Good morning gang,
What in the world awoke Grendal that early. Is she insomniac as both of us were this night ? We couldn't fall asleep before 4 AM ! Must have been a combination of jet lag and hot stormy weather.
Well, this is my last day of vacation and my PBD which quietened a bit will probably reach its highest peak tomorrow. I have so much work home to do I lost my courage... It's still so hot and stormy I can enjoy my morning coffee without doing anything but stroll. I wish you a nice day.

Good Morning Martine! It was a hot and muggy day yesterday. I visited some friends yesterday after work. I hope you are feeling better today from PBD. Thank-you for posting the sunrises!

Great pics yesterday! Annie B, I hope you are feeling better from the Allergies, I have them as well, sometimes I can not stop coughing!

Grrr! Husband needs the computer again for work, at this hour! And I had the time to see the sunrises too!!!!!

Have a great day everyone!

Hi Eileen, good morning early bird...
I wish I'll have the time to post the morning colours, I have so much home work to do today :o(
Eileen, ask your hubby to buy you your own puter for your birthday or Xmas... What do you think about this idea ? Have a nice day. Must return to my home work. I'll be back for a break.

Well, a new day is breaking.

good morning Eileen nd Martine, welcome home Martine I just know you had a blast in bonaire!

Seems to be another bright day...

Sorry, I got a loading problem, here they are...

And the first visit of this new day

Sorry, need to return to my home work. Break over :o(

These two more...

Good morning Linda, I bet it is school time...

Good Morning Martine, Eileen and Terri,
Supposed to be a very hot humid day here today so I'm trying to get things done outside early. Here are some fish, but not a very clear pic because of the light.

Hi Carol, Terri, blyme Terri, I didn't see your post between all mines...
Good morning both of you. I think the cam needs to be cleaned and I fear i have to go back urgent to Bonaire... Still very hot and sticky here. Have a nice day.

Martine, I think you should stop by and get me so I can help you care for your luggage. I don't dive, but I will snorkel overhead to keep you company!

That's a great idea Carol, and the reefcam in not so deep so you could help too by holding the feather duster :o)
Need to go out for a while.

Morning everyone.

Is Chubby drunk again?

Morning everyone. What a just popped in for a peep at things and saw this one. Annie B.

Hi Terri. You snuck in there while I was still uploading. LOL

Morning Annie B.

GMTA

Had to go and get an ECG done this morning for my racing heart. Hospital said it's ok, but does show as pounding away like the devil. If it isn't one thing it's another lately. Annie B.

Charlotte

Double or not??

Annie B.

Sorry about having to do a hospital visit today. I'm sending good thoughts your way in hopes that your heart calms down.

Relax and imagine swimming with Chubby and Charlotte.

Nice foamy ones

Terri, Don't laugh, I have a dental appointment tomorrow, so it ain't gonna calm down until after that at least. Wagh!!!

Morning Annie,
just came in for a break from pulling weeds.......all that rain last week and they've gone crazy. Terri, are you all due for another hot day?

Annie B. Please go to the dentist for me too 'cuz I need to go too and don't want to.

Carol, it will be VERY HOT and I will probably doing a four mile hike in the worst part of the day.

Terri,
Why?!?

Carol,

Because the hike trail is close to my office. If I go home first I would never come back to do the hike. The good thing is it's mostly shaded. The hike and bike trail here is Austin is absolutely fabulous, a Lady Bird Johnson project. It's mostly shaded and goes around a lake so there is some breeze. Hundreds of people brave the heat to walk/run/bike it every day.

Hello!

You must love the outdoors, Terri! I prefer outdoor exercise to in , but there comes a time when the treadmill makes more sense. But then I'm older than you I suspect.

How was your chocolate milk dive in Lake Travis? Did the perch nibble on your ears?? Just wait til you get to dive in gin.....heaven! Have you been to Bonaire before?

Good morning to you all!! Martine I have much home work , too, and then work later. Annie, the dentist is a sore subject....good luck with that.

ANd to stay on topic....


The object of our affection....

Hi Margarite,

Really, I exercise a lot ONLY because it's what keeps me somewhat sane.

Thanks for the shot of the web cam. Lake Travis is high right now so it's easier to get in and out of but because of the rain it is especially choclately. My main objection to it is that I am only 5' 3" and don't weigh a lot (not saying how much) and it's all I can do to put on my gear and get over the rocks and into the water.

It's the same for me in Bonaire. I would boat dive ONLY if I had my way.

Hi Annie, glad to hear of you and sorry to read your post. Well, u bet your heart is only beating too fast because of Trev, right ?
You also can go to the dentist for me, I also need to go and hate ! I am a little worried too cause I'll have my twice a year post cancer check with my surgeon next july 2nd and I each time fear he finds something wrong. I would prefer to dive the "Windjammer" 10 times in a row on night dive knowing I am surrounded by sharks...
Take care of you gal. Have a warm hug from me.
Well, I need to iron around 10 Jean Paul's summer shirts and same quantity uniform shirts mine, plus all the stuff used during the vacation, and it is so HOT I bet I'll loose around 4 pounds on that job. Like the dentist, I hate ! Should prefer a hike trail :o)
Shall we have some divers soon ?

Don't you think the reefcam looks like an alien's eye ? Just reminds me the " Return of the Jedi " when C3PO and R2D2 are entering Jaba's cavern.

Wish this is where I was............

Terri. I will make you an appointment. LOL. I shall probably go there kicking and screaming as usual. Annie B.

ok Martine. I will make you an appointment too. Double whammy, I just noticed I got the eye doctor next week too. I am falling apart LOL. Good luck with your cancer check next week. I hope it turns out ok for you.

Margarite. You got sore teeffies too??

whoops, forgot to say "hi Carol". Pardon my manners perleeze. Annie B.

You are so right, Martine! The Reefcam is a strange sight... How was that windjammer dive? Did you use air or trimix? I've heard it is quite deep. Was it dark down there?

Terri, have you ever done any "shore diving" from the resorts on Bonaire? Not quite so hard on your back as the other....just drag your tank to the end of the dock , strap on your gear and jump in . I like to dive from Capt. Don's dock and also Buddies.

Margarite, we have done some really hairy shore diving in Bonaire. I aborted more than one dive because of a treacherous entrance.

Actually we are staying at Capt Don's for the first time so it's good to know I can jump off a dock. That sounds like it's right up my alley. I'll also look into Buddies. I wish someone would invent a 10 pound tank.

WIsh I were there with you Carol!!

Annie, NOt really sore, but in need of a good cleaning, and then they would for sure be sore. YOu know they say that Teeth-Gum Disease and Heart problems are somehow related. Maybe this trip to the dentist will cure it all.....

Dr. Margarite, MD

Annie, did the heart doctor give you any antibiotics to take before you go to the dentist?

Terri, there are definitely a couple of spots that were really rough entrances and exits. I wanted to try though sooo... I use the fall in entrance technique, then you only have to get to about two feet of water and fall forward. And I usually end up falling on the way out; ditch the gear , swallow my pride and drag it to the truck piece by piece. Exhausting. I have sustained some incredible bruises, but no breaks so far. I will be assessing the situation more carefully from now on. I need my knees for other things an a daily basis.

I have found the shore entry at the Hooker to be pretty easy, if you don't mind the swim out. And then there is a pretty dive at this old shack down the road from the Hooker that is pretty easy.

That dive in front of Capt. Don's is one of my favorites. To the right is a really nice wall loaded with eels and sooooo many fish. Just gorgeous. I think you are in for a most memorable vacation!

No Carol. I forgot about tomorrow. The dentist phoned me to remind me after I had come home from the hospital. Why would they give me antibiotics then?? Annie B.

Margarite. I know what you mean there, and I am dreading it.

Thanks Margarite,

I have a rule that I have to be able to handle my own gear but last Bonaire trip Ralph had to carry it over rocky entrances for me sometimes which humiliated me. I'm pretty bruised up already just from Lake Travis.

I'm gonna be pretty bitchy this trip over what I will and will not do. There is plenty that I feel comfortable with to keep us busy for a week.

Didn't do the Hooker last time so I'll be sure to do it this time.

Ladies !!!!

A fair word of warning :

DON'T GET ME STARTED ON DENTISTS AND THEETH CLEANING JOBS!!!!

last mondaymorning was my 3 month appointment for my personal goby ( nice goby , hush)
I even had to call in sick for work.
Not that its all that bad with my gums and teeth, but it would have been if I didn't have my personal torture hour every three months.

Next september they will even have to use sedation( is that the correct word = knock me out, partialy): they have to go in deep ! Well to stay on the subject : I will suggest a 3mm shorty and probably two tanks of trimix.
Here's my solution for a slow hartrate..
focus , just focus!!

Terri, you could do nothing more than dive right there at the house reef at Habitat and it would be a different dive every day. Don't know why, but that is a very special spot. I will always ,always spend at least one day there. I want to dive there at night next time. It is so easy and so spectacular.

Margarite,

Thanks for the advice. I watched the night divers last time at Habitat. Yesterday I bought a dive light so we will be joining them this time.

We did a night dive, my first, at the Sand Dollar and the tarpons scared me to death. I'm ready to do it again, however.

Two guys at the gate.

Those tarpons are a rush , aren't they? I'm just grateful to find a hobby that thrills me as much as diving does. I thought there was nothing left in life to really get me going, but diving does it!!! CD's has that really long line that goes out over the reef so it is easier to find your way back to the dock at night. ALso , if you dive to the right on your way out and on your way back you run into the Muchaca in 25 feet of water, you know that you have overshot your exit. Very easy.

Terri, try what we do up here on rough entrys and what Martine does. Carry your tank and BC into the water, use it like a cane from rock to rock. Once in two feet of water, put it on. Reverse the procedure when getting out. Much much easier and you don't have the tank weight pulling you over backwards, scambling over the coral in the surf is hard enough.

Thanks Margarite for the info. I will think of you when night diving CDs.

Cecil, I will take your advice on using the tank like a cane. That makes sense. If Ralph has to help me get the tank back out of the water so be it. The thing is after a couple of days of diving I get quite a bit stronger and the tank gets easier to handle.

I'm so excited.

Now that sounds like good advice Cecil. Wonder why no one else thought of that. Annie B.

Good morning all! Annie, I see you caught the divers...here's a little more of Chubby (who, by the way, Terri, only drinks the pure salt water of Bon - LOL) And it looks like Charlotte is busy today...

I use the smallest tank I can, too, Terri. But would only work for you if you(like myself) don't use much air. Also , I don't know that anyone could consider it "bitchy" to choose not to dive in a rough place. I would consider it smart diving. We have to know our limitations and our levels of comfort. You know when it "feels right" and when it just doesn't.

New thread time!

Time for a new thread..now that Martine is back on line, the threads are getting long! Lots to chat about! Here's a couple of visitors at the gate from the archives....will start an afternoon thread (after "Bugs") Hope to see you all there soon...