Darook is doing Bonaire, semi live action!

[darook]

My 5th trip to Bonaire began EARLY today. This is my first trip with only my lovely bride. Usually, we are here with friends or daughters which is great of course but this is nice. My wife is a good diver and great dive buddy, we have been around the world diving together and know what each other is thinking with just a glance. Also, she is a lot smaller than me so I don't have an air hog limiting my dive time and by the time I am low she is ready to go topside.

Travel logistics: MSP-ATL on Delta, on time and zero complaints. ATL-BON on Delta, while taxiing to the runway the pilots pulled out us out of the queue do to a balky igniter in the starboard engine. We went back to the gate and the plane was promptly repaired. Hour delay to be on a plane with both engines working on a long over water route. We landed at BON 35 minutes late. No big deal for us though, those waiting in the terminal to go back with tight connections were probably a little tense.

Upon landing we went through the much more efficient, no customs card customs, at Flamingo Intergalactic airport. If we waited 5 minutes I would be surprised. Our bags appeared shortly after getting some sweet new stamps in our passports. We ventured out front and our ride arranged by Bamboo Bali was there. His name is Stanley and I think he does most if not all their transfers. I was afraid we had him waiting but he had forgotten and Sebastian from BB reminded him to be there and he just beat us to the front of the airport. Our plane landed at about 3:25, we disembarked at about 3:40 and we were met by Sebastian at BB at the front gate at 4. We had our bags in the room by 4:02, got the tour and paperwork done by 4:15. We swung by Wannadive to start the check in process and will complete that in the morning. They were really getting ready to close up. As tired as we were anything they told me would not have been retained anyway.

After getting our paperwork we were off to get groceries. The island is particularly festive tonight as apparently this is the night they celebrate Santa's birthday. It is a Dutch thing I guess.

Tomorrow, if I can get the remainders of the snot out of my head we will begin diving. The plan is to do the weight check at Eden Beach, then, go somewhere else. That is far as we have thought it out and likely as far as we will all week.

TTYL

 

[Reidkon]

Glad you arrived safely! Keep the updates coming please.

 

[darook]

Skin to win!

we thought we would try using more exposure protection this trip. After a gong show getting enough weight to submerge her my wife felt very uncomfortable at depth. We went to much lighter protection and now she is happy. If Momma ain't happy, nobody's happy. Now that we have that out of the way we can get on to some "serious" diving. Skins and light weights until we actually get cold.

Today we did the orientation at Wannadive at Eden Beach. I really like the Wannadive vibe as it is much more laid back than Buddy. still professional though. There is 24/7 availability of air and Nitrox at this location. They advertise the Windsock location but that is really for folks staying near there as there are nowhere near as many tanks. The checkout dive is on Eden Beaches site. It is a great place for a weight check as there is not much to hit if you sink like a hammer. The current was pretty strong there as it is the tightest bottle neck to Klein. Once you get to where the reef starts you are really on Bari Reef. I believe and it is quite nice. The Wannadive trip from BB is about 2 minutes so no biggie. The schlep from the Wannadive shop is about 50M and they have wheelbarrows to simplify things.

After that was off to Andrea 1 for a slightly dive but no turtles, that is usually a good site for them. We did an additional weight check at Oil Slick but you really couldn't call it a dive. The ladder is fine BTW.

Lunch was a sandwich at our cottage and dinner was burgers grilled here as well. Grilling burgers and enjoying Amstel Bright is an amazing combination.

Time for a siesta and then build up the cameras. Planning to head to the south end first thing. Winds are light and I am thinking Red Slave for breakfast.

 

[drrich2]

They advertise the Windsock location but that is really for folks staying near there as there are nowhere near as many tanks.

Windsock Resort (which is different from the Windsock dive site), which you referred to, does have a metal ladder shore entry to a pretty good shore dive, which I've done twice.

The current right off Eden Beach is intermittent, and as you pointed out can be fairly strong. We were taught to look at the moored boats. If they are perpendicular to shore, it's fine to dive. If they are parallel to shore, it's because the current is turning them that way, and you may want to stay out of the water.

Immediately north of Eden's Rubble is Front Porch, a decent dive site. Bari Reef is farther north.

I stayed at Eden Beach Resort my 1st 4 Bonaire trips, but that was under prior management, and they've made some changes to the grounds. As easier property to get around than Buddy Dive; Eden is laid out like a strip mall, and Buddy's, well, the buildings sort of inadvertently form a bit of a maze. I like the house reef at Buddy a good bit better.

Have a great trip!

Richard.

 

[darook]

Wonderful day today. We started at Nug's Lair which I think has one of the easiest entries on the island. It is not on the map but is just south of Margate Bay. Tons of elk horn coral on the terrace. One turtle who was an old guy up there too. There are some really nice sea fans here as well. Had my DSLR setup for WA this morning. I will be checking out the pictures after a nap.

Our surface interval included a zip back to town for a soda. I love the reaction of the cashiers when you hand the dripping wet money.

Dive number two was the Salt Pier. Even though there is ver little wind there was quite a bit of wave action so it was churned up and not epic visibility. Still though a very cool dive. It would really be a great third dive as there is no need to exceed 45 feet. Saw a few barracudas and lots of schooling fish. Shot WA this time but I think it warrants some macro shooting too.

SI 2 included picking up lunch at the islands most famous restaurant, KFC. 3 piece Original with fries and cole slaw for me if you're wondering. We ate back at Bamboo Bali as we changed our cameras for dive 3. Essentially, the house reef for BB is Cliff even though you access it through a different property. We really enjoyed it from this perspective. I have gotten to it in the past from Buddy but this was nice affording plenty of time and air to cross back and forth at progressively shallower depths. I think I may hit it again first thing in the morning for some WA shots. After that I will switch it over to macro. I used a GoPro on a stick on this dive and will check that footage out also after the afore mentioned nap. After the nap I will also continue to hone my Grilling and Amstel Bright consuming. Practice makes perfect!

Now, about that nap...

 

[wwguy]

Keep your eyes peeled in the shallows at The Cliff. Last week this pair of amorous seahorses was spotted there.

We arrive Saturday and will be staying at Beachcomber Villas right in front of The Cliff for 3 weeks. I try to dive this site at least once every other day because there are so many great things to see here! It's easy to spend 90 minutes here just slowly diving back and forth between the communications cable at Dive Friend's Hamlet shop and the rope that extends fro Habitat's dock near La Machaca. We've encountered several seahorses, frogfish, octopi, and turtles. And be sure to keep an eye towards the blue for dolphins. I haven't encountered them while diving here but have seen them close to the drop-off many times from shore while at our apartment.

 

[darook]

The Van Den Tweel sells a 4 meat BBQ pack. My Dutch is worse than my English but it looks like two types of pork, ribs and chops, a curry seasoned chicken breast and some form of beef. I grilled up the ribs and chicken tonight by the light of a Sola 500 and they were terrific. We also made some Vigo brand Cuban black beans and rice along with salad. The rice dish was purchased at the Zhung Kong which was celebrating several weeks since their last robbery!

---------- Post added December 8th, 2014 at 03:11 PM ----------

Today we started with a very nice dive on Cliff as we thought we would have the wall to ourselves. We were right! Nothing real notable from a critter perspective other than a couple of lionfish. Dive two was Alice in Wonderland as there was a ship at the Salt Pier. Nice dive. One big lionfish and a big porcupine fish. Pleasant dive and very easy entry. Dive 3 was 1000 Steps. As always, a great relaxing dive with two turtles. In the shallows south of the south beach entrance is a HUGE forest of elkhorn. Nice to see it growing really well. I have seen more this trip than previous trips. The only bleaching I have really seen was on one brain coral at 1000 Steps. It was surrounded by healthy coral so I am guessing that colony had a specific issue.

Water temp consistently showing 84 on my computer which I think reads a degree warm. I think it is 83 and is magnificent. I have not missed any neoprene.

Regarding fills at Wannadive, they are consistently 3000 to 3200 psi. I had one tank that was 2800 the rest were 3K or above. Nitrox analyzes 32-33%. They have a combined pressure/analyzer set up with a second stage to purge it. Really nice set up that they just installed.

---------- Post added December 8th, 2014 at 06:48 PM ----------

For dinner I grilled up the remainder of the BBQ special from Van Den Tweel. Pork chops and some kind of minute steak deal. They were nicely marinated and tasty but the beef was too tough for my wife. Suffice it to say it is leftover pork for her tomorrow and beef for me. The side was red beans and rice safely procured from the Zhung Kong next door. Non-conventional buoyancy adjustments are likely to continue tomorrow. Planning on Karpata first tomorrow then I would like to keep heading north Tailor Made or Candy Land.

 

[diveallthetime]

Keep your eyes peeled in the shallows at The Cliff. Last week this pair of amorous seahorses was spotted there.

We arrive Saturday and will be staying at Beachcomber Villas right in front of The Cliff for 3 weeks. I try to dive this site at least once every other day because there are so many great things to see here! It's easy to spend 90 minutes here just slowly diving back and forth between the communications cable at Dive Friend's Hamlet shop and the rope that extends fro Habitat's dock near La Machaca. We've encountered several seahorses, frogfish, octopi, and turtles. And be sure to keep an eye towards the blue for dolphins. I haven't encountered them while diving here but have seen them close to the drop-off many times from shore while at our apartment.

got a shot of one of them at the cliff yesterday. Go out along the communications cable for a bit. Then hang a right at about 38 feet swim along for about 5 minutes at a slow pace you will come upon a large metal elbow. Stop there and then go up to 35 feet at about a 1 o'clock heading and you. Will see the large one that is in the attached photo. the 2nd one is at 11 o'clock on some dead coral. Ask at the dive friends shop they will tell you as well. Have had some awesome dives so far. Have fun.

 

[diveallthetime]

Keep your eyes peeled in the shallows at The Cliff. Last week this pair of amorous seahorses was spotted there.

We arrive Saturday and will be staying at Beachcomber Villas right in front of The Cliff for 3 weeks. I try to dive this site at least once every other day because there are so many great things to see here! It's easy to spend 90 minutes here just slowly diving back and forth between the communications cable at Dive Friend's Hamlet shop and the rope that extends fro Habitat's dock near La Machaca. We've encountered several seahorses, frogfish, octopi, and turtles. And be sure to keep an eye towards the blue for dolphins. I haven't encountered them while diving here but have seen them close to the drop-off many times from shore while at our apartment.

We did Cliff late yesterday and found this fella. Follow the communications cable done to about 38 feet hang a right and kick for about 5 minutes. You will come upon a large metal elbow. Face that and than at about 1 o'clock and you will see the one in the picture at 35 feet. The other one is there as well at about 11 o'clock from the elbow. Had some awesome dives so far. Did East Side diving for the first time in 8 trips here and it is well worth it, bonus it was calm that day. White hole was a great dive with well over 100 tarpon hanging out and then when we moved on at least 35 turtles just launching like fireworks. Have never seen so many in one area. Have fun. We are here from last Friday to this Sunday.

 

[TN Traveler]

Bonaire finding

This was the best thing we saw so far this week.