Hunting for The White Lobster on Nicaragua’s Big Corn Island

Two weeks prior, I had no clue the Corn Islands even existed, and then there I was, walking along one of the world’s most beautiful beaches under a full moon, eyes peeled for a big, fat sack of cocaine: The White Lobster.

The sea was angry that day, as it was for most of my stay. What a commotion to experience the slam of coconuts against a tin roof during 45 mph gusts!

And you’re like, yeah, but the cocaine?!

Right. By 6:30 p.m., the sun left no traces, and the electricity decided to follow suit. So I, too, blew out into the night, lit by a bright white full moon.

I’d been wandering this tiny remote island for days now, and upon remembering that Kentucky Bar had a generator, I headed down Sally Peachy’s shores with a beer and lobster on top of mind. It was a blissfully simple time.

Big Corn Island is known for its fresh spiny lobster (Caribbean lobster), featured on nearly every menu of its not-quite-four-square-mile surface. But its coloring is as you would expect: oranges and reds, not white…and its meat is somewhat savory and firm, taking to a well-made sauce like a clap of thunder to lightning. A delicious destiny. Plus, it’s much more affordable than their cousins from Maine, so you can really go for it.

Weather less than inviting, I was the only foreigner for most of that night. Island vibes were in full force, and the rum flowed freely. There was dancing. We partook in a circle under a star-clad sky, feet relishing in the contact with cool, powdery white sand. The wind raged on, but we didn’t care.

You learn things when you listen. Turns out, the turbulent times leading up to this full moon create the perfect conditions for hunting—you guessed it—the white lobster.

Now, in perhaps even rarer occasions, yes, one could encounter an albino spiny lobster, but this was not that.

Morphing from land plant to prized sea treasure, this white lobster is brick-like in shape and has a rock-like texture that can be refined using simple tools into a powder that will make ducks dance. This white lobster is highly sought after and rarely found.

They can’t swim, though, and every once in a full moon, white lobsters wash ashore from a Caribbean “cruise” gone awry.

Legend has it that somebody on Big Corn Island gets really lucky at least once a year. The right place at the right time, a serendipitous, life-changing hunt.

How one deals with possessing a shit ton of something in high demand differs, but most here have figured out how to take the opportunity and better their lives. Say, build things, create businesses to sustain.

Give a man a lobster, and he’s fed for a day. Teach him how to hunt…

Naturally, with conditions impossible to favor more, I suggested we go on a little walk :) Because really, that’s all the hunt is, a leisurely, albeit whirling, walk along the beach, where laughing and talking are perfectly acceptable, and the view nourishes your soul. Hopefully, you’ll run into a sack of cocaine along the way, too!

The white lobster.

I visited every beach on the island at least once, and Sally Peachy hits different. Turquoise hues teem with vibrant coral reefs below, calm pools of warm water here and there, plus a plethora of rocks and shells that one could spend hours admiring. I get why the locals call it paradise. It’s the perfect place for a hunt along life’s magnificent ebb and flow.

Despite this magic, my mind couldn’t help but wander to a few scenes from Locked Up Abroad, and having already been detained by immigration for my drone, microphones, and multiple cellphones, I prodded for more information. ¿Y qué pasa si lo encontramos?! How does one cash in? From where do you say such an overnight fortune comes? And how cool are the cops here??

“Tranquila,” they said, knowing I would likely never need be privy to such details. They were right. Despite having one of the most unique experiences of my life, we did not find any white lobsters that night.

Success is subjective, though. It was an unforgettable hunt. To connect with people who’ve experienced life so differently from you, to find the peace you sought, and live what you never knew…well, that my friends, is flourishing.

The magical Sally Peachy Beach from Kentucky Bar on Big Corn Island. The islanders say that generally the water is completely placid and a brilliant teal. I can imagine…

How the evening got started. A full moon on Big Corn Island.