Sunday 8 February 2015

Cutes like a knife!

Fish. For most people, they don't inspire the squeals of appreciation that newborn kittens do.

I am not one of those people.

Same goes for squid and lizards and even faceless tiny ants. So cute, it hurts.

While leaving the snorkel site called Front Porch, I stopped to look in the shallow tide pools formed at the edge of the water where the rocks and sand go from wet to dry. In the tiniest crevices were fully formed juvenile Sergeant Major fish. Normally these guys are yellow and black little fatties that hang out under the boats moored at the dropoff of the reef. The babies were the size of my pinkie fingernail in thimble-sized puddles of sea water. SQUEE! I was so lucky to even notice them but of course I dropped to my knees and gawked at them and their tiny whelk-snail friends.

Other spots for a for potential cuteness attacks are the floating ropes in the water. These ropes are used by boaters to tether their craft. They quickly become covered in algae and coral providing a safe haven for the little guys washed out from the beaches. Don't ignore these on your travels. Have a close look at the critters making their home there. I saw some of the tiniest puffer fish sitting on the ropes. They weren't even swimming, they were just having a rest being very adorable in their laziness. As always, look but don't touch! The red coral that tends to coat the rope is a bit stingy, er, by that I don't mean parsimonious, I mean venomous.

There was also a Very Brady Squidmas. Under a red floating buoy marked [sic] PRIVAT five happy little squid looked back at me with their shiny silver eyes. They looked like the kids from the Brady bunch because they ranged in size from tiny Cindy (around the size of my thumb) to grown-up Greg (around 7 inches) but it looked like someone finally committed that whacked-out Jan squid.

But what about the lizards? I am glad that you asked! The lizards are ubiquitous to Bonaire. They can be found crossing the road, in the kunuku (outback), up in the trees and in my apartment. Yes, there were two whiptail lizards - specifically: Cnemidophorus murinus murinus hanging out. I think they accidentally got locked in the night before I arrived so they were glad to escape out onto the patio. Honestly, these lizards are used to people. They instinctively run to whatever you toss on the ground to grab it. They liked my lettuce leaves and my rotini and even my bagel crumbs. I'm a regular Johnny Bagelseed, getting animals of all kinds hooked on the white sesame dragon. So they can be cute. Physically, the big-eyed geckos and anoles look like cartoonish anime characters so they are the cutest of the herps.

Oh, and the birds! Bonaire has a native yellow-shouldered parrot population that can be seen all around town especially early in the morning and just before sunset. I set out a tub of water on the back patio of my apartment and it attracted lots of birds including Doves, Troupials, Bananaquit and others which I can't identify. There, they drank and bathed and bickered with the lizards and preened one another. It really made my topside experience so much nicer to have all of these critters in the backyard. One night, a one footed Black Crowned Night Heron hobbled into the area. I felt bad for him but he was full grown so he must be managing just fine.

All this to say that if cute is your bag, you can find it in Bonaire. From the more traditional fuzzy goat kids or donkeys at the sanctuary to the more reptilian or cephalopodian or just plain fish. Look for the cute wherever you stand!


Where my fishes at?

My catch-phrase of the week. Oh, yeah. I'm so funny underwater.

There were a lot of laughs in the past week. I usually travel alone so I'm my best audience.

What are you going to see when you get under the surface? In Bonaire, you just never know. On online forums like BonaireTalk or Scubaboard, there are always questions like: "What's the best spot?" and "Where can I see turtles?"

The quick and easy answer is anywhere you are is the best spot and yes, you can possibly see a turtle there.

My advice is to be in the water and keep your eyes open. Beautiful things will be revealed. Be patient. Do not swim to the things...the things will come to you. Parking yourself over a patch of coral might seem counter-productive but it works.

This trip, I had a lovely Tarpon swim right by me in around 10 feet of water. Sorry that this blog is devoid of pictures or links to fish ID sites, it would be too much work to get permission for each species but please, do Google to learn more. In short, a Tarpon is a huge fish that to the inexperienced might be mistaken for something toothy and dangerous. In truth, it is a sleek, shiny, beautiful torpedo shaped beast with a sad, almost bored-looking expression. So bored-looking that I did its voice into my snorkel for my own amusement: "oh, a floating human...pft. NEXT!"

The next thing I know, a really big Hawksbill turtle glides by at depth.

Did I mention that I was in 10 feet of water right at Playa Lechi, easily walkable from downtown and the cruise ship terminal? Yeah. No need to go far for this big 'un! When it surfaced for air, I could not believe the size of it. Maybe two feet across? It looked like a floating buoy that the boaters use to mark their mooring spots.

Later in the week, I did some sunset snorkels along the rocky edges of the sea-wall in Kralendijk. It was really fun to get in the water just as the eels wake up. In the daytime, you can just barely see their mottled skin in the crevices and hidey-holes looking like a collection of Fran Drescher's hand bags.

At dusk, they start to pop their heads out gaping and yawning and gradually venturing out for the hunt. Again, the inexperienced might be afraid but there is nothing to fear as long as you keep your hands to yourself. The eels are abundant and varied in colour and size. It's a treat not to be missed. Since you can do this literally feet from shore, there is no need for a dive light, the setting sun and street lights are enough to illuminate the spectacle until it gets really dark.

At sunset, the Parrotfish also get a little frisky before bed. I made sure to shower after getting a bit too involved in their sexy fishy sperm soup.

I'm leaving out so much in my stories because everywhere you look, there are colourful fish. This trip, I saw lots of Filefish but no Barracuda. I saw a bazillion Pufferfish including the usual Porcupinefish but one standout was a Web Burrfish! I had never seen one before, it was so alien. I'm not a marine biologist but I knew right away that this guy was not your average puffer.

However, sometimes looking for that unicorn, you can fool yourself. One day, I was convinced that I found the longest eel on the island because it looked to be about 9 feet long!! Upon closer examination, it was actually two sibling eels cozied up face to face with their tails trailing behind them. Phew. The island is safe from the giant eel invasion.

There is just no way to describe it. You have to see for yourself, there is nothing easier than popping into the water and having a peek. Guaranteed, you will be amazed.


Easy is the word of the day

So you throw some fins, a snorkel and a wetsuit into a suitcase. Maybe some comfy bike shorts and a couple of tank tops and t-shirts and some sandals along with no more than three pairs of undies can fit too. Easy.

Wear the rest of your outfit, in my case a long skirt with thigh high socks from American Apparel. Socks are easier to deal with than tights because you can put them on or take them off pretty much anywhere. Layering is key, a light long sleeved top, a hooded sweater with a light jacket replaces a heavy coat. Once I added my tuque and scarf, I was pretty much indistinguishable from the rest of the winter-weary commuters in Montreal. 

For footwear, I have a pair of waterproof Merrell sneakers which although they aren't particularly warm, have excellent traction for negotiating down an icy, snowy hill carrying a 28kg duffel and a carry-on tote. Yeah, I made the duffel a bit heavy by packing a week's worth of food rations. Cans of tuna and a pound of pasta are not hard to come by in Bonaire but I'd rather schlep it by plane than lug it home from the grocery store in the heat.

Luckily, my home is a seven minute walk to the bus terminal where I can catch the 747 shuttle to the airport. The fare is covered by my monthly transit pass but if you're from out of town, you can buy a single ticket for around 10 dollars in coins only. At the airport and at the bus terminal there are machines and certain electronic parking meter stations can issue you a ticket and you can pay using a credit card but god forbid you show up and hand a purple $10 bill to the bus driver. He'll be sure to cuss you out in Quebec's official language. I'd like to say "easy" but, due to bureaucracy, not so much.

Airport check in at YUL is hit or miss. I was there ridiculously early for my late afternoon flight and enjoyed zero waiting time. Bought my travel bagels right at the gate...that's convenience! Flight time to Newark is just around one hour but some air traffic and ground crew issues meant an extra hour gate to gate. Still, pretty easy considering how iffy the weather can be in winter. The duffel came off the baggage carroussel and I whipped over to the handy Air Train monorail to catch the airport hotel shuttle. Next morning, I reversed the procedure, shuttle, monorail, checking my bag back in and breakfast!

Pro-tip for those in the middle seat of an airplane. Acquaint yourself with a toothbrush before boarding. Oy. The guy next to me had such stinky breath that I had to keep my handkerchief over my mouth for the duration of the flight.

Luckily, the time passed quickly and I worked on crocheting a cotton lace doily which is relaxing and somewhat productive.

Before I knew it the ice chunks in the ocean turned into yachts and dive boats as we approached for landing.

My cab was waiting for me in the terminal and the driver handed me my key to unit #1 at Bonaire Oceanfront Apartments. 15 minutes later, I was in the dive shop purchasing my Marine Park permit to snorkel. For ten bucks a year, I feel good about supporting STINAPA, the organization that protects the reefs. Not even an hour after clearing customs, I was back in the ocean in my favourite place in the world. Now that's easy.

Tuesday 3 February 2015

Bonaire Trip Report introduction

January 31-Feb 8 2015

Bonaire. If you're not big into scuba diving, I'll bet you have never heard of it.

Part of the Netherlands Antilles in the Southern Caribbean only 45 miles off the coast of Venezuela, Bonaire is the ultimate place for divers and snorkelers alike. It's fairly easy to get to from Europe, just hop on a KLM flight from Amsterdam!

It's fairly easy to get to from North America with direct flights from Newark, Atlanta, Houston and Miami and lots of options with connections via CuraƧao.

Languages spoken on the island include Papiamentu, Dutch, English and Spanish.

Walking downtown you also hear German and French and Italian and Russian. There is even a Chinese population here. It is the world compressed into 112 square miles.

Why do divers love it? There is a protected fringing reef surrounding the island and its little satellite island Klein Bonaire. The land is flat. Getting to a dive site is as simple as pulling over to the side of the road and entering the water. You don't need a boat here. You don't even really need a car! (Although I do recommend getting one to visit the more remote areas.)

The Dutch people are efficient businessmen and friendly to their customers but not as customer-service oriented when compared to the Americans. I always find it necessary to ask for what I need or want. It's rare to find someone who tries hard to sell you something. That is a plus for a lot of people.

Accommodations run from high-end private villas to hotels to furnished studio apartments. There are a few places that offer all-inclusive packages. Most offer dive & drive packages which include car and unlimited diving / tank refills.

It's hot here. The sun will burn you in minutes so you can't go out in a teeny bikini with no sunscreen. I always wear a wetsuit, not for cold water protection but mostly to keep the burning away.

Although it's hot, it is rarely humid. There is a constant wind which makes for superb kite-surfing and sailing conditions. The wind makes being indoors bearable too. I find that air conditioning is only needed if there is no ceiling fan or adequate window ventilation.

So I'm here for the seventh time. My seventh week. Next trip I can say that I've lived on the island for two months and one day, I hope to say that I live here.

Fish stories to come!