Hanging with the VIPs

Posted on April 20, 2012 by travelbynatasha

We are crossing the Atlantic as the world recognizes the 100th anniversary of the Titanic’s sinking. Although icebergs are sometimes sighted in the areas we are sailing through, we are farther south than the Titanic’s route and icebergs are not found in this area in April. There were several documentaries on the television and interviews with descendants on some of the live news reports, but there was absolutely no mention of the anniversary on board this ship, not even in the mini newspaper we receive each day. We found this very odd.

This is our third transatlantic crossing. We are enjoying fabulous weather and outdoor activities and pool time (and a serious sunburn) are definitely options. All of the crossings we have done have included guest lecturers. A couple of weeks ago I read a wonderful book on the Titanic by John Maxtone-Graham, a lecturer I heard on a previous crossing. Now in his 80s, he is probably the foremost living expert on luxury travel at sea. His son’s writing has gone in a different direction and he is the lead writer for the Simpsons television show.

Our current crossing includes a biologist, a politician, a former ambassador, and a news reporter as guest lecturers. I haven’t made any of the biologist’s lectures, although I am interested as he is speaking on coral reefs-right up my alley with the diving. The politician was a forensic scientist and pediatrician, but he doesn’t like to use notes, gets lost repeatedly, and heads off on tangents; I have given up on those lectures. The British ambassador spoke on the history of piracy and slavery in the Caribbean and his presentation was very well done; I am looking forward to today’s talk on his diplomatic work.

The fourth lecturer is Morton Dean who reported for CBS and ABC. Even if you don’t recognize his name (I did), you would certainly recognize his voice. (Unless of course, you are too young to know whom Walter Cronkite was.) Dean spoke on war correspondence in the field during the Vietnam War. He included several clips of his interviews and trips into the action from that time which ran on the CBS evening news and told us stories about Walter Cronkite. I ran into him later in the specialty restaurant we were dining at which only seats 24 for the evening and he was quite friendly.

I am staying out of the sun today, having overdone it yesterday. The morning was for sleeping and blogging. We went to lunch on the terrace at the back of the ship. First dinner with Morton Dean and now lunch with the captain who was sitting at the table next to us. It was a lovely setting, so I went and got my camera and then Boris took my picture with the wake behind us. The captain commented on the photo with my hair blowing in the breeze, but I don’t think he recognized me with all my clothes on.

Boris loves these smaller ships and swears he never wants to go on the larger ones again (although he did enjoy the Oasis of the Seas in January). The staff on the Silver Spirit makes a real effort from the very beginning to get to know your name. All ask how they should address you. I am happy for them to use my first name, but some really want to call you by your surname. This of course creates problems for us, as I use my maiden name. We have confused more than one staff member. Some of them will use our first names but usually add “sir” or “madam” in front of it. All the staff at the pool knows “Madam Natasha”. They even had my chair covered with towels for me today, although I couldn’t go out due to sunburn. “Sir Boris” is convinced that he would have been knighted if he were British, so he finds the name highly appropriate and will most likely insist upon being called that when we return home. (Good luck with that.)

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St. Lucia in the Caribbean

Posted on April 19, 2012 by travelbynatasha

©Jean Janssen

Barbados is my favorite Caribbean island (although not for diving), but St. Lucia is one of the most beautiful with its lush landscape and volcanic peaks. We have been here before, but not since I had gotten a digital camera so I wanted to try to get some photographs that I could easily download to the computer. Unfortunately, we did not have time to make it to some of the most picturesque places I remember, but we did have a good day touring with Albert, our taxi driver. He had some of the darkest skin and the bluest eyes I had ever seen.We didn’t have time to book an excursion, so we talked to the local hospitality host that Silversea had invited on board the ship and got his recommendations.

Oldest Church on St. Lucia
©Jean Janssen

We visited the oldest church on the island, a Roman Catholic Church, with its colorful walls. Around the corner on the square was a 400-year-old tree that Albert pointed out. Next we traveled uphill to the governor’s home. The current governor is a woman, their first female governor, and a former schoolteacher. Albert liked to pull off on the side of the road just to show us the island flowers and plants and tell us about their uses. There was an aromatic tealeaf that is added to warm water and given to a crying baby to ease their pain or placed on their skin to remove a rash.

At the top of the hill we passed through the community college and visited a monument where a local man guided you around for tips. We saw an interesting plant that grows as a vine along the ground. They call it a poinsettia, but it is nothing like the Christmas plant we have at home. When touched, the leaves shrivel up in self-defense. There is a flower on the vine, but it is tiny, circular, and pale pink. We were able to see the pitons, the cone-shaped volcanic peaks, in the distance. There is a wonderful fishing village on St. Lucia that we didn’t make it to, but visitors with more time should give it a try.

We passed through the banana plantations that used to be at the center of St. Lucia’s economy. Now, like so many of the Caribbean islands, tourism is their primary source of income. Albert and I walked into the banana groves and he showed me the navel of the plant that has to be cut off to grow tastier fruit. I learned that they use blue bags to cover a bunch of growing bananas to protect the fruit from insects that eat it or animals that will scar it (reducing the price for which it can be sold). Albert also showed me the ropes and ties that protect the plants in strong winds. It is definitely labor intensive farming.

Marigot Bay, St. Lucia
©Jean Janssen

The lush rainforests give St. Lucia a romantic feel, but my favorite spot was a wonderful bay that we had not visited before. Marigot Bay has apparently been featured in many movies like Pirates of Caribbean. The scenery around the island is breathtaking and not to be missed. We met an Irish family at Marigot Bay that was staying on the island for a week. They had been there six days and this was the first time they were venturing away from their hotel and the nearby beach.

Renuit Beach, Rodney Bay St. Lucia
©Jean Janssen

Albert later drove us over to that area, Rodney Bay near Pigeon Island. Reduit Beach has beautiful white sand and the water was very clear and calm. You could rent colorful umbrellas and chairs and there were beachside restaurants. I recommend some water shoes or sandals that you don’t mind getting wet. The sand is much too hot to walk on in bare feet.

Then it was back to the ship for a late lunch and drama on the dock. Our balcony was on the pier side, so I decided to watch them pulling in the gangway and leave the dock. At time for “all aboard” the gangway was still out and several of the officers and staff were out on the pier. Boris guessed it right, some of the passengers that had missed the boat in Barbados (there were quite a few due to a cancelled British Airways flight) had still not made it on board. We saw several butlers in tails leave the ship and next thing we knew two couples were coming aboard with the butlers behind bringing their luggage. Boris recognized our butler and he told us later that the passengers had called from the airport to say they were on their way. The captain made the decision to hold the ship.

Once the gangway was pulled in, I watched the pilot come aboard and the dock workers and crew on the pilot boat release the six lines holding us on the dock. We had the perfect view with one of lines directly below our cabin.

Now a tip for all you cruise ship passengers. The reality is that unless they are cleaning the windows or you are leaning over, no one can see you on your balcony when you are at sea. In port, you can pretty much see anyone who can see you with your greatest concern being viewers from another ship that is docked directly across the pier from you. Otherwise you are in the clear, or so I thought.

Because I hate to iron, I had slipped off the crop pants I had worn during the day and hung them up. I was still wearing my tunic. It is really like a swimsuit cover-up, only I didn’t have the swimsuit underneath. So I am out on the balcony watching the goings on, when I realize that there is an overhang one cabin forward and one floor up from mine. This is how I got to meet the captain of the ship. The overhang was connected to the bridge and the captain, in full uniform, was there to oversee our departure. I decided to play it cool and asked him if he was ready for the next five days (at sea). His response was “are you?” I can only imagine what he was thinking.

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No Madras, but Marrakesh aka quickly finding a new vacation

Posted on April 17, 2012 by travelbynatasha

Ah, no India. After being left hanging for four days after the fire on the Quest was reported, our cruise was cancelled by Azamara. With less than a week before our scheduled departure, we were scrambling to find an alternative trip. Unlike Boris, I would have opted to save the money and take the perks the company offered for future travel. He had the time off work and was really looking forward to being away, so he wanted to find another option for the same time frame. We were able to identify two cruises that fit the schedule and included multiple ports we hadn’t been to. You would think the time frame would pose the biggest problem, but really identifying an available cruise with new ports was the hardest part for us.

Anyone that cruises knows that the best prices are always found by booking far in advance or very close to the day of departure when they are just trying to fill the ship. Our trip to India had been planned for almost a year and a half. Half the fun for me is the planning part-researching the options, finding the best air connections, reading about the ports, planning the excursions, considering the options at the departure and arrival points, ect. I felt a little cheated not to have that opportunity. The major difficulty with last minute planning for a cruise is finding available air connections. Sometimes they are simply not available or are so outrageously priced as to be prohibitive.

The Celebrity cruise we identified included passage through the Panama Canal and stops in several places I had never been to. (Too date; Celebrity is our favorite cruise line.) It had the added advantage of domestic departure and arrival points, which significantly reduces the cost of air travel to and from the ship. Boris had already been to all these countries though. He would have hit the century club mark of 100 countries on the Azamara cruise with India being 100. He was really disappointed with the idea of not making it to 100.

The other cruise was on a new line for us, Silversea. It is an extremely upscale line and one of those that I usually laugh at when I see the price, never thinking I would be able to try it. In this case, the price on Silversea that close to departure was 75% off and it dropped into our price range. With stops in Barbados, St. Lucia, Cape Verde, the Canary Islands, Morocco, and Portugal, it included my two favorite Caribbean islands and several new ports/countries for us. Boris was sold. He loved the idea of the premium service and that he would hit 100 countries when we docked in Casablanca.

Now to get the air…we were very fortunate to have Beth in our corner. With the exception of complicated dive travel and booking cruises, I do almost all our travel planning and arrangements. The Internet has made this so much easier than it was years ago when I was making international phone calls. Although I have booked cruises directly, I now plan exclusively with our travel agent Beth Wehunt with the cruise division of Vacations to Go. Beth really worked hard for us-fighting for what we deserved in compensation for our cancelled cruise (a whole blog post in and of itself), booking a new cruise, securing cabin credits, and finding air travel. She knows I like to book our own air, but in this case she found out air was still available through Silversea and encouraged us to at least put it on hold. It was less than half the price of any self-booking options for air. She also secured for us a $1000 on-board credit.

This close to the sail date, Celebrity would only hold the cabin one hour, but we had 24 hours to make our decision regarding Silversea. It didn’t take that long and we booked on Silver Spirit, the largest of Silversea’s six ships. Large is a relative term-more on that in a future post.

Where Azamara has casual cruising with no formal nights, Silversea’s 14 day cruise includes 3 formal, 5 informal, and 6 casual nights. The temperatures we were anticipating in Singapore, Thailand, and India were in the lower to upper 90s. While Caribbean temperatures were in the 80s, you never know the temperature at sea and later ports on the Silversea cruises had temperatures in the 60s. Needless to say, we had to do some repacking, or at least, re-planning. We were also not able to use our air miles and enjoy the perks of our United Airlines status (early boarding-which translates to first dibs on the overhead space and more luggage, three 70lbs bags on international travel) so we were going to be limited to one checked bag of 50 lbs. I am one of those people that actually enjoy the puzzle part of figuring out what to take in the limited space, just not when it is the second time for the same trip. My mom has always adopted the “mix and match” philosophy. I start with shoes; I kid you not. Shoes (although not sandals) can take up the most room in a suitcase. Once I pulled the black pumps I was taking for formal night, deciding on the dresses was easier.

There was no time to plan the excursions; we just took a look so we made sure we had the right clothes/shoes for anything we might do. With 5 sea days following the Caribbean ports, we knew there would be time later to look into the options. We did have the advantage of shorter air travel. The travel to Singapore with a stop in Toyko was going to take almost 23 hours. The return from Mumbai (Bombay) took just as long. Our departure point for the new cruise was Barbados. We had one stop in Miami and a very short layover before arriving in the Caribbean. The return will not be as pleasant. We fly Lisbon to Paris, Paris to Atlanta, and finally Atlanta to Houston. None of the airlines will give us frequent flier benefits. This is a distinct disadvantage of using the air transportation provided by the cruise line. The plus is that if there are problems, the cruise line will find a way to get you there and home.

We had a very early departure from Houston, 6 am, which meant getting up at 3:45 am. In spite of the early hour and departure from one of the smaller terminals at IAH, there was a line for check-in and an even longer one for security. We are used to the priority lines with United and clearly have been spoiled by them. An hour was not enough time for the process and they were already boarding when we arrived at the gate. We only had a 40-minute layover in Miami, but fortunately the plane arrived 20 minutes early. Both flights were on American in the same terminal, but we found out that being in the same terminal in Miami does not mean you can walk from one gate to the other. We had to board a train and once again the plane was already boarding when we arrived at the gate. American permitted us one free bag at 50 lbs since we had an international flight. If we wanted anything other than a middle seat, we had to pay for our seat selection on both American flights. The flight was full and ready to leave on time, but there was a mechanical problem with the recorder box, so we had to wait for a replacement and left 40 minutes late.

The good news was we made it to Barbados and so did our bags. I have had luggage not make it in time for a cruise. We once left on a cruise from Venice a day after our arrival there by plane and me with no luggage. It didn’t catch up to us until Istanbul, 5 days later. Transportation to the ship was included with our air arrangements with Silversea upon our arrival in Barbados.

Built in 2009, Silver Spirit is a small ship with a passenger capacity of only 540. The check-in process was easier and faster than any we have ever experienced. After a glass of champagne and the registration on our credit card at the front desk, we were escorted to our suite, 905. All the rooms on the Silver Spirit are suites. The room was huge for a cruise ship. There is a full bathroom with a tub and separate walk-in shower. The shower itself is bigger than any I have seen on a cruise ship. The bathroom was done in Italian marble and teak. The suite also has a walk-in closet. Yes, I did say walk-in closet. (I didn’t even know that they put walk-in closets on a cruise ship.) We have a butler, a handsome young man from India. He is there to assist with whatever you might need-including unpacking your luggage. In addition to the butler, there are two young women from the Philippines that fully clean the room twice a day. Who totally scrubs down the whole shower twice a day?

It was after 3:30 pm and I hadn’t eaten all day, so we went to the pool grill (on our floor) to have a late lunch. I am used to a pool grill where you stand at the counter and wait for a hotdog or burger to take to your table. Here we were served at the table and could have a nice lunch, anything from that burger to a steak. Our bags were already at the room when we arrived back and I opted to unpack myself so I could find what I wanted later. We did walk around the ship a bit, but opted from an early dinner and then to bed after the long day.

I should say a word or two about Barbados. It is my favorite Caribbean island with the most beautiful white sand beaches. Much of the Caribbean has been spoiled by overdevelopment and Barbados is no exception, but you can still find a quiet place there and they have improved the roads and traffic conditions. They are fond of roundabouts and you should be prepared for driving on the other style of the road, British style. I love Mullins Beach, but found the access is more difficult than it used to be. However, all the beaches in Barbados are public. A new find is Crane Beach with an amazingly beautiful cove. There is a wonderful sandy area, but the water is definitely rough and might not always be suitable for swimming. You have to go see the monkey preserve and it is a great island to rent a car and wander around on. We are off to St. Lucia next.

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India Trip Cancelled? …or I can really pick a cruise ship

Posted on April 2, 2012 by travelbynatasha

I was taking a blogging break until Tuesday when, one week out of our next trip, I planned to preview India.  Although we didn’t realize this when we scheduled, Boris and I were set to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic with an ocean cruise.  With a departure from Singapore, we were not too worried about icebergs.  It appears we should have been worried about fires.

In January the Costa Concordia ran aground killing 32 people.  Boris, Rocky, and I used to sail on Costa ships until they were sold to Carnival and the quality just went downhill.  It is a different way to cruise than most Americans are used to with its primarily European clientele.  There are lots of languages spoken on board.  We took our China/Japan trip on a Costa ship, but that is several more blog posts in and of itself.  A month after the Concordia disaster, Costa Allegra went adrift in the Indian ocean for three days in an area frequented by pirates.

Boris, Rocky, and I all cruised aboard the Concordia in the Mediterranean  during  Thanksgiving week one year.  Now I have picked another winner.  On April 12, we are scheduled to depart Singapore on the Azamara Quest for ports in Thailand and India.

Two days ago, there was a fire in the engine room on the Quest.  After being stranded 24 hours, power was restored and it limped into Malaysia today traveling about 6 miles an hour.  Essential function had been restored, but there was no air conditioning on board.  I have been watching the temperatures in our port cities; they range from the low to upper 90s.

I had been a little nervous traveling to India, but thought we would limit our health risks by staying on board the cruise ship.  Maybe I need to rethink that theory.  Ah, the best laid plans…

We are to receive an update tomorrow.  I’ll keep you all posted.  If not India, you may be reading blog posts about how to put together an international vacation at the last minute…

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Our Last Day in Bonaire and a few practical tips for traveling to the Island

Posted on March 19, 2012 by travelbynatasha

Gio’s on the main street for gelato
©Jean Janssen

This is our last day in Bonaire.  Resting, packing, and a little more island exploring is on the agenda.  We headed into town to grab lunch and just walk around the city center.  Most shops were closed from 12:30-2:00 for lunch.  If you wanted to eat lunch in town, there were very few options-probably different when the cruise ships are in town.  We had a big breakfast and still had plenty to munch on for lunch back at the room, so we opted for a midday dessert, gelato at Gio’s, right on the main street.  I tried the cheesecake with cherry topping and the coconut with chocolate.  The coconut was out of this world.  Loved the decorations here.  All black and white, with a few red accents-white leather chairs and black chandeliers.

Tablecloth at a downtown cafe which serves Dutch Pancakes.
©Jean Janssen

Things were pretty quiet in town today.  Many of the restaurants are open only at dinner.  During the day, most of the tourists are diving or windsurfing.  I was surprised at the number of restaurants not open on the weekends, even at night.  Our receptionist told me that many of the businesses are run by a husband and wife team with only one or two other employees.  They like to take the days off.

We walked around the town square where there was a food festival the last time be came to Bonaire.  We also walked along the harbor, saw all the sailboats, and checked out spots for seaside dining that evening.  Sometimes it is all about food.  Diving does work up an appetite.  (Oh yea, we are not diving today.)

Downtown Kralendijk
©Jean Janssen

caves along the Barkadera
©Jean Janssen

access point for 1,000 steps dive site
©Jean Janssen

It was not a sunny day and I was still nursing a sunburn, so we decided not to go to the windsurfing beach at Lac Bay as originally planned.  We drove down the Barkadera and checked out the oldest caves on the island.  As you continued down the road, you came to various dives sites, all marked with a yellow-painted stone with the site name.  The most popular was 1,000 steps, a site we had dove from the boat.  There were lots of divers there braving the steps and a few photographers like me just taking pictures.

a local greeter for the tourists
©Jean Janssen

A few practical matters about Bonaire.  US currency is the standard here, so American visitors have no worries.  MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted, as is American Express to a more limited extent.

My favorite road sign in Bonaire-diver crossing. ©Jean Janssen  You will want a car if you are staying on island for more than a few days (unless you plan to just dive or windsurf from your resort).  Gas is expensive, but the island is small so you don’t need much.  Driving on the right side is the correct side, so no difference there for most international drivers.  The big rental car company here is AB Car Rental; my friends rented from them with great success.  Total also does pretty big business.  I rented from Budget as a familiar company and one that offers an automatic transmission option.  I was not happy with them, a repair took a long time and they wanted me to pay for a tire that had been cut from the inside which had clearly not happened on my watch.  (We came out the first day to find the tire totally flat and the wheel sitting on the rim.  I had only driven the car to the resort. )  They seemed to be charging every other person returning a car for some repair.  Total Scam.  I would not rent from Budget again on Bonaire.

 

There are four major languages spoken on the island-Papiamentu (local language of the ABC islands), Dutch, English, and Spanish.  American visitors will have no issue communicating verbally, reading some of the packaging and signs, particularly in the grocery store, is a more of a challenge.

Temperatures are given in centigrade, so be prepared for a little conversion when putting things in the oven.  The controls on the appliances are also unfamiliar and there is some trial and error involved in the process.

If you want air conditioning, confirm your room has it before booking.  Even if they advertise AC, it is often only in the bedrooms.

Although readily available on the island, some rooms are not stocked with things like soap, paper towels, or cleaning supplies like dish washing liquid.  There is also no conditioner for your hair and believe me you will need it if you are getting in the salt water everyday.  (This is one of my major peeves about Walt Disney World, which I love by the way.  Why don’t they put conditioner in the rooms?  It’s a little more understandable on Bonaire.)  Also, many rooms don’t have microwaves.  This was my one suggestion to the Caribbean Club-get microwave ovens for the rooms.

A career-changing opportunity on Bonaire
©Jean Janssen

And finally, if you are like me and have an adult child who just hasn’t found himself or herself, or you have just always wanted to be part of the medical profession, may I suggest Bonaire and the St. James Medical School.  (It is also a popular hangout for the donkeys.  I spotted a herd of 7 of them there one morning.)

our view at dinner
©Jean Janssen

We ended the day with dinner along the harbor, wonderful seafood tapas at La Guernica.  We had to make sure we were packed and ready to go before going to sleep.  We had to wake up at 4:30 am to make our early flight home.  It was a wonderful trip.  Rocky thanked me often during the week.  I highly recommend a trip to Bonaire, especially if you love diving, windsurfing, or wild donkeys.

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Final Day of Diving

Posted on March 18, 2012 by travelbynatasha

This guy just looked right at me.
©Jean Janssen

We have to stay out of the water for 24 hours after completing our final dive before we fly, so this is our last day of diving.  Two wonderful dives today to 18 Palms and Country Garden.  It was sprinkling when we arrived at the pier.  We are in a smaller boat today, no cover over the gear.  Just about the time we boarded the boat and were putting our gear together, it started raining really hard.  It is not like we are not going to get wet, but at this point we are wearing our dry clothes, the ones we use after the dive to warm up.

posing scorpionfish
©Jean Janssen

18 Palms is on the south side of the island, near the airport.  It is a great site for seeing rays, although we didn’t spot one.  I saw several scorpionfish including one that seem to want to pose for me, very unusual.  Lots of schools of fish at this site and some wonderful coral.  The sky cleared just as we arrived at the dive site.

wonderful purple color at the tips
©Jean Janssen

Our next site was Country Garden at the north end of the island.  Longer boat ride for this one.  The sea was rocking and rolling on this end of the island, which made our entry and exit challenging.  Another turtle for my final dive and I saw wonderful schools of fish, very representative of Bonaire  diving.  A large school of blue tangs swam right through me at one point.

blue tangs in a variety of shades
©Jean Janssen

There were lots of nudibranch and something that looked like a daddy long-legs which may have been a brittle star.

After we got out, the sky was very clear and we had to deal with one of the other problems with having a smaller boat with   no cover- too much sun.  My “dry” clothes were wet from the earlier rain, but I got sunburned from the exposure after the dive, a no win situation.  It was a bad burn and gave me an excuse to go back to the grocery store in the afternoon.

A full size basket only if you rent it
©Jean Janssen

We cleaned our gear first and the soaked a few of the items in “sink the stink” before drying and packing everything for home.  We have tomorrow to let things fully dry out.  I went to the market for water and aloe vera for my skin.  I found out you can get one of the full size grocery carts by inserting money, which is returned at the end.  Apparently, people have now started to take the basket carts.  I saw Housekeeping  removing a basket cart from one of the rooms at our resort.

©Jean Janssen

There are always special treats to be had at the Dutch supermarket.  I skipped the disco sticks.  (I just couldn’t buy them after that Lady Gaga song).  We winged it on the ice cream (deciding by picture only) and got one with pears and nuts that was wonderful.  Let me recommend Peren Droomijs, perensorbet & slagroomijs, met karamelsaus & stukjes amandel by Hertog.  Bet you couldn’t figure it out without the picture either.

We ended the day on our porch enjoying the purple sunset and eating up the food we had bought or brought from home.  Only one more day in paradise.

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Eels and a milestone dive

Posted on March 17, 2012 by travelbynatasha

Photograph of a yellow frogfish I shot in Indonesia (2010)
©Jean Janssen

Thursday’s diving was really special, dives 199 and 200.  I had the camera today, but no strobe.  These were the least picturesque dives of the week, but you’ll see there was still a lot to photograph (all pictures from the previous post were from these dives).  There were some special finds today, a yellow frogfish (very rare) and a turtle (common, but always fun), some of my favorites to photograph.

photograph of a turtle I shot in Borneo (2004)
©Jean Janssen

spotted moray eel
©Jean Janssen

People have been seeing eels on our dives, but this was the first day I spotted one myself.  I saw several spotted moray eels.  You usually see them with their heads slightly out of their “cave” with their mouths open ready to catch whatever happens by.  I see eels all the time, but it is rare to see them free-swimming.  Today I saw two free-swimming eels.

My 200th open water dive
©Theodore F. Crane

Our second dive of the day was at Small Wall.  There was a cave at the bottom on the wall where Rocky got my picture in honor of my 200th dive!!  I am not sitting on the sand, just posing in a suspended state.

And because you can’t just stop at 200… we did a night dive so I could start off the third set of 100.  We went in at the Buddy Dive pier (easier than doing a night dive off a boat) and kicked out on the surface until we were past the moored boats.  Just as we were descending, a manta ray swam by.  So cool!!  The dive could have ended there and we would all have been happy.  It was a really a twilight dive.  I like Twilight dives, it is a much easier entry and you acclimate slowly as you lose the ambient light, watching the underwater activity change.  Right off the bat, I spotted two more eels.  It was the day for eels.  Plenty of light when we went in and we really only needed flashlights at the end.  Which was a good thing because Rocky and I carried 3 flashlights, one each and a backup, and both our primary lights ran out of juice during the dive.  We went to the pier together with the backup.  We were with our dive group, so no worries.  Rocky enjoyed this dive.  That is two night dives for him.

Rocky at the Small Wall dive site
©Jean Janssen

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“Lionfish Reef”

Posted on March 16, 2012 by travelbynatasha

We dove with schools of fish during each dive in Bonaire.
©Jean Janssen

We had originally scheduled afternoon boat diving, so I was half asleep when the knock came at the door at 7:45 am to let us know there was a schedule change and that we needed to be at the Dive Shop at 8:15.  I couldn’t even find the key to the front door and was speaking to Igor through the slats in the vents next to the door.  He said our neighbors were having their coffee on the porch and were wondering what was going on.

An underwater self portrait
©Jean Janssen

Rocky and I got up, he had breakfast, pulled all our gear together, and drove the 15 minutes to the dive shop to make it there on time.  Unfortunately, the underwater camera and my backup computer didn’t make it into the bag.  We had an all Italian crew-boat captain and dive guide.  Most of the staff is Dutch.  Only one equipment issue-loose straps on Rocky’s tank.  We might have this down by the time we leave at the end of the week.

A French Angelfish (the easiest to photograph because they are big and move slowly)
©Jean Janssen

We went out to Klein Bonaire again to a beautiful reef, Joanne’s Sunchi, which is on the south side of the island.  The wind picks up there later in the day, so the entry conditions are best early.  Of course since I didn’t have my camera, we saw lionfish, barracuda, anemone shrimp and the largest pair of porcupinefish I have ever seen.  “Granddaddy” just kept floating by, proud he had lived long enough to make it to that size.  In spite of the morning rush, it was a relaxing dive and I continue to do well on my air consumption, surfacing with half a tank or more after an hour-long dive.

A Juvenile Blue Tang (the adults look like “Dori”)
©Jean Janssen

We are back on the large catamaran functioning as a dive boat.  There is no head (toilet), but our dive master announced that “the facilities” were open at the end of the dive.  In others words, when everyone is out of the water they leave the ladders down and you can go back in without your wetsuit (we do wear swimsuits underneath for the uninformed) and hang out until you are done.  Have a loose swimsuit?  Even better.

Colorful coral and a branching vase sponge
©Jean Janssen

We met another family on the dive boat, also on spring break.  “Dad” had an underwater camera with dual wide-mounted strobe lights to go with his wide-angle lens.  Of course they were from Texas-everything is bigger in Texas (even if it’s from Texas being used in another country.)  Jane had her camera and daughter Svetlana (Rocky thought she said “slut-mamma”) was Mom’s spotter.  When she became bored with her camera assistant duties, she acted out “I dream of Jeannie” under the water.

A school of yellowtail snapper. Svetlana would rub her tummy like she was hungry every time we would see them.
©Jean Janssen

The junior diver in our group, Demetri, picked the second dive of the day based solely on the reef’s name, No Name.  The site is also off Klein Bonaire on the North side.  There is a white sand beach and a pirate ship ferried tourists back and forth to the shore on a dingy.  (There is another cruise ship in town today.)  This meant we had to be extra careful when surfacing as to not come up under the dingy’s motorblades.

I love spotted trunkfish
©Jean Janssen

We must have seen a dozen lionfish on this dive, often in groups of three.  Makes for an interesting mating ritual.  Back on the boat we began referring to the dive site as Lionfish Reef.   I also saw another barracuda and several tiny shrimp only about an inch long.  I spotted a juvenile porcupine fish in an interesting gold color.  Another fabulous, calm dive.

Rocky enjoying the sunset.
©Jean Janssen

©Jean Janssen

No night dive today, so cocktails at our friend’s house and then we all went out to dinner in town at a nice seafood restaurant, It Rains Fishes, where you sit on the porch and enjoy the breeze and the view of the harbor.  The girls discovered that the drinking age in Bonaire is 16 and a nice time was had by all.

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Windsurfing, Wild Donkeys, and Rocky’s first night dive

Posted on March 15, 2012 by travelbynatasha

I was back at the supermarket on Monday afternoon picking up supplies for a shared dinner with friends who had rented a house on the island near our resort-a wonderful spot on the Barkadera.

grazing goats on Bonaire
Photo©Jean Janssen

Tuesday morning, anticipating our night dive, we slept in.  Yes, I was still in my nightgown when housekeeping arrived.  I’m on vacation.   Before midday we headed out to do a little touring on the south side of the island.  We intended to stop in town, but a cruise ship was in port so we kept on driving.  We drove through the brush area where goats grazed freely.  My Daddy always used goats to clear patches of land, simply moving the fence lines when one area was cleared.

Windsurfing beach at Lac Bay
Photo©Jean Janssen

We passed the stables for horseback riding and the butterfly gardens and found ourselves at Lac Bay with its beautiful white sand beaches.  I always thought there wasn’t a lot to do on Bonaire if you weren’t diving, but I think there are as many windsurfers on the island as there are divers.  Several bars and restaurants line the beach and there are lots of places to rent or store windsurfing gear.  There is also a resort at Sorobon if you want to stay right where the action is.  Even if you aren’t surfing, you can rent a beach chair, have a drink, wade in the water, have a massage, or just watch the show.

Lounge chairs and the massage hut at Sorobon
Photo©Jean Janssen

view of the bay from Kon Tiki
Photo©Jean Janssen

We had lunch at Kon Tiki, a restaurant on the Bay.  Rocky and I enjoyed fresh fish and a banana shake-no alcohol before the night dive.  Kon Tiki also has apartments to rent with a view of the Bay.

After lunch we went back to town, passing the donkey sanctuary on the way in.  There are wild donkeys all over the island.  On my first trip here I rolled the window down to get a good picture of a donkey on the side of the road.  He stuck his head right in hoping for food.  I just tried not to get bitten.  As I asked my mom for help, she just kept taking pictures.  This time we left the windows rolled up or kept the finger on the power button.  Glad not to have the manual crank for the window in this rental vehicle.

Bonaire wild donkeys on the side of the road
Photo©Jean Janssen

We ended the day with a night dive at the salt pier.  There is a tremendous amount of salt mining on the south quarter of the island.  This is a beach dive, so you gear up (except for fins) on land and walk in.  Easier said than done; there was serious surf at the shore line. We dove in the dark by flashlight out to the pillars holding up the various platforms that make up the salt pier.  Lots of drama before the dive with tank issues.  I had the hardest time getting my fins on in the surf.  The dive master was behind me and Rocky in front putting them on.  Ridiculous.  Our dive master was Francesca from Parma (think Ham), Italy.  She was very patient with us, especially considering it was Rocky’s first night dive and the “dive Princess” couldn’t get her fins on.

scorpionfish

Underwater, Rocky and I were perfect and it was obvious Francesca was surprised (given the beach and surf drama).  We saw a scorpionfish right off the bat, wonderful coral in a wide variety of colors on the pillars, lionfish, and fluorescent plankton in the water-where you turned off your light to get the full effect.  Reloading your gear in the dark is challenging, but it was a great experience overall and I was so proud of Rocky.

We ended the day with a late dinner on our patio.  Perfection in Paradise.

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Our first dives

Posted on March 14, 2012 by travelbynatasha

We did our first dive in Bonaire on our arrival day, but not before taking a nap for several hours after our red-eye flight.  We are staying at the Caribbean Club which is affiliated with Buddy Dive.  We stayed at the Buddy Dive Resort the last time we came to Bonaire.  Caribbean Club is a little farther from town, but the price was significantly less and they had availability.  The island is very busy during spring break.

The entry platform at Buddy Dive Resort, Bonaire
Photo©Jean Janssen

We did a dive off the pier.  Good thing for me we did a check-out dive; one of my hoses was leaking air and the dive staff replaced it for me.  My last dive was October 2010 and boy did it feel great to get back in the water.  Buddy Reef is an easy dive site.  Straight out to the reef and then north along the reef into the current and then south riding the current back.  Twenty-five minutes out, takes only about 10 minutes back, a slow current.   We were down about 50 minutes.

The colorful fairy basslet

The colorful fairy basslet

I had forgotten about all the wonderful schools of fish in Bonaire.  The reef is really healthy, maybe even healthier than when we were here  3 years ago for spring break.  This is easy diving and a great location for beginners.  It was a good choice having not dove in a while.  We heard lots of languages being spoken on the pier; there are people here from all over the world.

Pasa Bon Pizza 5-11 pm Wednesday-Sunday
Photo©Jean Janssen

After cleaning our gear at the resort-our room includes a private rinse tank and locker-it was time for a shower, an evening cocktail, and dinner in town.  We have a favorite pizza place, Pasa Bon.  You can’t miss it.  It is on the main road and has an old stop light outside which blinks “stop” in red; “for” in yellow, and “pizza” in green.  There is always a long wait, so call ahead for reservations or order a pizza to go.  The house salad is also wonderful with fresh greens, cheese, pepperoni, olive, green pepper, and tomatoes on top.  The owner here is always in a panic; the place is just that popular.  After the travel, our wonderful meal, and the dive, it was easy to fall asleep that night.

The next morning we did two boat dives so it was an early start to the day.  The first reef was Sharon’s Serenity off Klein Bonaire, a small island just off the coast-a short 15 minute boat ride away.  Most diving in Bonaire is shore diving, but for the Klein Bonaire reefs you have to go out on a dive boat or take a water taxi over to the island.

A Bonaire Trunkfish

A Bonaire Trunkfish
Photo©Jean Janssen

I love the small trunkfish with their fast flapping fins and Rocky loves the color on the fairy basslets.  We saw angelfish, parrot fish, wrasses, butterfly fish, grouper, jacks, and blue tangs ( think Dori from Finding Nemo) among others.

After our surface interval spent on the boat traveling back to Bonaire, we did our second dive at 1,000 steps.  Yes, this is the name of the dive site, but it is also how you access it from the shore.  I vote for boat diving for this site, rather than wearing full gear and carrying a tank on my back down those steps.  There were people doing that though.  Can’t imagine going back up too, tired from your hour-long dive.

one of my Lionfish photos from Indonesia
Photo©Jean Janssen

It is a great dive site, I spotted a small lionfish (love it at full spread) and the dive guide showed us a small filefish in the tall soft coral, great camouflage.  I also spotted a colorful slug.

A Bonaire Slug

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