Bonaire, 1999
Author: Verna Gross

Posted by Verna on August 15, 1999 at 21:06:45:

Hi all, ALM held up to it's reputation and lost my dive gear (found it on day 3). After a flight day from hell, Denver-Chicago-Miami-Bonaire I wasn't surprised when 1 bag was missing! We arrived at Buddy's after midnight but as usual everyone there was terrific! They loaned me gear, I had my regulators and computor, and we began by diving their reef the first dive. It is always a pleasant dive with much to see. The water was a consistant 80-83 degrees F the entire week. Vis was usually 70-80 feet. Here is a dive by dive recap of our week. Dive #1-Buddy's reef saw plenty of fish life, Dive #2 Boat dive to Carls Hill, as usual Murphin found me a large seahorse! Plenty of small life to gaze upon. Day 2, Dive # 3- Buddy's Reef again (still had loaner gear and no booties), Dive #4- Boat dive to Lenoras Leap saw a free swimming sea horse on my own, Dive #5, One way boat dive from Buddy's drifted back and had a great long dive, Day 3 Got my dive gear!!! headed for the Park. It had just rained hard so the long route was closed so we did the short route. Dive #6 Funchi nice dive but nothing real special, Dive #7 Boca Slagbaai, very nice dive site. Plenty to see and the current was very mild. Alot of swimmers and snorkelers in the shallows. Dive #8 headed to the Hilma Hooker and the vis. was 60 feet. It is always an interesting dive. Saw many Flamingo Tongues on the way back to shore. Dive # 9 Night dive at Buddy's. Large lobster, eels, and other night feeders. Went to the bar and then to bed very tired! Day 4 Dive # 10 Headed North to Nukove. What a great dive site. Had it video taped and it was great. Schools of fish everwhere, large morays, cow fish, spotted drums, groupers, barracudas, flamingo tongues and brittle stars of every kind. Dive #11 Headed South to "The Lake" saw a small stingray sleeping in the sand, garden eels ans many small fish. Dive #12 Pink Beach with a ripping current. Saw a large (huge) freeswimming green moray, sharp tailed spotted eel and 2 tarpons hanging with us. Day 5 Dive #13 Boat dive with Buddy's to Marte's Divi saw many things, Lizzard fish everywhere and 2 very large scorpian fish. Fun dive. Dive #14 headed to 1000 steps by car. Now I have done that dive the "hard way" and it was good. "Been There Dived That". Dive #15 Went back to Nukove and glad we did. I was just swimming along minding my own business when I caught movement at chest level, shifted my eyes down only to be greeted mask to face by a HUGE green moray! I had an excuse to pee in my wetsuit! He scared the piss out of me! He passed over my right shoulder, down my back and under my buddy behind me. What fun. Day 6 Dive # 16 Driving South and spotted dolphins around White slave so we drove to Margate Bay and tried to get geared up fast enough. Got in the water just after they passed, could hear them, they were moving and I saw a "bait ball" of bait fish now I know what the dolphins were feeding on. Nice dive. Probably would have peed my wet suit again had I been in the water with a pod of fast moving dolphins bearing down on me! Dive # 17 Pink Beach again and it was beautiful with morays, arrow crabs, green "kiwi" coral and I saw a Chain Moray. This is a black moray with gold "chain" rings. Very nice. Dive # 18 last dive really had to push the time to fly limits! Did a long dive at Buddy's and watched cleaning day for the eels. Got very close to 1 large eel being cleaned as 2 more looked on and waited their turn. Saw 2 reef squids and another sharp tailed eel and the tinest porcupine puffer I have ever seen! Managed the 18 hours to fly rule. ALM actually left on time! Got to Miami and had to stay in the air for an extra hour due to rain. That delayed our flight to Chicage but we were still able to make all our connections because of delays everywhere. Bought a poster of Bonaire and all the dive sites and carried it everywhere because it wouldn't fir in my bags and when I got home today It is nowhere to be found! I guess I left it on the airport shuttle in Denver but they can't find it. Anyone going to Bonaire? If so pick me up one (I got mine at Buddy's shop downtown) and I will mail you a check if you will send it to me. I don't plan on going back for another 2 years. Had a great relaxing week and Buddy's has done some great remodeling and the place is great but most important the people are the greatest!

Last edited on June 29, 2002