Not your ordinary Bonaire Trip report (10-10 thru 10-17)

[dukeh20]

We just got back last night from spending a week at Golden Reef in with Liz and Ed. This was our 5th trip to Bonaire in five years and we would go back again tomorrow.

Just as an aside, the mosquitos we the worst we have ever encountered in Bonaire. Take plenty of "bug stuff". The only times we weren't eaten alive was when we were under water.

Also, many of the shorelines were quite slippery (and not because they were wet), because of vegitation close to shore. While it is entertaining to watch your dive buddies take prat-falls in full gear, it becomes less entertaining when it happens to you. Please be careful.

We did dive sites that we had not dove before (Corporal Meiss a/k/a North Belnem a/k/a Dicks Place, Margate Bay, Pink Beach, Red Beryl and Vista Blue). These were great sites and I wished we had done them on prior years.

We dove Oil Slick Leap a few times and actually saw a spotted Eagle Ray glide by on the first full day of diving. But far and away the oddest thing we saw on the entire trip was the humongous Porcupine fish we saw under the cliff behind the ladder. I took a few pictures, but they weren't the best because of the debris stirred up by the surge. We never saw a complete head to tail view of him, but based on the size of his head and the amount we did see, he had to be 5' long. Here are a couple of the pics I took.




Happy Diving

 

[darook]

Duke, we were at Buddy the same dates. We had a great time as well. Got back late last night and just finished washing wetsuits. What is funny is that we used the wetsuits for about two dives then just went with skin tops and swim suits. The 86 degree water was VERY nice even after a 4 dive day.

One of our traveling partners got pictures of a huge porcupine fish in the La Machaca wreck that seemed to be the same size as the one you have. I didn't realize they grew to that size. The couple I saw were two feet or less in length and really cute.

We did a ton of dives on the house reefs from Buddy's on north and got most of our good creature action there. I got my first encounters with the octopi and squid there and that was great fun. One squid spent several minutes trying to figure out what I was and would approach then back off then approach again. I would rate the night dives we did there as my favorites of the trip based on checking out the coral at night and creature interaction.

We did several boat dives to Klein which was great as I had not been able to get there last trip. On the calm mornings we got to do the south side sits such as Capt. Don's Reef which was spectacular.

I wish we had more time to do the southern sites from the truck as we did just a couple. My crew liked the convenience of jumping off of the dock or the back of a boat. We were going to do Red Slave and the wind kicked up to the point that it was not a great idea though I am sure other hardy divers did it. We did the Lake which is one of my favorites on the island though we misplayed the current and ended up at the stern of the Hooker in about 5 minutes. We spent a good hour on the site though and really enjoyed it.

My family agrees with you on the mosquitoes! They all got eaten yet they seemed to have no taste for me. I never even put on spray and my blood went unconsumed. I was taking antibiotics to recover from a sinus infection and wonder if that turned them off. Amoxycillin may be the next great mosquito repellent! Luckily my head cleared up in time to dive upon arrival.

Glad you had a great trip! Can't wait to go back.

 

[bfisher]

The skeeters are hard to figure out. I've been to Bonaire several times this time of year. In fact, just returned from two weeks on 10/10. We had more rain than any past trips. I think I used bug juice twice in the evenings and ended up with about 4 bites the whole trip. In the past I've been nearly eaten alive. Go figure.

 

[herman]

Holy cats, that puffer is still under that ledge? He was there in July when ScottyD and myself were there.

 

[cstreu1026]

My wife and I were at Plaza at the same time and I will concur about the mosquitoes. They were absolutely viscous. Even with plenty of bug repellant we were still bitten quite a lot on a few of the evenings. On the bright side the diving was as good if not better than it has been the previous two times we visited the island.

 

[dvrliz1]

Hi Duke!!!

So glad you guys made it back safe and sound!

To All: The 'skeeters are HORRIBLE this year!!! We normally do not see this type of action until late November, and yes the rains came early this year. I guess because I've lived on Bonaire for 5 years, they skeeters lost their taste for my blood. Normally they don't bother me, but the last few weeks.....geeze...I look like I have the measles from the knees down....skeeters specially love ankles too......I'm using bug juice, ESPECIALLY at dusk, but they are going after me during the day too......