, steering with one foot on the tiller. A peaceful, perfect ending to a beautiful day.