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.