BonaireTalk Discussion Group
Getting to Bonaire: These Storms...
Bonaire Talk: Getting to Bonaire: Archives: Archives 2006-2008: Archives - 2008-03-01 to 2008-12-31: These Storms...
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tom Nic (BonaireTalker - Post #19) on Saturday, August 30, 2008 - 8:28 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Is anybody else watching these storms with a bit of trepidation? I feel a bit silly when all I have at stake is a vacation when some people might loose their homes or their lives, but...

We fly through Miami on the way to Bonaire leaving Sep 12th. We've been anxiously awaiting our time in Bonaire and now are anxiously watching the weather channel.

Assuming things clear up and we make it OK, are these storms affecting Bonaire at all, and if so, how?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Greg Mossman (BonaireTalker - Post #13) on Saturday, August 30, 2008 - 8:30 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I'd also like to know how, since they're so far away from Bonaire.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Freddie, (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #10641) on Saturday, August 30, 2008 - 8:32 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi Guys,, here is a thread that is over in the local section..
Storms

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tom Nic (BonaireTalker - Post #20) on Saturday, August 30, 2008 - 8:36 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thanks for the link Freddie... Tough times on Cayman and elsewhere...

I do hope that folks will also post on this thread, and since it is about many of us actually GETTING to Bonaire it should be relevant to the discussion group and interesting for all of us.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Freddie, (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #10642) on Saturday, August 30, 2008 - 8:38 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I'll put a link over on that thread as well..

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jim Woodward (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #141) on Saturday, August 30, 2008 - 9:45 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

In addition to the Caribbean Hurricane Nework, take a look at Weather Underground--just google it and look for Tropical Weather. Here in Florida, September 12 is too far away to even consider--the 2 current storms should be gone by then. Keep an eye on Invest 97 though. btw, we are going on a cruise out of Miami on the 22nd, so we are watching for vacation AND house!!!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Susan Davis, InfoBonaire, Bon. Insider (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #238) on Sunday, August 31, 2008 - 7:10 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi, all--for a weather report from a local, it's now hot-hot-hot, fairly still winds, and clear skies. Last week we were a bit cloudy as what was Gustav before it was Gustav sort of come by, but then it went north and we didn't even have any rain (at least where I'm at).

Water is pretty calm, and warm, we can experience wind reversals when there are storms north of us, but these are now pretty far away. I think the biggest threat for these storms for Bonaire visitors will by if they get in the way of your airline's flight plans.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ann Phelan - www.bonairecaribbean.com (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3287) on Sunday, August 31, 2008 - 7:49 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

For great weather info and posts go to www.stormcarib.com.

I find the weather perhaps the hottest Aug. I have seen since 2001 but what do I know..no wind..yuck..

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tom Nic (BonaireTalker - Post #21) on Sunday, August 31, 2008 - 11:04 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Great suggestions! Thanks for the links, and for the immediate weather report.

Interesting that the winds have been fairly still already. I was told that they typically die down in September October. Is this correct?

I realize that low winds make things REALLY hot... But I also understand that these are also good times to dive some of the Southern sites that are more exposed - less surf, less surface currents, etc. If this is true I'm actually looking forward to the winds being a little more still, although I know this will make things HOT!

Lord willing we'll be there from Sep 13 to 24th... we can hardly wait! Hoping to hit the coral spawn and some sites that we haven't dove due to wind and waves. And in the meantime my thoughts and prayers go out to those in the paths of these storms.

Thanks again for the input, it's appreciated... Keep it coming!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Susan Davis, InfoBonaire, Bon. Insider (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #239) on Sunday, August 31, 2008 - 11:33 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Yes, Tom, you can expect light to no winds in September and early October, along with higher humidity, both of which contribute to feeling the heat more. The last two weeks in October, the winds will start to pick up slightly again.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Greg Mossman (BonaireTalker - Post #14) on Sunday, August 31, 2008 - 12:36 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Yikes, I was hoping for a least a little breeze. We're flying in Saturday a.m. Oh well, like Tom said, it should make more southern sites accessible. I guess we'll be frequenting the few restaurants that have A/C if the nights are too stifling.

How have the bugs been?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Susan Davis, InfoBonaire, Bon. Insider (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #240) on Sunday, August 31, 2008 - 3:31 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi Greg, I would rate the bug population on "low to medium" right now. It's not nearly as bad as it is during rainy season, but in the past month we did have a few good showers, which ramped them up a bit.

Restaurants that come to mind that have airco--Casablanca, Patagonia, Papaya Moon, Capriccio's, Bistro de Paris, Cactus Blue, and China Nobo. Susan

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By *joe brannan* (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #511) on Sunday, August 31, 2008 - 4:02 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Tom, I'm on the Houston to Bonaire redeye on 9/13, so we should be in the water at the same time. Watching the hurricane(S) from a different perspective as I live 25 miles in shore and 120 miles down the coast from Houston. It looks, for now, like we're dodging the Gustav bullet as it tracks more east, so we say prayers for those that are getting hit and try to remember for next time that it could be us that time. It's kind of the nature of living near the coast.
Maybe I'll see you in Bonaire...I'm the very attractive man (ok....portly?) who's constantly accused of looking like Willie Nelson (maybe Willie and a half).

hopefully see ya there

joe

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Greg Mossman (BonaireTalker - Post #15) on Sunday, August 31, 2008 - 6:33 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thanks for the list, Susan! I hadn't realized Papaya Moon had a/c, as we ate outdoors last time. Maybe we'll try them again, see if they can get our order right this time. The food was great there, but just not what we ordered, and for a Tex-Mex place, they made one of the worst margaritas I've had on the island. The rest are already on my to-do list for this visit, save for China Nobo, except that I'm not sure if Casablanca is open because they never responded to my online reservation request I sent last week (I always like to make at least one reservation ahead of time, for the Saturday we fly in).

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tom Nic (BonaireTalker - Post #22) on Sunday, August 31, 2008 - 7:31 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi Joe! Hope to bump into you! I'm the attractive (uhmm... portly) guy with the silly "I'm so excited to be in Bonaire I can't stand it" grin! :-) We're staying at the Golden Reef - a couple of buddies and our non-diving wives.

I'm really looking forward to diving some of the sites that you need to stay away from in "normal" winds and surf. Who knows, maybe I'll finally get to do the Lighthouse?

In the meantime I'm glad the mosquitos aren't ferocious right now. That would be a REAL downside of less wind - nothing to blow the skeeters away! 12 days till lift off!!

Thanks to all who are answering these posts. Really appreciate the info.

-Tom Nic

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By *joe brannan* (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #512) on Sunday, August 31, 2008 - 9:01 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Mebbe we could do a "attractive yet portly" parade. We'd probably need to close the streets tho (that's Texas portly and you know how we are down here). I'm not exactly sure where Golden Reef is but I think it's in Hato so we'll be kinda neighbors, we're in a little blue house (Topana Cottage) on Playa Lechi about a block north of the old Yellow Submarine shop. Wouldn't mind hooking up as I dive and the wife doesn't.
Just honk at "Mr. Nelson"....Willie not Ozzie dangit.

later

J

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Susan Davis, InfoBonaire, Bon. Insider (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #242) on Monday, September 1, 2008 - 8:04 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Greg, there are lots of restaurants which are planning to close for all or part of September, because this is usually the slowest month of the year, and a lot of the retaurant folks take their vacations. That may be why you may not have heard back from Casablanca.

If you have a preference for airco, be sure to tell the restaurant that when you make your reservation. My experience is that most people prefer outside seating, and the interior rooms are normally only set up when specifically requested.

Have a great trip!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Greg Mossman (BonaireTalker - Post #18) on Monday, September 1, 2008 - 10:39 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

I think this will be my third trip in a row when Casablanca is closed. I'm beginning to think it doesn't really exist, that it's either a mass hallucination or a conspiracy against me.

But I'll survive. I can go to Patagonia instead. I know they're open!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Greg Mossman (BonaireTalker - Post #20) on Tuesday, September 2, 2008 - 1:52 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

No conspiracy, they're open and I have a reservation for Saturday night in air-conditioned comfort. We'll brave the heat to eat "outdoors" at Wil's or ML or D&G's later in the week after we've acclimated.

To keep somewhat on topic, while Gustav and Hanna won't be affecting the island or my travel through Houston on Friday, now we already have Ike and Josephine to worry about. Both are tracking well to the north of Bonaire itself, but I wonder if they're going to be close enough to cause wind-reversals and/or rains? Next time, I'm probably better off ignoring all this hurricane stuff and just seeing what I end up with when I finally arrive.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Susan Davis, InfoBonaire, Bon. Insider (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #243) on Wednesday, September 3, 2008 - 7:21 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Greg, as it looks like now with the predicted tracks of both, neither Ike nor Josephine will be close enough to cause much in wind reversals for Bonaire.

Now Hanna is a different story. She was coming south yesterday, and some of the reaches of her cloud bands are reaching Bonaire, where it's a bit cloudy at moments. I see this morning that she's already turned north again, so in my non-expert opinion, it shouldn't be too much of a worry.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tom Nic (BonaireTalker - Post #30) on Friday, September 12, 2008 - 1:11 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Well, it looks like Ike is going to mess up some folks' plans to get to Bonaire - my heartfelt sympathies to you, and prayers for those in Ike's path.

We fly out of Seattle this evening. When I originally booked our tickets using frequent flier miles I was disappointed because the only route available to us was a red eye to Miami, long layover, then San Juan to Bonaire - about 24 hours of travel. As it turns out, we are flying AROUND Ike and should make it to Bonaire no problem, God willing. Funny how things work out sometimes...

My heart goes out to those whose travel plans have been interrupted...

Good luck, Tom

 


Visit: The Bonaire WebCams - Current Bonaire images and weather!
The Bonaire Insider - the latest tourism news about Bonaire
The Bonaire Information Site, InfoBonaire
Search Bonaire - Search top Bonaire Web sites


Topics Last Day Last Week Tree View    Getting Started Formatting Troubleshooting    New Messages Keyword Search Contact Moderators Edit Profile Administration