Omar the terrible - Bonaire update

[DiveMaven]

I just received e-mail from Michael, who is taking care of Fish Eye Photo while Tim is on holiday (good time to be gone, eh?). Here is a quote from his e-mail to me:

"A little update on our current situation--to the north of Fish-Eye Photo and Bonaire Dive and Adventure, Captain Don's pier and Buddy Dive pier have sustained substantial wave damage. Their water front restaurants are closed. BDA's pier is currently holding together after just finishing a lengthily structural overhaul last week. The new Sunset Restaurant at Den Laman is currently the only water front restaurant open at this time. Further south towards Kralendijk all piers have lost all the wood planking with the structures at Carls Piers and Divi Flamingo experiencing the most damage. Divi Flamingo has also lost one dive boat as it was washed ashore in front of the resort. Part of their complex was evacuated yesterday as well as those homes along the waterfront south of Belnem and Punt Vierkant. Word is the cargo pier may have some structural damage. Reef damage is obviously unknown at the time as all diving has been cancelled."

Fingers are crossed that the worst is past and the rest passes quickly.

 

[katpower]

Just to let you know the dock at Den Laman & Sand Dollar is NOT damaged!

 

[deeper thoughts]

I wish you all well

 

[dvrliz1]

Hi all, correct on the Den Laman and Sand Dollar dock, it is fine, we were told by a third party and I was to confirm this, but got busy with preparing from the storm. I apologize for any confusion.

Liz

 

[Rhone Man]

The eye is supposed to pass over the BVI tonight between midnight and 4am. If I get a good pic (should be spectacular - eye wall, full moon, water smooth as glass) I'll post it here.

 

[ClayJar]

There's an ugly, grainy video at CNN's "iReport" site showing the waves (or at least, I think those blobs were waves) splashing up, I believe in the area between the two big docks downtown. It's not exactly IMAX or anything, but the waves certainly look a bit bigger than they were in August.

 

[ragtopjen]

Any speculation on how long it might take for visibility to come back on the reef? Once the storm finally blows through that is.

 

[dvrliz1]

Hi Clay,

I just looked at the video. It looks like it is taken north of town. I was there yesterday (in town) and saw the tug, it was located right by the dock of right out front of "Its Raining Fishes" Restaurant, and the camera looked south when it was viewing the tug.

Liz

 

[carmelita lainé]

Hi all on Bonaire I came on tonight because I wanted to say that it is one year today that I left Bonaire and how much I look forwards to coming back ect but I think that tonight the best thing that I can do is to pray for you all and hope that you will all be safe, all that is dameged can allways be repaired as long as you are all well. I will come back tomorow to see how you are. carmelita

 

[Boat Chick]

Here is a long vid, but very good that shows quite a bit of footage.

I have two good friends who live on Bon, and both of them are pretty much in shock at the damage and strength Omar has put upon them. One has been on the island for 16 years, and she said it's just amazing.

In regard to the vis, who knows. I'm sure reports will be coming in, and hopefully the coral at depth has been spared.

Baby turtles have been washing up on the roads, and friends are taking them to the East Side and getting them back in the water. Also, a lot of dead fish have been washing up on the roads :-(

YouTube - Tropical storm omar @ bonaire BoTV notiflash