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May 22nd thru May 29th. When Plan A of vacation fails, there's always Plan B. I was to go to Belize with GAP Adventures in May, but not enough people signed up. I rescheduled for June. That trip also fell through due to lack of interest. I called Crazy Scuba in Richardson, TX and they recommended Bonaire. It's a diver's paradise and well known for shore diving. I checked the airlines and found an incredible deal, actually, a STEAL! I booked the airfare and knew that I wanted to stay at Buddy Dive Resort.
The flight down to Bonaire really sucks, it is as tho the airlines know you're excited about "getting there", so they slow down the process. I sat at Houston Intercontinental Airport for 7 hours. Finally, around midnight the flight took off. Arrived in Bonaire around 5:00 a.m. I was so glad to crawl in bed and take a short power nap. I ate some lunch and walked around the resort. I was in awe as to the beauty around me, the Caribbean sea water was so clear.
I snorkeled for several hours. I couldn't believe the different types of fish. I came across one fish,
silver and at least 5 feet in length. My first thought was "Barracuda". He circled me and was checking me out. I was prepared to meet Jesus if this BIG fish was going to devour me. I told the Dive Shop about this fish, and they all had a good laugh. This scary fish was not a Barracuda but was a Tarpon. Divemasters reassured me that Tarpon was more afraid of me, than I was of him.
Monday, I was booking my activities for the week and spent a good part of the day snorkeling. The warmth of the water, many types of fish, and the clarity of the water was the icing on my cake.
Tuesday morning, I decided to kayak in the Mangroves. I had never been in a kayak. It was only a few minutes before I managed to flip the kayak over. The 3 couples and the Guide waited patiently for me to get myself and kayak back together and re-join the group. Once I learned the ropes of guiding the kayak, it was a cinch! Our guide emphasized the importance of the mangroves that basically it is the nursery of the ocean. It
was a good 2 hours of kayaking and a great work out. I returned to Buddy Dive Resort, had lunch and snuck in a short siesta. That afternoon was more snorkeling.
Tuesday night was my first night snorkel. A flashlight is strapped onto my wrist. Total darkness surrounded me if I didn't have the light. All sorts of creatures (Octopus; Eels; etc) came out to greet us. Thankfully there were no Sea Wasps. Sea Wasps are attracted to light, and their sting can hurt. I ended the evening with a lobster dinner.
Wednesday, I spent most of the day touring the island. There was lots to see. Bonaire isn't as lush and tropical as other islands in the Caribbean. It's more desert like with several different kinds of cactus and divi trees. I wondered how the name "Bonaire" came to be. The name Bonaire is thought to have originally come from the Caiquetio word 'Bonay', a name that meant low country. The early Spanish and Dutch modified its spelling to Bojnaj and also Bonaire.
One of the things I saw during the tour were slave huts. In 1633, the Dutch took possession of Curacao, Bonaire and Aruba.
The largest island, Curacao, emerged as a center of the notorious slave trade. Bonaire then became a plantation island belonging to the Dutch West Indies Company. It was during those early years that the first African slaves were forced to work, cutting dyewood and cultivating maize and harvesting solar salt. To this day you can see salt being produced. The white pyramids of salt were incredible to see. Off to the side of the roads were Flamingoes.
At the southern tip of Bonaire we stopped and looked at Willemstower lighthouse, the first lighthouse built in 1837.
We drove up the east coast. Rough waters pretty much prevents diving or snorkeling from shore. Our next stop was Lac Bay, well known for wind surfing. We stopped at Jibe City to watch the windsurfers. It was a fantastic day for windsurfing. It looks easier than it really is.
Our last stop would be Rincon, which is Bonaire's oldest town. At the top of the hill stands a white cross. The reward at the top is seeing the entire island of Bonaire. The view is breathtaking!
Later that afternoon, I walked around downtown.
Wednesday night, I snorkled. Saw more
Eels, Tarpons, and Barracudas.
Thursday morning, I snorkeled in the mangroves. The turtlegrass hid most of the young fish. We encountered Upsidedown Jellyfish. Not my cup of tea, they are rather odd. It was cool to be in the "nursery" of the ocean. As we prepared to leave, we saw a young Flamingo. I was surprised that they are white when they are young.
Thursday afternoon, I snorkled. This time it was different. The boats in the dock were turned a different direction and the water was real choppy. Great, a wind reversal. It made underwater photography a challenge. I was ready to give up when I came across a congregation of fish around a rock. They were harassing a Spotted Eel. I guarantee that this Eel is probably the most photographed Eel. The fish followed his every move. I decided since algae and other "crap" was coming ashore (due to wind reversal), I wasn't going to snorkel at night.
Friday morning I snorkled offshore by our resort. That afternoon, we took the boat to Klein Bonaire. Klein Bonaire is a small islet off the west coast of Bonaire. What a treat!!! We saw 3 turtles; squid;
sponges; corals; and many different types of fish. I couldn't believe the size, shape, and colors of the sponges. The water was so clear. I was in heaven! That was to be my last snorkel in Bonaire, as the next day, I would head home.
Saturday, early morning our flight took off. Ironic thing about the flight from Bonaire to Houston, I had a 2 hour layover in Houston. One sad note was flying over the oil rig located in the Gulf of Mexico that went down in April. It wasn't a pretty sight.
I enjoyed my vacation in Bonaire. Wish it wasn't so darn short! There's so much to see and do. I'd like to return and take a wind surfing lesson. Diving, snorkeling, windsurfing, horseback riding, and touring the island., You can't get bored!
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Sandy
non-member comment
Fantastic
You certainly put some time into this and it is greatly appreciated to live vicariously through your travels. What a trip! I most certainly enjoyed the photos of fish since we used to have a salt water tank when we lived in Georgia. Thanks for sharing!