27/May/2012, Bonaire
The final day with automotive transport and six went to the north west of the island. Past the Oil storage depot and off road onto rough dirt and coral tracks; weaving and manoeuvering to keep the person riding in the back of the pick-up truck as comfortable as possible, not to mention the pile of dive gear stowed alongside. The blazing sun beat down on the deep red track. Lizards and much larger iguana ran for their lives as we lurched towards them, heat shimmering off the bonnet (hood) as we searched our way to the unmarked dive sites extolled by the local dive shop.
Pulling up at the side of the route a bunch of people recently returned from a dive were quizzed about ease of entry and exit, what was to be seen underwater and currents. All sounded green for go in spite of the surf noisily breaking on the coral heads protruding into the shallows. Quite a game getting togged up amongst dirt and grit while trying to keep regulators and kit clean. The entry, while apparently formidable, was quite benign once our masks gave the underwater view, a clear path laid between the coral into deeper water. Paul laid out some old coral in the shape of a large arrow to mark the exit point for our return, we lined up on the car and a beacon above water to also provide a transit for the narrow safe route home. OK signals all round and thumbs down to signify descent. The erie underwater world opened out beneath as we slowly sank to 20 meters depth. Absolutely gorgeous. Wonderful large cascades of coral upon coral; eons of growth tumbling in an almost haphazard display of nature's magnificence.
The location was pristine in its splendour. The awkward approach route meant less folks troubled themselves to reach this dive site, hence a more developed display of old coral. Fish were abundant, a large Rainbow Parrot Fish about 4 feet long swam in the discreet distance, chewing away at coral and other foodstuffs. Many of the usual companions while diving in Bonaire came along to watch the strangers: Blue Tang, Black Durgeon, French Grunts, Angel Fish et al.
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Comments [0]
... more underwater dwellers...Hawksbill Turtle - no scuba gear so he does need air...
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... Barry the Teeth... a barracuda about 5 feet in length..don't they grin with those teeth...
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... a Lizard Fish doing his best to emulate his land based namesake..
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... watch where you place your hands and feet! A well camouflaged Scorpion Fish. As the camera was moved closer still his dorsal fin and its poisoned barbs pinged erect ready to spike any attacker.
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25/May/2012, Bonaire - Inland
Three days hire of a pick-up truck to tour the island and to do some shore-entry diving. We teamed up with the folks from Iolea and Fox-Sea to share the cost of a rental vehicle to go further afield from Kralendijk, the main coastal town in Bonaire. The first day was a tour to the North and the Slagbai National Park. A large expanse of exposed limestone, cactus and thorny acacia shrubs. A strange experience to see so much greenery after several weeks of ocean and coastal views. The limestone outcrops presented large cliffs and plateaus of rock; weathered during earlier phases of erosion when sea levels were higher than today. Cactus tall and branched rather like the classic photographs one sees of the Arizona desert, except not the occasional lonesome plant here. A dense, head height, forest of shrubbery with a taller army of cactii protruding above as far as the eye could see.
Day two started with a fruitless search for "Goat Lady". A farm where visitors could see the various stages of rearing goats for small scale milk and cheese production. Many wrong turnings, bumpy rides along rough tracks, discussion with locals in a mixture of Dutch, Spanish and English led only to the wrong "Goat Lady". "Oh yes we have many goats! ...but they are roaming the heathland now and only come back here for water at nightfall." Obvious knowledge really and it was clear we should have realised our search at this time of day was pointless!
Southwards we journeyed, on to a completely different landscape with no high ground at all. Low lying land, much of it flooded with salt water for either marshes or the commercial production of sea salt. Quite an amazing operation fuelled by solar power and the wind used to evaporate the water from the shallow pools. As the salinity increases the colour of the water becomes pink due to an algae growing (see photo). Some of the views across the water was reminiscent of an old Vermeer painting, only lacking the Flemish boats of old straining under canvas in the brisk wind.
More on the third day and diving in Candy Land later ...
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