Hi Gang, good morning.
We, at last, are back !
We just arrived yesterday night with 12 hours delay. We were supposed to leave at 2 PM, but the plane had a technical problem so after having waited for hours at the Flamingo airport without any information, they finally decided to cancel the flight and report half the passengers on a diverted flight from Curacao wich left at 8 PM and the other on the 2 AM regular flight. We were reported on that flight and arrived completely wrecked in Paris yesterday late in the evening. Fortunately we had the great surprise to find our bagage upon arrival as they didn't travelled on the same flight than us. We truly were doomed on this trip as our bagage were lost when we came to Bonaire and we remained two days and a half " bare as worms". Thanks to Jake and Linda who kindly offered a nice Bonaire cam T-shirt... We couldn't even rent a dive equipment cause we both use special masks fit for our sight, so it was no use...
What happened between our arrival and departure was absolutely fabulous. We met Jake, Linda, Cecil, Sue, Niki, Bob, Martin and Angela who definitely turned friends. We everyday had wonderful dives alltogether, including two dives at Small Wall ( well, you know that ), and I definitely am the "step cam cleaner" when I retire. We also dove the Windjammer, a 160 feet wreck on the North, and I have so much to tell I'll better write a report.
It was so nice to meet Grendal, Blikjie, Mandy... and it was a strange feeling to see the webcams from the "inside".
I am not suffering PBD for the moment, but I think it won't be long before feeling the symptoms.
Anyone joning for a coffee ?

I am so glad that you arrived home safe and sound. I am glad that your luggage was thier for you when you got home. I dont drink coffee but I will join you with a cup of tea .

Hi, Morning Christine,
Nice to share a cup of tea with you. I started to unpack :o( Well, now I feel the PBD is starting to ache...

you have post bonaire depression and cynde and I have prebonaire depression. Cynde is getting there on the 3rd and we arrive on the 4th. I am going to the drs before we go and get a physical so that when we go and I decide to do the open water certification that wont stop me. I was reading on the internet from the different places that offer certification that you need to have that physical . Another thing I want to do while we are there is to take a underwater camera course from one of the resorts that offer it. Hubby and I were having a disscussion about carrying on mask fin and snorkel or checking it I want to hubby doesnt but your story reminds me why that is a good idea that a change of clothes and a bathing suit.

Can't believe you and Cynde will be there... Ugh, it's aching for true now !
Having an extra minimum clothes in a carry on bag is one thing we learned on that trip. I don't like carry on bag, but I fear, heading to Bonaire, on any airlines, it is a MUST !
I wish you enjoy learning to dive, welcome to a beautiful, magic world...

thank you. What airline did you fly on ?

We flew Air France from Paris/Amsterdam/Paris and KLM Amsterdam/Bonaire/Amsterdam.
Air France lost our bagage on our way in... they have been sent to Air France cargo after check in instead of being loaded in the plane... Be sure I will claim !

one valuable thing that I did last time and I am doing this time is that I purchased my airline ticket with my american express card and they have this thing that if your luggage does not arrive within in 3 hrs they let you charge 300.00 per person of clothes to replace yours. so you might want to think about getting that card just for traveling. I also learn that I am writing everything down as we pack it and take pictures of it because when we thought our luggage was truly lost we filled out the airlines baggage claim form and when we finally got our luggage we saw thier we a few things that we had forgotten . Well I am going to try and go back to sleep before I have to go to work. When does jean paul go back to work?

Jean Paul returned to work this morning !
Jean paul has the Visa Gold credit card which offers the same guaranty, the only problem was he was traveling to Australia when I bought the tickets...
Well, have a nice sleepy night, you shouldn't be awake so late :o)
Nearly time for lunch here.

Good Morning Martine!!! Welcome back! Sorry to hear about all the mix ups. It was great seeing you on the cams! Congratulations on you 100th dive! (it was the 100 mark right?)

Good Morning Christine!

Hi Eileen, good morning, nice to fing you back :o)
It's a strange feeling to discover our pics on the cams when back. I was not commemorating my 100 dives on the party day, they were both Niki and Cecil, and Jean Paul's 500. I commemorated my 300 in Mauritius this winter...
Well, shall I post the morning colours for you while you are driving to work ?

I new someone dove their 100th! Congratulations to all in reaching milestones! I will thank-you in advance in posting the sunrises, I having been leaving early and missing them. I look forward to reading your trip report! Will you be printing you cam pics?

Count on me to post the sunrise pics !
I'll probably post the cams pics ( there are so many ) but on our diving web site. I don't known if Martin, Niki and cecil already wrote their reports, but they will be quite similar :o)
have a nice day. Oh Gosh, I am both suffering PBD and jet lag !

Well, hubby needs the puter now so I am going to say Goodbye for now. Hopefully he will not be home late so I can catch the sunsets! I hope you will feel better from PBD and the jet lag. I wish you a relaxing day!
Have a great day everyone!

Welcome back Martine!
We knew your luggage had been lost (Jake told us I think), but I didn't know it was for so long! You must have been worried about all your gear being lost forever. I think it is definitely worth taking on at least a change of clothes and snorkel and mask. It sounds like you had a wonderful time in spite of the rocky start. I'll be looking forward to seeing your "album" posted on your website .

Hi morning Carol,
Yes, we truly had a wonderful time between our in and out flights. Martin and Angela wedding, the party at Jake and Linda's, diving with Cecil, Niki, Martin, diving the Windjammer etc...
It seems I am just awaking from a nice dream and the PBD hurts.

Here it is Eileen !

I forgot to say it was so nice to meet Charlotte, Chubby, Satchmo, Bluebeard and other...

The reefcam in very close to the beach and 5m deep and it surprised me as it seems further watching from the computer...
But just give a few kicks more and you jump to 20m deep along the "small wall". We met a big turtle between the cam and the beach the day we dove with Cecil before the party. That's was really great.

First underwater activity...

Hello darling Grendal !

Nice sun beams.

Welcome home Martine! I feel like we have met because there was so many good pictures of you and your newly made BT friends! Isn't it wonderful to have this link to meeting so many great friends with your same love of nature and Bonaire! Glad you had a nice trip and sorry to hear of all your traveling problems. They seem to be a small price to pay for paradise!

Hi Darlene,
You're right ! I think we BT are a great family, that is the feeling I had when meting my new friends.
Well, I must return on earth now after this too short stay in paradise... Need to finish unpack ( diving equipment ) and go to the store and refill the fridge. By the way, I would appreciate a short nap : jet lag or Bonairian habit ?

Waaaa waaaa waaaa !!!!

Hell Martine. Welcome back, from your great adventure. It was great seeing you on the cams, I think we all got quite excited about it. Was sorry to hear about your lost luggage, but I think you made up for it in the end by having such a great time. Glad you eventually arrived home safe and sound. Annie B.

Hi Annie, glad to see you again.
How are you feeling and Emma ?
I recognize Grendal and Blikjie's pal, I met him personnally !
I have been thinking a lot to you, especially when diving at Jake and Linda's. I was so happy and excited to meet Charlotte and co for true, and I was sure you were on the other side of the cam...

Martine, watch out for the donkeys on the way to the store. No, I have not written a trip report yet, I'm working on it. I've barely even looked at all the pictures yet. I real pleasure to meet you and Jean Paul, what a great time. In some ways it is hard to believe how good a time we had.

PBD is way under rated.

So Martine. Just what were you and Cecil getting up to on the beach. LOL.

whoops, sorry, that was the wrong picture. LOL

well I am off to work now. I hope everyone has a great day. For Martine I hope you have a good afternoon. Martine what is the time difference between bonaire and france ?

Hi Cecil, my second buddy, I am so glad to hear from you. How are you ?
Yeah, we had a good time alltogether. Sorry, we didn't had the time to download all the pics and movies we did. Jean Paul will certainly do it tonight and I promice you'll have a nice DVD of all these great moments we had.
I still have two days of vacations to enjoy ( well, shall I say vacation if you consider I have so much home work to do...). have a nice day pal, I'll email you a bit later in the day.
Annie, thanks for your email and all the pics of us, that's great. I knew you were lurking... glad to know you and Emma are better.
Christine, there is 6 hours difference between France and Bonaire, and at the present time it is 2.30 PM. As I said some posts ago, I would appreciate a nice nap, but need to go to the store first, cause Jean Paul may not have dinner tonight. So let's go and I catch you later.

Cath you later Martine. I am sure a nice sleep will do you good. Annie B.

martine , glad your back safe and sound .
Cure your PBD.write a trip-report , one day at a
time !!!


bye jos

Hi Jos, nice to hear from you too.
Well, I just went to the store, I have enough to feed my best buddy tonight and I think I'll have a nap now.
I think the best therapy to cure the BPD is to talk with you. Anyway, there is only one thing I wont regret : mosquitoes ! They particularly were voracious and in great number during our stay.
Catch you later.

Argh ! Better go to sleep than watch that.

We nearly missed the divers

Know what you mean, Martine, though it's hard not to look at those beautiful pictures!

martine, glad you and jean paul made it back safely (even though you had troubles) and had a great time! a turtle between the beach and cam??? how fantastic!

all there is a boat right now...need to get ready for work

Thanks Martine for the reports. I'm glad you are back safe and sound. We leave July 7th for Bonaire. We have been diving in nasty Lake Travis which is something like diving in choclate milk in preparation for the trip. My depth guage showed I was at 120 feet when we were actually at 30 feet. This will be the second time I have to take it back. We are diving in choclate milk to find these things out before we go, however.

Get some rest.

RED ALERT !!!!!

AN UNATTENDED BAG OF UNKNOWN ORIGIN AT THE RIGHT POST OF THE FENCE !!!!!

Me, too!

Good morning, everyone. A drippy day in Juneau today. Supposed to be this way for at least a week. Glad I have an indoors job!

THEY might be happy divers. I haven't been wet for so long, I'm losing the webbing between my toes.

Okay, one group leaving. And what does this one have to say?

Guess they were mute.

Oh, well, to work, to work.

Have a nice day, everyone.

Jos, maybe it's my lost bagage !
Hi Dan, how are you, it has been a long time ugh ?
I thought to you during my holidays cause I was reading a Jules Verne book called "The Gold Volcano" ( no very known ) and the story relates the gold rush in the 1870 on the Klondike river and he was talking about Juneau and Skagbay. AT Flamingo airport there was a uge KLM world map in the transit lounge and I could spot your town. Are the pipes still frozen ?
Well, time to prepare my dinner, Jean Paul should return very shortly from work. Tonight will be melon with parma ham and gambas...

Hi Barbara, I captured Chubby just for you, it was so nice to see him for true, I said hello to him from you and he seemed so pleased. He told me he is waiting for you.

hi to you too ,

image{hi}

duh'

look , there it is !!!

do you really think I can read that ????

CLOSER ,

CLOSER!!!!!

leaving so soon???

wooooooooooooooooooooo??????????????

How the ..... did that happen?????
Nice to see you too but ???

wooooooooooooooooooooo??????????????

How the ..... did that happen?????
Nice to see you too but ???

jos, come join jan and i, we are having a party on a new thread

Tuesday Divers

this is how they went in

You were doomed, but you made it! The indignities we put up with to enjoy our Bonaire!! Welcome back home, Martine and Jean-Paul. Join the PBD, from Rotterdam to New Hampshire to Oregon, and all over the place. Didn't we have a great vacation?! It's SO hard to get back into work... I haven't written a report yet, but I will, I hope. There's a lot to remember... I'd better hurry up. Again, thank you for having fun with us!!

Martine, welcome back. PLEASE inform us whenever you guys go to Bonaire again. Angela and I will try to be there, we'll only take different flights...

What a beautiful day today on Bonaire! Thank-you for the sunrises Martine!!