The knife slid through the calzone, bits of sausage sticking to the blade as the sweet aroma of the pocket-pizza drifted up from the table and ticked my olfactory lobes. My mouth watered and I gently placed the delicacy on my tongue.

I chewed, rolled my eyes, and let out an exaggerated moan. I chewed again.

By the time today’s lunch was finished, the plate had been licked clean -- literally. The calzone was a leftover from our Sunday night visit to Pasa Bon Pizza. I knew it was in the fridge and had been anticipating it through both of our morning dives, barely able to contain the groaning of my stomach.

Now it was gone, and I fear the pleasure it bestowed upon me won’t last until our next trip to the island. Pasa Bon Pizza is closed for the remainder of our trip. So, needless to say, today’s calzone is the last Pasa Bon Pizza experience I will have for quite some time. Admittedly, it was a wonderful calzone and devouring it the way I did was... great. But I doubt it will be able to “hold me" until we return to Bonaire.

As always, there have been some beautiful sunsets this trip. The other night, relaxing and keeping it simple, Les and I grabbed some hot dogs, cheese, and Brights, and went out to watch the sun dip below the horizon. We sat in the loungers, which are strategically placed along the sea wall behind SandDollar, affording a wonderful view to the east.

The sunset was brilliant. No green flash, but the sky lit up with a brilliant orange as the last of the suns rays reflected off the low clouds in the east. The orange glow persisted for several minutes after the sun had disappeared.

As we were sitting in the loungers, anticipating the event, a young, blond boy came by and started for the stairs that go down to the water. He was probably somewhere around eight or nine years old. Before descending the stairs, he looked at me and began talking -- in German! And it was rapid fire.

I sat, listened, and was extremely disappointed that my two years of high school German -- taken during the Carter administration -- didn’t seem to be of any help.

With a huge grin on his face, the lad went on and on. He finally stopped and looked at me. I smiled at him and mustered a “Ya" in as deep and throaty, German voice as I could manage.

He smiled and continued, his smile ever present as he pointed at the sky, then his arm pit, then the ocean. He laughed, which caused Les and me to laugh, us having no earthly idea what the heck he was saying.

I woman’s voice called out, he waved, and he jolted off towards building F. Les and I looked at each other and finished our hot dogs.

And, by the way, it was another terrific sunset...

Smack took us on an interesting dive the other afternoon. We started at Angel City and went directly to the second reef, where we turned north. We followed the second reef until we came across the anchor to the Hilma Hooker, which until that day, I never knew existed. Then we followed the anchor chain to the Hooker, approaching it from the south, which gives a completely different perspective to the wreck.

We explored the Hooker for a few minutes then followed the shallows back to Angel City.

What I found exhilarating about this dive, was that it defies several themes we’re taught about diving and how to approach our dives.

First, we didn’t stay “on the reef," so to say, but actually cruised about thirty feet above it. Being out on the second reef and swimming along thirty feet above the coral, gives the diver a more “big picture" type of view. Along with the second reef, the main reef is in view, as well as the deep blue. It’s like being in a small airplane and flying low over some rugged terrain -- it gives you an idea of how really big the reef is.

Second, since we knew we had some major ground to cover, we didn’t really go slow. We weren’t kicking as hard as we could, but we did dawdle either. I’m sure we missed some detail and some little critters, but the majestic view and sensations we got from this dive were worth it. I will do it again on the next trip. Well worth the time.

Overall visibility has decreased a little this week. It’s still good, especially up close, but the transition from “visible" to “not visible" is much hazier than usual. Temperature is maintaining a constant 83-84 degrees. And there seems to be less current than last week. Most of the dives are basically current-less.

Well, our final two days of diving are upon us. Assuming Delta Flight 664 is on schedule, by Sunday, we’ll be home and I’ll be mowing the yard, and the Air Miser will probably be sorting the laundry. I’m not sure which is worse: unpacking and storing our dive gear, or thinking about Monday morning and returning to “the Grind." Seriously, I figure I’ll have about 2000 e-mails to go through and several small fires that have simmered over the past two weeks.

Tonight we made a list of the dives we want -- or, have -- to do again over the next two days. We do this near the end of every trip and it seems the same dives always get included. The same with food establishments and sights. After 16 trips, the “inclusions” are almost automatic.

Regardless, it’s still a tough list to make.

Dive on Friends.

Dave & Leslie.

Thanks Dave - now I can hardly WAIT until December.

wonderful report
es

great report , you have my mouth watering . D

Wonderful as always, Dave! Enjoy your dives! We are in major PBD mode here...

Like Barbie says, major PBD here in NC. It took me almost 4 months after our last trip three years ago and now you've gone and stirred it back up again. We've enjoyed your "journal". Keep it coming even after you get the yard mowed and the fires put out. Oh yeah fly in to KINT sometime and Karen and I will meet you for a dinner and Bonaire story telling.

Thanks folks.

Claude: be careful what you wish for.....

Dave..I suspect just about everyone of us that visits the island goes through the same initial manic phase on finally stepping off the plane onto the tarmac, and then the return to reality phase when we revisit the airport. Enjoy your last days. For us it'll be another LONG 6 months till we return.

Dave,

Reading one of your earlier posts, great fun by the way, what do you fly ? I have been a flight instructor for the Army and retired last year ... only to teach again for them as a civilian.

I did this same dive you describe with Smack and Tom in Sept. 2008 - I can still see (in my mind) the second reef coming into view as well as that massive chain and steel hull.

Didn't try Pasa Bon Pizza until my last trip this Jan. I enjoyed an entire pineapple and ham pie. It was so good !

Great report. My sympathies your probably sufferiing PBD now.

Dave, as always, I love to read your trip reports. Your description, of the things we sometimes take for granted about Bonaire, always put a smile on this Irish man's face.

We have also did the Angel City/Hilma dive, and it is a great one.

I think the poor kid was trying to ask you for a hot dog, and you just kept drinking Brights and saying "Ya." Way to be an American ambassador buddy. LOL

Thanks for the thoughts. Kathi and I are still in the debating stage about Christmas. My son Tim informed me yesterday that he will be going to Florida to spend Christmas with his girlfriend's family. That just may have sealed the deal on Bonaire.

Link, if you haven't done Bonaire at Christmas, we loved it. Great temps, wind kept the skeeters down, and not real crowded. Only drawbacks we saw was that you had to work around the holiday hours at restaurants and shops.

e.