Woo Hoo -- that was a long and chilly cold snap. It appears that the tropical plants and fish seemed to have received the biggest insult. In fact I can still smell the odor of dead fish wafting up from the canal.

Fortunately for me, I was lucky enough to be making a transit through the Panama Canal (latitude 8 degrees) when the record cold hit the Florida Keys (latitude 24 degrees). Timing is everything and I was glad to be bouncing around Caribbean ports with temperatures in the 90s while the Keys were suffering through a very prolonged cold period. I'll have to say that traveling through the Panama Canal was truly an awesome experience which I would highly recommend for anyone wanting to see one of the great achievements of the modern world.

Sailing into various ports in Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica and Columbia, I developed a quick check list to assess possible threat potentials. First, count the number of guys you see toting automatic weapons. Second, check out the dogs. If all of the dogs are malnourished and mangy, there tends to be little respect for life in general. Third, look at the buildings to see how many windows and doors are protected by heavy bars.

In spite of abject poverty, I generally found that no matter where you go, people are people. Most of the locals we encountered were very friendly and more than anxious to show us everything their country has to offer. To truly experience the essence of each locale you typically have to venture beyond the tourist district. However, before you head out you must always remember that the typical annual income is probably equal to the amount of money you have in your wallet.

By far, my favorite country had to be Costa Rica. I would like to go back there for additional visits and to do some fishing.

I was also pleasantly surprised during my brief visit to Cartagena, Columbia. However, I'm not sure I wanted to venture too far off the beaten path in that country.

Like most fishermen I naturally gravitate toward the docks as I love to wander around looking at all the boats. I was struck by one obvious fact. No matter what your latitude, the ocean can be a very tough environment. We were reminded of this fact after experiencing a few days of Force-8 Gale winds while traveling near the tropical convergence zone. If you want to enjoy everything the ocean has to offer and safely return to port at the end of the day, it is absolutely essential that you keep your boat in top working order.

At every port we visited, you could see crews out working in the hot sun, cleaning and polishing their boats. More than a few had the engine covers open, performing repairs and routine maintenance. I was pretty sure that almost all of the work was being performed by the crew and captains, as finding a skilled mechanic in these remote locations has got to be pretty tough. This was the way things were done around the docks in old Key West, and still occurs among a few groups of captains who are willing to share their knowledge and skills.

Obviously, no matter what your latitude, preventative maintenance is the key to keeping boats and motors fully operational. While these cold snaps and wind can put a damper on fishing, they do provide an opportune time to tend to those neglected boat chores you've always been meaning to get around to. The cooler temperatures will also keep you from sweating like crazy and keep the mosquitoes from swarming around you, which in itself makes doing chores a little more pleasant.

• • •

A few weeks ago I poked fun at Mercury outboards. I was pleasantly surprised to receive an e-mail from renowned angler and sportsman George Poveromo. George is the editor for Saltwater Fishing Magazine and has his own fishing show on ESPN2. I really appreciate that he took the time to provide the following perspective on Mercury outboards:

"I am a Merc owner, and have a pair of Verados on the transom of my 28-foot center console. I religiously take my boat into the Bahamas at least a half-dozen times a year, with at least one trip being a "long range" run (Chub Cay- 135 miles, Abacos - 190 miles, and last year Cape Eleuthera - 250 miles - all one way). My Verados performed admirably and without so much as a hiccup. At home (South Florida), I spend nearly all my fishing time offshore, and have never been towed home.

"Take it easy on the Mercs!

"George"

As I stated in the Mercury column, I know a lot of guys running Mercurys and they absolutely LOVE them.

I appreciate feedback on the column and will make a concerted effort to respond to any comments or suggestions!

Capt. Pete Peterson welcomes comments and suggestions sent to petersonventures@aol.com.