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Trip Reports: Sand Dollar February 19-26
Bonaire Talk: Trip Reports: Archives: Archives 2000 to 2005: Archives - 2004-08-02 to 2005-05-08: Sand Dollar February 19-26
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Alan & Joan Zale (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #391) on Saturday, March 5, 2005 - 12:30 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Returning to our two bed room condo at Sand Dollar and Bonaire for our 18th time was really special this year. On the night we arrived we were able to eat dinner on the platform down by the water, the site of the old Green Parrot Restaurant. The dinner and setting was a great way to start the trip.

The new owners of Mango’s are serving lunch and dinner on the platform. On Wednesday night there is the Sand Dollar Manager’s Welcome party followed by a great barbeque. The menu is not elaborate right now but they have great plans for the place. When they finish resurfacing the pool area and the adjacent restaurant they plan on building a more permanent restaurant down on the platform. Personally, we think it’s great now down by the water.

Bonaire Dive and Adventure, the dive operation at Sand Dollar, continues to expand their services. For those who use Nitrox they now have a filling station on the pier. As always just grab a tank and jump in. The gear storage facility is a great place to leave your stuff so you don’t have to carry it back to the room.

Bari Reef, what can we say? We did all our dives right there on this trip. We just wanted to take it easy and not chase around and there is no better place than Bari. On this trip we found that the visibility was down a little from past visits but hey, forty foot vis compared to a cold and snowy New York, we’ll take it. There was a lot of great fish life.

After over 200 dives of Joan watching my back as I took pictures it was my turn to return the favor. For Christmas I gave Joan a Canon WP-DC600 housing for her Power Shot 230 digital Elph camera. She is now hooked on underwater photography. I would like to think she had a good teacher.

Getting to Bonaire was no problem on Air Jamaica. However, our return was less than perfect. The plane to pick us up in Bonaire was late and our eventual flight to JFK left two hours late. Once we landed we were delayed getting off the plane for about forty five minutes as the left wing and engine hit a jetway. We hope once Air Jamaica gets through its restructuring things will return to normal as we really like their flight times.

Having a full kitchen we ate all our breakfasts and most lunches in. Sometimes one of us would order something from Mango’s for lunch, bring it back to our condo and just sit on the porch. Some items we really enjoyed were the hamburger, grilled hot dogs or Caesar salad topped with either chicken or fish. As always we went to Bobby Jan’s Take Away and they have the best ribs and chicken sate on the island, and at the best price! We also went to Capriccio’s one night which is always an excellent meal.

Our Lady of Coromoto in Antriol has an English mass every Saturday night at 6 o’clock. It’s about five minutes from Sand Dollar.

We brought Michael Gaynor at Chat n’ Browse his dozen New York bagel and The New York Times. He has a great gift shop on the property where you can also check your e-mail or rent a cell phone to call. We have found that the cheapest way to call the states.

As always, it was great just be back in Bonaire, particularly in February. We already have out tickets for our summer trip.

As I mentioned Joan is hooked on underwater photography, all photos, except the ones she’s in, are hers:

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Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cynde (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #13224) on Saturday, March 5, 2005 - 5:46 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Alan, Joan, great report...and Joan, I think your a natural! You must have had a good teacher ;-) I agree, Bari is my favorite...I don't know if it's because I lost my "Bonaire virginity" swimming on that reef, or my first dive at 5 there :-) I'm looking forward to diving it again this time, and showing my stepkids the "changing of the guards" ;-)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Martin de Weger (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3880) on Saturday, March 5, 2005 - 5:50 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Boy, Cynde, are you sure you want to get them in the water that early?? Or is that 5 PM???

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cameron Faminow (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #118) on Saturday, March 5, 2005 - 7:49 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Great shots guys
Next time I'm going to try photography (without losing my camera)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cynde (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #13231) on Saturday, March 5, 2005 - 8:18 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Martini...5PM...LOL! There is NO WAY I would get up that early for anything (well, except to get to a dive boat or go skiin)...I'm lucky if I can get in the water by 9AM!

Cam...yes, and remember what that string thingy is for...slipping around your wrist ;-)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Eileen Kimmett (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #7420) on Saturday, March 5, 2005 - 8:31 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thank-you for the report and beautiful photos!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Babs (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #8013) on Sunday, March 6, 2005 - 4:25 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Great report and nice pics, looks like the camera was the perfect gift! :-)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mary Mueller (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3836) on Tuesday, March 8, 2005 - 1:19 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Alan - wonderful report and Joan's pictures are great!!! She is s natural at it. You will need to frame and hang some of hers at your condo along with yours!!!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Alan & Joan Zale (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #393) on Wednesday, March 9, 2005 - 3:40 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Yes, I have offered to share some of my wall space with Joan to hang some of her photos. We are negotiating placement. :-)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Lise Dews (BonaireTalker - Post #84) on Sunday, March 13, 2005 - 8:34 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi Joan and Alan, We came by Sand $ one day but you all were not there! We missed staying in your condo. Belmar was nice, but your condo can't be beat! Your kitchen has everything you need for cooking. I kept looking for items in our Belmar kitchen while saying,"Joan and Alan's condo would have had that!" We also missed your nice screened in poarch....that really helps cut down on those bugs! Glad you all had a nice trip! Lise

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tom Cousino (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1528) on Monday, March 14, 2005 - 6:54 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Nice report Alan. Nice photos Joan, I was/am waiting for more of your pics. Hint, hint:-{)}

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Alan & Joan Zale (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #394) on Tuesday, March 15, 2005 - 8:39 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Sorry to keep you waiting but in reality I did not shoot that much on this trip. Here is one I shot. Alan

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