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Trip Reports: April 6 - 16 Trip Report
Bonaire Talk: Trip Reports: Archives: Archives 2000 to 2005: Archives - 2000-07-13 to 2001-05-18: April 6 - 16 Trip Report
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kelly Hirsh on Tuesday, April 17, 2001 - 3:54 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Travel - New Orleans to Curacao via American Airlines with no problems. ALM to Bonaire was running about 1.5 hours late so we caught an earlier plane (can you follow that ??). Arrived Bonaire early by schedule and bags made it too. (NOTE - If you take a flight you are not scheduled to arrive on, make sure ALM changes your arrival on their computers or it will show you did not arrive and will automatically cancel your return reservation. If this happens go to the ALM office downtown, they will usually send a message to the main office re-instating your reservation).

Rental vehicle - used ABCarRental, almost new Toyota Hi-Lux was waiting. Loaded bags and headed for Lagoen Hill.

Food/shopping - Brother had left enough food to get us through to next day. Found a new bag of Equadorian coffee, I was WIDE AWAKE next AM. We shopped everywhere in an attempt to support island economy.

Diving - Dove with Bon Bini Diver, signed up for the AM boat and unlimited shore diving. I love the drive-thru fill station. Staff rates with the best anywhere. For beach diving hard soled boots are a MUST !!!. Stoned bruised my left sole on day 2 and complained remainder of vacation. Primary computer died, I am anal and had sufficient backup to cover that and a broken mask. Yes I dove the windjammer, I was escorted by Walt Stark of RecTek Scuba N.V. As I have said before don't do this dive unless you know how you will react over 150 ft. We both had 2 aluminum 80's, limited bottom time following by a fair amount of time hanging around a beautiful reef. Rest of the dives were spread all over the island, it was like visiting old friends. Oh yes we included a nite dive on the reefcam (grin).

Crime - took our cameras diving with us, left the truck unlocked, cooler in the back, towels on the seat, sunglasses on the rearview and beach shoes under the truck. I have nothing to report except with Easter some of the sites were crowded.

Dining - We ate at the house, we mooched off friends, we met up with Jake, Linda, Dara, Michelle and Mr. Moose, Caren Eckrich (Sea and Discover) and her Fiance' (sorry,lost his name after a couple of Amstel) went to the Old Inn across from the Plaza. This is a must everytime I get to Bonaire, great food, great service, great company, it was okay (grin).

Diving conditions - water temps are rising, a 3 mil suit is bearable, my dive buddy also wore a 2 mil vest with hood but she's a girl (grin & duck). Vis was good to great, problem was the little critters in the water, you could tell it was spring, they were everywhere. Met up with some warty jellyfish (great picture Jack !!), they are stingers, but not too bad. Was diving off Capt'n Don's and the current shifted, thank you Scubapro for Twin Jets.

Negatives... I had to leave (sigh).

Leaving - ALM put on an MD-82 for the Bonaire to Curacao jump to make sure everybody got off the island. When you shift from ALM to American in Curacao you have to exit the transit terminal explain to Immigrations what you are up to, pick up your bags, exit through Customs (again explaining) move everything the length of the terminal, check-in at American, and then go back into the transit area after passing through Security. If you have not done it before it can be a tad confusing and time consuming. Allow not less than 2 hours between arrival and departure.

Back into the good ole US of A. From the looks of Immigration and Customs I think everybody was traveling Monday. Got my bags, told Customs I had nuttin to declare with a straight face and then into the main terminal to find the road to New Orleans.

Made it home with nary a glitch. This was as perfect a round-trip to Bonaire as I have had. I wanna go back !!!!!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Alan & Joan Zale on Tuesday, April 17, 2001 - 5:35 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Very nice trip report. We can relate to the Curacao to Miami connection. It's always an adventure, we too have been very lucky with it, once American held the flight for us because it was so tight, handed the pilot a Dutch Chocolate bar to thank him for waiting!!!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By mary pequinot on Tuesday, April 17, 2001 - 5:40 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

This is good stuff. We're leaving Sunday, April 22, and diving with Bon Bini (I'm doing my open water certification dives with them). Tell me more about the jellyfish and "little critters", if you would.

We're using ALM as well, hoping for a smooth transition. We used them in 98, no problems---but I get nervous when I read the reports.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By mary pequinot on Tuesday, April 17, 2001 - 5:41 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

When I say I get nervous, let me make it very clear it's only when we go down. If we get delayed a day...a week...a lifetime.... :)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cheryl Ferguson on Tuesday, April 17, 2001 - 5:42 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Interesting trip report Kelly. What are warty jellyfish - was a photo posted? If so... where?? Do they 'visit' every year at this time?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kelly Hirsh on Tuesday, April 17, 2001 - 5:55 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Mary/Cheryl - The warty jellyfish (I believe a cousin to the sea wasp) has a dome head 1-3 inches that leads down to a flowery (or warty)skirt. They are marked with a bright purple square on the crown and approx. 8 tenacles. As to visiting, jellyfish are always presents however I have been told they are more prevailent during certains phases of the moon. I can no longer locate the picture which is a shame cause it was a great shot. The rest of the little critters I was referring to are krill and other larvae that are so abundant in Bonaire waters they cut down on the visibilty.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jack Chalk on Tuesday, April 17, 2001 - 6:18 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hey Kelly, did you get my message about the night dive on the reefcam tonight? Jason, Walt, myself and a bunch of others will be leaving the dock at 7:00pm and should be at the cam around 7:20 or 7:30pm Eastern Time.

Mary/Cheryl - the pic Kelly is referring to is under the Bonaire Web Cams main topic on the newsgroup and under the thread named "I Can Finally Do It".

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cheryl Ferguson on Tuesday, April 17, 2001 - 7:25 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

What an awesome looking jellyfish - I don't think I want to encounter one though! Thanks for the great photo Jack!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kelly Hirsh on Tuesday, April 17, 2001 - 10:51 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Jack, caught your message and the show. Really wish we could have joined you.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Gail Currie on Thursday, April 19, 2001 - 5:12 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Great report - hey Mary don't use up all the ocean before we get down there smiley Looking forward to meeting you at the BBQ on the 29th.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By mary pequinot on Thursday, April 19, 2001 - 5:28 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I can't promise anything-I'm doing my checkout dives for certification! Looking forward as well-it should be a blast!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Fiona Rattray on Thursday, April 19, 2001 - 5:58 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Great report Kelly! Where is RecTek Scuba NV? Are they on the web coz I can't find them listed

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Lorraine Meadows on Thursday, April 19, 2001 - 6:25 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Happy to hear you has a great time! Loved your report,Kelly !!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Hazel Scharosch on Thursday, April 19, 2001 - 6:58 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Ditto for me, Kelly! We enjoyed seeing you on the cams as well. Glad you had such a great time!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kelly Hirsh on Thursday, April 19, 2001 - 8:10 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thank you all very kindly. I am sitting here with a sinus infection wishing I was planning another nite dive and knowing my next dive will be the Gulf of Mexico (sigh). Oh well, there are some good dives and really great people over in Panama City Beach too.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Virginia L. Stokes on Thursday, April 19, 2001 - 10:57 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thanks for the trip report, Kelly! And please, no whining about diving in your own "backyard" (grinning) - many of the rest of us on the board will gang up on you since we have no choice but to get on an airplane, luggage filled with dive gear and not much else, to get back in the salt water.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kelly Hirsh on Thursday, April 19, 2001 - 11:14 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hey !!! I am a guy, I am supposed to whine.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Niki Harris on Friday, April 20, 2001 - 1:50 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Kelly, (chiming in here) thanks for the report and the entertainment. Seems you could hardly have had a better time, and in good company! Sorry you had to go back to regular life... Still counting down the weeks myself...

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kelly Hirsh on Friday, April 20, 2001 - 8:28 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi Niki, hang in there, I left plenty of diving and sunshine for y'all.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Linda Epstein on Friday, April 20, 2001 - 1:53 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Sorry Kelly, some of us don't have enough insulation and need that 2mil hooded vest! At least it kept whatever was biting me from biting my ears! Not to worry, the "sting" only lasts a few minutes. Could somebody PUH-LEEZE send the poor guy some antibiotics before he gets me sick!!!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Michelle Ryan on Saturday, April 21, 2001 - 7:23 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hey, Kelly! Great to meet you and Linda! Just got in, checking email and the like.

Michelle

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kelly Hirsh on Sunday, April 22, 2001 - 9:07 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi Michelle, same here for us. Hope you guyz had as much fun as we did.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jake Richter - NetTech on Monday, April 23, 2001 - 9:30 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

And we enjoyed meeting your Linda and you as well, Kelly! Looking forward to your next visit to our little slice of paradise :-)

Jake

 


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