Geoff and Gretchen’s Big Bonaire Adventure
As the anticipation mounted and the plans for the trip materialize, we agreed our times at Sand Dollar were always enjoyable and so, decided on them again for this trip. We like the convenience of the pool, Eddies, Bonaire Dive Adventures, the Sunset Restaurant, Chat –n- Browse and of course Lover’s Ice Cream. Eli’s Deli is a really nice addition to the area.
To get there we booked our flights on Delta; Milwaukee to Atlanta to Bonaire. We had a hotel reservation in Atlanta for Friday night. The plan was to fly in early, and have a nice relaxing evening, then make the 9:40 flight to Bonaire. Well, getting there is half the fun right? Maybe not, but it is part of the adventure.
Leaving Milwaukee our flight was delayed by an hour. No big deal, we were staying the night in Atlanta anyway. Well, after an hour wait we start loading into the plane. I’m with George Carlin; I want in the plane, let Evil Kenevil get on the plane.
Once boarded, the Captain notified everyone that the ATC System used to file flight plans was down. He would have to file the flight plan manually. This would delay our departure by another 30 minutes, which we found is ‘airline speak' for an hour.
Anyway, after much ado and a couple hour delay, we made Atlanta, found our hotel, got some sleep and made our morning flight for Bonaire.
The flight to Bonaire from Atlanta was great; in other words, un-eventful and on time.
One of my favorite moments in the trip is stepping through the door of the airplane and feeling the hot Bonaire air hit you in the face as you take in a deep breath, it’s like a welcome home hug every time. Immediately, I felt the tension leave my body, and a calm and peace wash over me. And I think to myself I am now on Bonaire time... Which is quickly reinforced as we go through immigration and retrieve our luggage. Every trip I know there is a Far Side cartoon occurring on the other side of the wall at baggage claim, I just can’t prove it.
We made our way to Sand Dollar, got quickly checked in, dropped our bags, and made our way to the Sunset for a burger and a Bright. WOO HOO we were there. OMG we were there. After our early dinner, we made a run to the grocery store for some basics, some healthy type food for Gretchen and a case of Brights for me. We took an introductory drive around the island, and finished the night with a late swim and Brights by the water.
Sunday started with our usual breakfast. Me Strawberry Pop Tarts, the remainder of the Lover’s Ice Cream and a Coke Light. Gretchen ate some nuts and berries, a few twigs and a leaf I think. There’s a reason she weights 105 lbs and I weigh 260, I just haven’t figured it out yet.
Orientation went quickly; Andre was on Holiday. We grab some weights and did our check out dive on Bari. Gretchen rented a different, better fitting BCD for this trip and her buoyancy was amazing. It was a night and day difference from our last trip. I rented some split fins, and a shorty. I am SOLD on the shorty. Easy on easy off - fantastic. I will own one before the next trip. The split fins, I am still undecided. They are nice, and I can really move, but there is still something about my old paddle fins I like for control.
After Bari, we grab some lunch, and headed out to dive.
Where we dove:
7/18
-Bari Reef – Checkout Dive
-Windsock
-Bari Reef
7/19
-Tori’s Reef
-Unnamed Site, it’s just north of Hato before the big right turn.
-Something Special
7/20
-Ol' Blue
-Bachelor’s Beach
-Bari Reef
7/21
-Karpata
-The Lake
-Red Slave
7/22
-Pink Beach
-Oil Slick
-Weber’s Joy
7/23
-Angle City
-Something Special
-Weber’s Joy
-Bari Reef
What we saw
Spotted Eagle Ray
Turtles, Turtles, and more Turtles
Green Moray
Both Golden Tail and Spotted Morays
Juvenile Trunk Fish (the little marble)
Juvenile Spotted Drum Fish
Sea Biscuit (Sand Dollar)
Puffer Fish
A Crinoid
Porcupine Fish
Barracuda
Tarpon
The occasional Parrot Fish
The usual cast of characters
Several Coral Killers
- If you are going to take pictures, get your buoyancy right.
- No: You are not that good a diver.
- Yes: Don’t touch means photographers too.
- I missed a lot of great pictures because I was not comfortable taking the shot. The surrounding coral is more important then another picture of an arrow crab or banded shrimp.)
What we didn’t see:
No Sea Horses – If the lion fish really eat Sea Horses, problem solved. We’ll starve them out.
No Frog Fish
No Whale Sharks
No Dolphins
No Lion Fish – Saw a bunch of markers, but no fish.
- Please, pick up dead coral or a rock to anchor your markers; we saw several markers tied to live coral. Really people.
Where we ate:
- Sunset Restaurant (We bought a lunch package for the week for $50 each. It was nice, but it was always an hour and a half for lunch. Not sure we’d do it again. Maybe)
- Eddy’s
- Buenos Aries
- el Mundo
- Karels
- Eli’s Deli
- Mona Lisa (not as impressed as some)
- City Cafe
- Lover’s Ice Cream
Other memorable moments from the trip
Gretchen’s regulator started leaking at Karpata, as we were setting up the gear, so we didn’t dive. We headed back to the dive shop to have some one take a look. They tighten it up and tested it; all seemed good so off we went again. We dove Bachelor’s Beach and had a great dive. After the dive we set up our gear up for a third dive of the day. Gretchen’s regulator started leaking again, so back to the dive shop we went. We decided to rent a regulator so we could continue diving for the day. The first thing the next morning we were off to the see Karen at Carib Inn and have the reg looked at. The ‘O’ ring was half gone. I don’t know how Gretchen was able to make the one dive on it she did. Anyway, Karen fixed us up, and we were off and running again.
I gave myself a little refresher at Oil Slick. We geared up and walked to the ledge. I helped Gretchen do a giant stride. Ok, air’s on, air in your BCD, here’s your primary, mask, fins, ready? Go. I was going down the ladder because I had the camera. Air on - good. Got my mask – ok, got my fin – ok, got the camera – ok, great, down the ladder I go. So I get to the bottom of the ladder, my hands are full of crap, the waves are knocking me around. I think to my self, just push away from the ladder to put your gear on, it’ll be easier. And it would have, if I had air in my BCD, or at least the regulator in my mouth. Imagine my surprise as I pushed away from the ladder and down I went. I remember thinking, you doo-fis. I hit the inflator and popped to the surface, about the time I got my mask on I hear this sweet little voice behind me saying, “Are you ok hun?” I’m not sure but I think she was laughing through her snorkel. I looked at her, smiled and said, yep, just rinsing my mask the hard way. Note to self - Air in the BCD before going into the water. Don't get too comfortable...
I rented a SeaLife D1200 camera and strobe. It’s a very nice camera, but has lousy battery life. The battery would die after two dives, so we had to plan our day so the camera could be dropped off after the second dive. Got some nice pictures, but inconvenient.
On our last dive day we dove Something Special. We found it to have a lot of current. I mean a lot of current. We could barely swim into it. We aborted the dive, because I didn’t want to have to walk back for the truck from sand Dollar. So I did do some things right.
Unfortunately, that final day came. We packed – I cried. We checked out of Sand Dollar – I cried. We grabbed a sandwich at Eli’s – I cried. We went to Windsock and had lunch – I cried. The KLM flight came in while we were at Windsock, very cool – I didn’t cry. We had to leave for the airport – I really cried. Gretchen said we could come back again. I was so happy – I cried.
The flight back - SUCKED. We got on the plane in Bonaire and ended up back in Milwaukee - Blaaa.
All-in-all we had a great time. Saw some old friends, made some new ones, eat to much, drank some, dove a lot, it was AWESOME.
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By Geoff Goodwin (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #137) on Thursday, August 5, 2010 - 12:42 am: 
Never get too comfortable. Thanks for the smile!