The new crew didn’t want of venture too far outside their comfort zone so Debbie and I chose to forgo our morning boat dive and start out on the shore.
J and S had trouble clearing there ears and decided to chill a day. They spent their time terrorizing Kralendijk with A. The three of them managed to keep themselves occupied by traipsing in and out of downtown stores.
J and A came from the other side of the island, R, B, Debbie and I were up for a day of diving. First off the Hilma Hooker. We drove to the site and there was 3 dive boats and 6 or 8 cars – everybody was diving. We drove on and did the Salt Pier. First time for most of the folks and second time for Debbie and me. As before, the fish were plentiful and the dive was relatively easy. Everybody thought it was great. We may have to go again as J and S are now interested.
Dive 2 Hilma Hooker, we returned after getting our tanks filled and the boats were gone and the last car was just leaving. Our two vehicles were the last two in the lot. Dive was OK. It is a much talked about dive but I personally do not see the attraction to wrecks. The boats, usually big ones, that are underwater look much the same as if they were still afloat. Big deal???????? I guess you can go inside them, but I am not interested. There are some resident animals, but there are resident animals everywhere on the reef they are just a little harder to find.
Third site, The Cliff. The Cliff part is underwater and we by found it solely because of the way the current was going. Strong current at this site. First time we have had to deal with that on Bonaire. Swam south along the cliff, it was a hard swim into the current. At turnaround time we ‘flew’ back, felt like the turtle in ‘Finding Nemo’. Still managed to navigate back to the shore within 10 ft. of where we wanted to end up.
So far Bonaire has been hot. At least by the numbers, 91 F. every day, but it is amazingly habitable. There is a breeze and it tempers the effect of the sun just enough so that even us northerners do not find it unbearable. When you come out of the ocean into the direct sunlight dressed in a black wetsuit it can get quite warm but doff the wetsuit and roll down the windows in the truck, (no airco), and it is quite pleasant.
I’m liking this place. Debbie has already poo-pooed the idea of moving here, but I only suggested it 1/2 in gest. There is no snow here, therefore the chances of skiing are severely hampered.
More diving tomorrow. I’m still not bored, I wonder how long it would take. I guess by living a long distance away from diving it keeps it unique and maybe that is reason in itself not to move here.
Note from Debbie, the proofer. Sorry, but no more underwater pictures. The camera got toasted, or should I say marinated, yesterday. We are not sure what happened, but water got into the housing and the camera is now dead dead dead.