BONAIRE at BUDDY DIVE RESORT
November, Thanksgiving 2010
A new twist ... Thanksgiving instead of New Years at Buddy Dive Resort!
Those joining us on this trip were Randy and Virginia; Todd, Donna, Vincent and Britney; Sam and Susan; Travis and Mandi; Chris; Andy and Cheryl; and Katie. Thank you all for sharing this awesome trip with us!
Mother Nature prevailed with rain off and on every day, but that did not stop us from diving .... Some of us made 20 dives! They haven't seen that much rain in 80 years and the island was lushious green!
This past January Buddy's was working on a boat that would take you out for two morning dives, lunch and an afternoon dive, but they are still fine-tuning the details ... oh well, a good reason to go back!
Some of us did however dive the other side with Bonaire East Coast Diving. I believe it was $110 for the two-tank trip. We were welcomed on the first dive with several sea turtles and spotted eagle rays. I expected it to be rough (previous name "Larry's Wild Side"), but it wasn't at all. You do a back roll from a large zodiac and they deflate the side and place a ladder for climbing in, then re-inflate the side section. Now I can say "been there-done that"!
... Lionfish! Yes they are in Bonaire and growing in population ... our group seen at least 75 ....
I noticed quite a bit of coral bleaching, more so than this past January 2010, but I know it will all recover. We did make a dive at the northern end at a very small fishing village and the walls and coral were spectacular - no bleaching except in real shallow water. The site is not really a dive site, but the entry was easy - I believe they call it Playa Frans (under Beaches on the map).
Buddy's has added a new boat and we were hoping to go out on it; however they are still in the middle of fine tuning the details. The other boats take you out for 2 tank dives and this one is supposed to run out for 2 tank dives, lunch and an afternoon dive or more depending on what you would like.
A few of us had "National Geographic moments"! Walter captured peacock flounders mating in the water column and I seen 2 scrawled cowfish mating! I hear Virginia had her own "National Geographic moment" - I think it had something to do with a large iguana!
See the "Photo Gallery" page for trip photos. It will be a few days though for photos and slideshows to be finished and uploaded.
If you missed this trip, we have another trip to Bonaire for Spring Break in March, so check with the shop for more details.
Until next time ....
S. Scott