The Corn Islands seem a long way from the rest of Nicaragua. For centuries, they were a part of Mosquito Kingdom

Story and photos by Hal Moore, originally published in Nica News 13 (April 1998)

As anyone who has lived in Nicaragua can tell you, Semana Santa can be a real nightmare. All the hotels are full, the streets of tiny fishing villages are full of noisy throngs and road travel is only slightly less dangerous than being a war correspondent.

If you like to get off the beaten track around the time of Semana Santa, when the dry season really wears thin in Managua, you might consider a trip to Little Corn Island to visit Casa Iguana.

Grant Peeples is a new correspondent for Nica News and runs the only hotel on what may be the last pristine Caribbean island left in Central America.

It is certainly remote. To get to his hotel you have to take a La Costena flight from Managua to Big Corn Island and then make about an hour's crossing to Little Corn Island.

A panga makes the run from the municipal dock to Little Corn Island every afternoon at about 3:30 pm and returns the next morning in time to make the outgoing flights.

Once on, you had better love to fish - or snorkle, or read, or sleep in a hammock, eat fresh seafood, or beachcomb, or talk, because you are marooned on a tiny little island about 70 kilometers off the Atlantic Coast of Nicaragua which used to be inhabited by cannibals and pirates.

	Grant Peeples holds a dolphin that he caught off Little Corn Island

Good Fishing.

Peeples says that bonefish are plentiful - with up to ten hookups per hour. The fish are not huge, but respectable, and run up to six or seven pounds. If you are after big fish, huge tarpon (up to 100 pounds) and barracuda over 30 pounds can be caught right off the beach.

For conventional tackle there are plenty of kingfish, snappers, jacks and even giant needlefish. When caught on light tackle, the latter jump like sailfish.

The Casa Iguana lodge has all of the fishing tackle a guest might need, but you can also bring your own; there is even a fly-tying table.

Boats and fishing guides are available, but wading the flats near the beach is productive if you are there at the right time of day and tide.

We went fishing during the heat of the day, so the fish were not biting. Early morning and late afternoon are the hot times for tarpon, bonefish, jacks and barracuda.

Casa Iguana is located on seven acres and has 2,000 feet of seafront on the eastern shore of Little Corn Island. Your private cottage sits on a rocky point overlooking the reef and is surrounded by coconut palms. There is a communal living room and veranda in the main house where the meals are served.

As one might expect, seafood and local dishes are offered along with with traditional North American cuisine.

Grant Peeples is a pioneer in the old tradition. Every piece of Casa Iguana was built with his own hands and much of the materials were brought down from his native Florida.

Peeples, who used to make his living selling automatic door openers, was flying back from Costa Rica several years ago when he happened to glance out the window and spotted the island glimmering in the tropical Caribbean sun below. He was hooked immediately.

As soon as he had a chance, Peeples was riding a small skiff across the channel that separates the two Corn Islands.

The rest , as they say, is history. Peeples got his hotel up and working in a couple of years and is now hosting fishermen and tourists from the United States and Canada..