Bonaire Trip Report

Greg Mossman wrote:
>
> Crownfield wrote:
>
> > > But we Jews make latkes at Hanukah. Served with sour cream and
> > > applesauce, they're the best thing about being Jewish besides matzo
> > > balls and circumcision.
> >
> > a great jewish book: The Joys of Circumcision...
>
> It's never too late, though it's probably a bit more traumatic for
> adults. At least they have scalpels now. In the old days, mohels had
> to use their teeth.

nope. not a chance. not going to touch that one.

"Greg Mossman" <mossman@qnet.com> wrote in message
news:1115072672.763631.234760@z14g2000cwz.googlegr oups.com...
> Crownfield wrote:
>
> > > But we Jews make latkes at Hanukah. Served with sour cream and
> > > applesauce, they're the best thing about being Jewish besides matzo
> > > balls and circumcision.
> >
> > a great jewish book: The Joys of Circumcision...
>
> It's never too late, though it's probably a bit more traumatic for
> adults. At least they have scalpels now. In the old days, mohels had
> to use their teeth.



AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Stop that.

--
"Canadians have a "bland" rep. We
are bland ... but also whiny, particularly
when the cool kids ignore us."

I hope you wrote this report in toilet paper because that is what I
will use it for.

Thanks for nothing.

Why?
Little paranoic about the non existant crime wave. You must be another
GOP paranoic texan looking for any excuse to bomb/kill innocent
people.
What? Were you looking to get mugged.
What you did not like the locals?
O let me see.....locals are mostly colored people....Is that why you
did not liked them?.......yeah

I personally found locals very friendly and willing to help you in
almost anything. I found were they sold flavored Ice that way. Asking
a locals. Never had a problem....I am not a racist and treat people
all the same. That goes a looong way in any foreign land.

In short, I have been two times to Bonaire and would not hesitate to
recomend it for 24/7 scuba diving destination. I did stay at the Plaza
Bonaire and dove with Toucan.

I did noticed some reef damage, but it was not really noticeable.

Good diving.



On Wed, 27 Apr 2005 17:20:50 -0400, bullshark <bullshark@gmail.com>
wrote:

>When: 4/15/2005...4/23/2005
>How: MIA->CUR (AA) and CUR->BON (BonairExel)
>Water temp: 78-80F
>Visibility: not great for Bonaire but 80-100 feet most of the time
>Operator: Buddy Dive Hotel.
>Weather: Windy, Hot and Humid.
>Crime: We managed to go a whole week without getting robbed. More on that later.
>
>Diving - Overall: just OK. I don't think I'll go back. The Caribbean has many better offerings.
>
>Buddy Dive was good:
> The trucks are new and run well.
> The prices are reasonable.
> We got Nitrox for free.
> They offer <some> 36 as well as all the 32 you want
> The Buddy Dive house reef is as good as any we dived though maybe not as
> pretty as say, Andrea II up on top.
> Their drive through air pickup is nice.
> Their Nitrox system very clean and well maintained.
> Dive operations from boat were nicely done (for the style).
> Most of the people on the staff (including DMs) speak 3-4 languages.
>
>Buddy Dive was bad:
> They have no idea how to make coffee. Dirty water that tastes like soap
> is their preference.
> Breakfast fare was generally poor, except for fruit and breads.
> The rooms are NOT air conditioned, only the sleeping room has AC.
> The room furnishings are uncomfortable and cheesy.
> The rooms were tiled with the slickest tile imaginable except when wet
> (slickness is then beyond imagination).
> The boat operation wants all divers to dive in a group, but is otherwise
> reasonable about times and depths.
> Too "group" oriented (may depend on your week), but groups get the grease
> if they are there.
>
>Bonaire in general:
>
>Reef conservation is a myth. There is no such thing that I could observe.
>Of all the Caribbean destinations I have dived, Bonaire has more diver
>damage than any place I have ever seen...by a country mile. When you
>drive the South end of the island, you'll pass the salt pans. What you
>might not notice as you continue is that the land you're riding on was
>reclaimed in the oldest of Dutch traditions. I wouldn't care to guess how
>many acres of reef was covered up with fill to make the land, but it's
>certainly quite a bit. The Park Rangers found us the very first day,
>and never again. They didn't want to know anything except who collected
>our park fees and oddly (I thought) whether or not we had any
>cameras...Have they noticed that U/W Photogs are scourge of the reef
>community or were they prospecting for thieves?
>
>Shore dives generally all had the same profile: shallow hardpan covered
>with a little sand then a steep slope to 130-150fswg, densely covered with
>boulder/mounding star coral, brain corals and knobby star corals, giving
>way to sheet corals as you go deeper. Staghorn and Elkhorn corals were
>very scarce. I was amazed to see the amount of damage done by Lenny and
>never repaired. Apparently nobody on this island thought to simply turn
>the corals over, so there they sit, still upside down several years down
>the road from the event that rolled them over. They're done now, but what
>a shame. Elkhorn is trying to come back but not with much enthusiasm.
>
>Deep down (75 and below) the reefs are healthy and unspoiled. As you go
>up, diver damage increases. At 100 fswg and below, it's pristine.
>
>Fishermen fish the reefs. Through the week I saw one and only one spiny
>lobster. Monofilament was evident on several dives. Large groupers were
>practically nonexistent.
>
>I tired of being "nicked" by the businesses. When paying them, 1.75NAF =
>$1.00; when they are paying you, $1.00=1.80NAF, and at restaurants, bills
>in NAF magically convert only to whole US dollars. When you get a bill,
>there is sometimes a line for a service charge (tip)...when the credit
>card slip comes back for signing, the itemization has disappeared and
>there is a conspicuous line waiting for a tip. We're there spending money
>voluntarily already, there is no need to steal it.
>
>Food/restaurants on Bonaire, despite ravings of the rabble are very
>mediocre. Me thinks the aficionados believe Outback has gourmet fare.
>No, I did not visit them all. I went to Bonaire to dive. After a couple
>of expensive disappointments, I saw no reason to search for more. The
>Lions Den is now part of Buddy, and if you avoid the evening specials, you
>can eat fairly well and reasonably without leaving the camp. One of the
>highlights of the Den is the Caesar Salad which is traditional, and
>perfectly prepared order by order.
>
>The roads in Bonaire are in terrible condition. This little island
>collects millions, if not billions in revenues. We paid $50/person in
>direct head taxes, that doesn't count sales taxes. Where does it all go?
>It certainly doesn't go to infrastructure or services. It doesn't go
>towards making safe shore entries (for both people and reef). It doesn't
>go towards police. They have desalinated water and fairly reliable power.
>I suppose both are heavily subsidized for the locals.
>
>I would not want to be on this island in the summer. 37C and no wind, the
>place would be hell except while underwater. It appears to be very arid.
>I don't know what happens in late summer. We had a short rain the day
>before we left and it turned into a sauna, and that's in April.
>
>Bonaire is building out on the coast; the diving coast. Several shore
>dives are inaccessible now, and more will follow. I think this is a
>mistake, but moreover, I feel sorry for the homeowners. Having traveled
>the Caribbean quite a bit, I've seen all kinds of construction. The
>masonry work in Bonaire is horrendous. I have never seen anything so
>atrocious. New and old alike, it's like mortar is something that you put
>on a block when you feel like it, and the amount is not especially
>important. The Stucco that covers it up though, is immaculate. I can
>only wonder about the plumbing and electrical. There are a good number of
>abandoned home starts, reportedly un sellable for years because of shoddy
>construction needing demolition.
>
>Reef Health:
>
>A certain kind of coral (brain shaped, gray-green and dimpled - Starlet I
>think) was very ill. Hardly a specimen could be found that was not under
>attack. There was also a lot of Cyanobacteria. I expect some, but there
>was a lot. It is difficult to distinguish for certain, but once it gets
>to be over an inch long it's pretty clear I think. Virtually every clump
>of flower coral harbored a thick coating down in the stalks, and if you
>waved your hand, the stuff would fly out showing sickly decayed remains
>beneath. I know way more than I'd like about this stuff, and it is highly
>dependent on nitrogen availability. I don't know what they do for sewage
>treatment on the island. There was none evident. The South end of the
>island has a shrimp farm; reportedly one of the dirtiest known forms of
>aquaculture. Little things too: Throwing watermelon rinds in the water is
>bad ju-ju. First, it sets the tone: the ocean is a garbage can for
>guests. Second, watermelon rinds may seem harmless, but are they? They
>are fertilized. They are pesticided, and the permissible kinds of both
>are harsh, because the rind is not eaten. They are chewed on by humans
>and so all the flora and fauna of your mouth is deposited. These may be
>trace amounts rind by rind, but taken on the whole, tons of refuse per
>day, eventually introduce tons of trace chemicals. It's bad, bad bad, and
>I don't care if the parrotfish eat it or not. I doubt these melons come
>from USA, so the galaxy of possible chemicals is probably tripled.
>
>In the shallows were many, many unhealthy fish; banded butterfly and
>surgeon/doctor fish being the most obvious. I did not see any that were
>not darkly and copiously stained with some <fungal?> parasite. Yellowtail
>snapper were also afflicted. Possibly many others, but not so evident
>because of coloration. I've never seen the like of it, so I don't know
>how serious it is, but it's certainly ominous.
>
>I was surprised to learn that if you wanted to see a frogfish, the DM will
>have to take you to a known haunt to find a regular. The same for
>Seahorses. Throughout the week we spoke with many divers, some more
>experienced than others and some more familiar with Bonaire ( like one
>couple on their 20-something'th visit). No one, anywhere, found either
>specie unexpectedly, and between us all, there were a lot of dives. This
>is not the way I recall it being reported a few years back.
>
>Other resorts:
>
>According to Bonaire regulars we met, Captain Don's is in need of some
>work. Dive lockers etc. are run down. Sand Dollar has not been doing
>well since Lenny. They failed to rebuild immediately, and lost clientele
>to those that did. These were their preferred locations in prior years,
>but they have moved on. There was lots of work needed at Buddy Dive too,
>but they were doing it. Diving infrastructure (from air to valves) wanted
>for nothing. Buddy knows what butters their bread
>
>I had to pull a Captain Don's DM off the reef at Oil Slick Leap. He was
>looking for the yellow seahorse and was directly on hard corals and
>tearing up soft coral when he wasn't. He responded by signing that he was
>a DM and it was "OK". I signed something else back. Avoid.
>
>Some outfit (Toucan divers) tried to do some drift dives on Klein Bonaire.
>First, the current did not warrant it, and second, the operation was a
>Charlie Foxtrot. Divers were surfacing everywhere and expected to swim
>for the boat. Avoid.
>
>Speaking of currents, they were generally light to non-existent.
>
>Takeways:
>
>We'll never forget the Cargill saltpans in the South. Thousands of acres of
>pink, and lavender and emerald green.
>
>Shore diving is way too much work.
>
>Bonaire natives drive like idiots and are generally indifferent to crime there.
>
>There are too many newbies and bad divers. It was difficult if not impossible
>to get a dive alone.
>
>Do go to 1000 steps and take in the view.
>
>Do not dive 1000 steps from shore, make a boat take you there. This is a serious
>DCI issue as well as intelligence marker.
>
>We did not dive the "town pier"; everyone who did was disappointed.
>
>I never want to see another red lip blenny.
>
>If you want to study the breeding habits of brown chromis, creole wrasse,
>blueheads or parrots, this is the place.
>
>The only reason to dive the Hilma Hooker is to make friends with the Jewfish,
>then leave it behind for the second reef.
>
>The only reason to dive the Hilma Hooker is to night dive the 1/2 acre of Cup
>Coral on shore side of the bow.
>
>The only reason to dive the Hilma Hooker is to find the only shrimp goby
>(orange spotted) in the Caribbean.
>
>All three require extended stays at 100fswg, so unless you're up for that,
>there is no reason to dive the Hilma Hooker.
>
>The adjacent sites provide access to the double reef without the clouds of
>split-fin newbies descending from boats every 1/2 hour.
>
>All the shore entries we did except oil slick leap were dangerous for the
>diver and the near shore coral.
>
>I saw a backplate! Stranger shit has happened, but not often. I never saw
>it leave the gear room though.
>
>Bonaire is worth seeing at least once, but I'd put Belize(liveaboard),
>T&C(liveaboard), Caymans and Coz way in front.
>
>Bonaire is way too hard to get to. Air Jamaibe makes us stay over night
>in Kingston on the way back. AA Eagle makes travel on week days.
>BonairExel from Curacao is not real reliable and maybe not long for this
>world. Though part of the same country (Netherland Antilles), you're
>forced to clear customs and immigration twice (taxed of course) and the
>immigration people are notably put out when they find that you're just
>passing through. The scheduling is also tight. Though very economical,
>this route is not an option for Dan Bracuk because of the tight schedules.
>
>Cultimara was the most ridiculous grocery store I have ever seen. A
>stones throw from SA, nearly everything in the store was imported from
>Europe.
>
>Crime in Bonaire:
>
>I did not visit Bonaire for years because I thought the crime situation
>was unforgivable. Having been there and done that, I now know that I was
>right, right, right. The crime exists because Bonaire likes it that way,
>and that, is that. Stopping this nonsense would be child's play, but
>first they would have to acknowledge the problem and second, they would
>have to spend a few dollars. In short, addressing the problem would
>involve public admission of their past indifference...a huge loss of face,
>making them look bad, so nothing will be done.
>
>We managed to not get robbed. That wasn't an accident. The place we
>stayed is secured at night. Buddy Dive's gear room has 24 hour video
>surveillance. I felt reasonably secure leaving anything there. We were
>vigilant and defensive. Our truck was gone thru at least once while we
>were diving. We took nothing of value that we could not carry on the
>dive. We left the truck open. I conspicuously observed the tag numbers
>of any locals hanging out at the sites.
>
>It's really a shame. It's the principle reason we will probably not
>return. When I arranged this trip it seemed that the problem was in
>decline. But in recent weeks reports have been in full swing, including
>multiple B&Es at popular apartments (Yachtclub).
>
>It would do them good to see no business for a year or two so they could
>sort out which of the unemployed layabouts can no longer make the payments
>on their Dodge Ram 426 Hemi pick up trucks.
>
>
>safe diving,
>
>bullshark