Bonaire

Netherlands Antilles

This time to Bonaire.  I was surprise at how dry it was, much like a flat sage brush desert.   Although it rain a lot and got  worse as the week wore on - the last day it rain almost all day off and on - is seemed fairly dry.  Palm trees are imported or gown on a Palm Tree Farm.  Although there  were certainly some sites to see like the Salt Farm where they raise salt and the Flamingos, I didn't really get a chance to see it all.  Rented a Scooter and when I finally got around to riding it, it rained like crazy, so had to pull off, wait,  and the just turned it back in...  Bonaire seems to be developing slowly with a few other resorts like the Sand Dollar, which is just walking distance from Capt'n   Don's (along with the Ice Cream Store)  but the downtown area right on the water front is developing quite nicely with opened aired restaurants and the good ones at the resorts.  Downtown is a cab ride, apx $7-10 US depending upon your negotiating skills.  Most of the time was spent at the resort diving and getting ready to dive.   There are misquotes, though not bad, in that you don't really see them, but end up with bites so bring along the repellant.

Bonaire is a small island located in the southern Caribbean (

Many descriptions and slogans have been written about Bonaire: Best Kept Secret, Unhurried, Unspoiled, Unforgettable; Diver's Paradise; and the list goes on... The fact is that all these statements are true, and then some. Another truth is the statistic that over 30% of arrivals on Bonaire are repeat visitors!

Food:  
Was average, didn't have anything spectral.  The shrimps were dry  as were the lobsters... speaking of which, I saw the largest lobster I've ever seen... the antenna were 3' or longer... only could see part of him/her, but you could probably ride like a little toy car... wouldn't think about trying to catch it..

Information:   Locate Bonaire by searching or this site:   Bonaire official site.

Comments:  
All in all, it was a good trip, but not sure I'd want to necessarily go back.  The diving wasn't as clear as I had expected 60-80' and it was pretty much the same all around.  Dive profile was down to 60-90' and then back on the ridge at 20-10   for the safety stops.  You could see pretty much everything on the top of the ridge.  It's just a sandy bottom so the main areas for the looky-loos is along the walls.

Bottom line/question is?? Would I buy a house down here...???

I don't think so...

to many Other Places to do that...

Anyway, here's what I found....

Needless to say, just start the webpage download, get a cup of coffee and come back in about 5 minutes when it's loaded...

Dive Profile from Interknowledge Corp:

...and so, after a long flight we arrived late at night to check in... the next day we were able to see what's what at the resort....

beach / cliff is just on the other side...

.. and by following the signs, we were able to get around....

to the left is the infamous refreshment stand....

AKA the Bar....

just sitting with Rum Punches and Half-beers (the size are 8 oz or more like 6 oz and cost 2 times as much... go figure), but their Fruity drinks were not bad...  At least here you could watch CNN and the gripping drama of the elections...

Yawn.... kinda like watching the grass grow...

and the view from the bar.... which makes it a lot, lot nicer....

or a ways down from the bar...

in the pool area....

You go local beach-diving from a pier just on the other side.  
It's a good dive, they have a rope/cable that you follow down, 
the swim is short, about 50 feet and then it starts to drop off.  
Good for just putzing around...

Soooo...

Let's go diving....!!!

...and in we go....

Going here.....

...going there,

...Finally something...

Just sitting there doing it's thang.....

Just a neato shot, In my not so humble opinion....

some travel in pairs.....

and now time to head on back up....

Typically each dive site is about 20 minutes away from the resort.

You sign up on a clip board for the dive site you want to go to...
Needless to say, it helps if you record where you've been 
or you'll be diving the same site all week... just put your name in the boxes,
 1 box for each name.. if it's full then you're SOL
 and have to pick another chart....

 one bit of info, plan your lunches accordingly as you only have 
about 45 minutes to wander away from the boat and wander back... 
about the same amount of time for the restaurant to finally come up 
and take your order for lunch....

This is the resort's  "Rum Runners" Diner, for all meals.. 
there are some snacks in the dive shop,  but that's about all... 
FYI, get your cokes from the dive shop, do you shopping at 
the market (walking distance), it's about half of the Rum Runners...

Here are the shops - with a photo shop that can rent lenses, develop film and is fairly well stocked.  Just past the tanks is the dive shop and at the end is the dive equipment rentals where you get your weights etc...

Okay now back to diving....

and in the water we go.....

and back to wandering around...

Soooo, Have you been able to find the FROG Fish yet...

just a little texture and stuff...

Still looking for the FROG Fish? this isn't it....

  It doesn't get much brighter than this.....

Welcome to the Dark Side of the  Boxer Fish...

Doesn't look like a happy camper... most are real friendly and not shy...

...Oh what tangled webs we weave...

when at first we try to hide...

Nope, not a sea snake as I originally thought...

but an eel...

I guess much like the smaller ones you get at the Aquarium shops....

but not like this EEL....  or  Mr. EEL !!!... there were quite a few Morays in the area... and especially during the night dives....

This is typical of the Shallow bottom with the sand and fishes all around...

and, of course, natures little Pom-Poms.....

All we need now are the Cheerleaders....

e'nuf said....?

Well it's time to start coming up.....

and head on back to the ranch.....

Back on board, we make our way back to the ranch...

The boats were in good shape and fairly new...

Meanwhile ..... 

Rain or Sun... you make the call...

you rinse your gear....

And into town we go.

So back to the cabins, get ready for the night life...
or what there is of it... 
it's probably somewhere else and 
I kept meaning to visit the downtown area, 
but never made it....

to the watering hole...

just AFTER a night dive....

Kinda hits the spot.... 

after a long hard day....

Well, here it is....

Way down below...

Notice the color,

Gives another meaning to the phrase

"You are what you EAT....."

Apparently he/she changes to whatever it eats... in color that is...

Here's a lost little Froggie....

Note the little feet (in the other frame)

And you can see the BAR is STOCKED!!  with all the basics for the Fruity Punches... along with an advisor on how to make them.... (joking)

Some just never want to come up... as this Nite Diver...

would you believe that all the light generated here is by those lights on the Video... heheh as I mentioned in the "Truk" page.. it's like playing with the SUN...

Well that's about all from here...

Avast ye Mateys....

END