Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles
This morning we arrived in Bonaire, our second stop in the ‘ABC’ islands. Compared to Curacao, Bonaire is much quieter, less developed and more sparsely populated. The island is best known for its fantastic diving and snorkeling opportunities, many of which are easily accessible from the shoreline. Around much of the island, one finds scattered coral heads on white sand in very shallow water. Slightly further out, corals form a continuous band, and within 50 meters of the shore there is a steeply sloping drop-off to deep blue water. Bonaire has very strict policies regarding conservation of the fragile reefs. For example, SCUBA divers are required to demonstrate control in maintaining neutral buoyancy; unintentional touching or kicking by divers can kill delicate coral animals.
We snorkeled at Klein Bonaire, an uninhabited island directly opposite the ship’s berth in Kralendijk. From the water taxi, we watched flying fish pop out of the dark blue water and ‘fly’ away from us in straight lines just inches above the waves. When flying fish are chased by predatory fish (or when they are startled by the noise of a boat engine), they escape by leaving the water for a few seconds. Very close to shore, the deep blue water changed abruptly to a gorgeous, bright shade of turquoise. The sandy beach was a blinding shade of white. This was a gorgeous, tropical beach. Underwater there were dozens of species of fishes, including parrotfishes, grunts, wrasses, permits, damselfishes and angelfishes. A barracuda watched over us in his menacing (but harmless) barracuda manner.
We saw much of the rest of Bonaire during a three hour excursion by bus. Interesting sites along the tour were the old salt evaporating pools, the tiny stone slave huts dating from 1850, and, of course, flamingos. Much of Bonaire is undeveloped, and the terrain along the northern coastline is rugged and arid.
Just as dock lines were cast off and we left the pier, the full moon was rising over Kralendijk. On our opposite side, sunset painted small clouds with pastel shades of blue and pink. Dessert was served on deck tonight, under light of the full moon. We will motor all night to the east, into the wind, and will set sails again in the morning.
This morning we arrived in Bonaire, our second stop in the ‘ABC’ islands. Compared to Curacao, Bonaire is much quieter, less developed and more sparsely populated. The island is best known for its fantastic diving and snorkeling opportunities, many of which are easily accessible from the shoreline. Around much of the island, one finds scattered coral heads on white sand in very shallow water. Slightly further out, corals form a continuous band, and within 50 meters of the shore there is a steeply sloping drop-off to deep blue water. Bonaire has very strict policies regarding conservation of the fragile reefs. For example, SCUBA divers are required to demonstrate control in maintaining neutral buoyancy; unintentional touching or kicking by divers can kill delicate coral animals.
We snorkeled at Klein Bonaire, an uninhabited island directly opposite the ship’s berth in Kralendijk. From the water taxi, we watched flying fish pop out of the dark blue water and ‘fly’ away from us in straight lines just inches above the waves. When flying fish are chased by predatory fish (or when they are startled by the noise of a boat engine), they escape by leaving the water for a few seconds. Very close to shore, the deep blue water changed abruptly to a gorgeous, bright shade of turquoise. The sandy beach was a blinding shade of white. This was a gorgeous, tropical beach. Underwater there were dozens of species of fishes, including parrotfishes, grunts, wrasses, permits, damselfishes and angelfishes. A barracuda watched over us in his menacing (but harmless) barracuda manner.
We saw much of the rest of Bonaire during a three hour excursion by bus. Interesting sites along the tour were the old salt evaporating pools, the tiny stone slave huts dating from 1850, and, of course, flamingos. Much of Bonaire is undeveloped, and the terrain along the northern coastline is rugged and arid.
Just as dock lines were cast off and we left the pier, the full moon was rising over Kralendijk. On our opposite side, sunset painted small clouds with pastel shades of blue and pink. Dessert was served on deck tonight, under light of the full moon. We will motor all night to the east, into the wind, and will set sails again in the morning.
