THE ODYSSEY’S MAIDEN VOYAGE TO XCALAK

Xcalak (pronounced ish-ka-lak) lies at the southern end of the Yucatan Peninsula near the Belize border—a dusty five-hour drive and a world away from Cancún.

Xcalak is one of the most prolific and diverse flats fisheries we’ve ever seen, with healthy populations of permit, tarpon, bones, ‘cudas, triggers, jacks and snook. It’s also home to some of the most peaceful and beautiful people we’ve ever met.

We fished and explored Xcalak for two weeks in November, 2020 on the Odyssey’s first official expedition. The first week, we were pounded by Hurricane Theta. The second week, we did the pounding. So. Many. Fish.

Xcalak has a few ecological problems that we can help the locals solve so that the fish and the people stay happy for years to come. But we’ll start with the fishing.

Here’s a window into the Odyssey’s first expedition: