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Local Items: Two images
Bonaire Talk: Local Items: Archives: Archives 2001- 2004: Archives - 2002-10-18 to 2003-04-30: Two images
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Robert Fishman (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #1) on Monday, March 17, 2003 - 8:50 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

french angel
pick axe

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Robert Fishman (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #2) on Monday, March 17, 2003 - 9:11 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

queen angel
pick axe

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Robert Fishman (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #3) on Monday, March 17, 2003 - 9:27 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Two images of Bonaire. Two memories. Both images taken during my most recent vacation last month. Both real. The queen angel taken while diving with my wife, Charlotte, and good friends Diver Debbi and Adam. The image of the pick axe was taken the morning it was used to break into the house we were renting while we slept. It was used to pry the bars off the window over our sink. I thought the image of the pick axe might bring the topic of crime into focus. Give it a face. Let others see what we saw when we were awaken by the intruder.

The image of the Queen Angel is what we would have liked to remember about our vacation.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By DIVER DEBBI (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #225) on Monday, March 17, 2003 - 9:45 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Wow ! Bob you did it....gave an image to what I could'nt explain in words.. " a picture is worth a thousand words"..now we just have to write letters to all those addresses Jake provided in the other thread ..then can we go diving ? what happened to Kadushi Bob ?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Robert Fishman (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #4) on Monday, March 17, 2003 - 10:09 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Debbi,

I felt it was time. After a month of thought, I found, I hope, a way to express both feelings I have. The love we all share for the Island and its' good people we call friends, and the pain we feel when someone we care for is ill.

By acknowledging and discussing the issue, I am confident a cure will be found.

kadushi bob

after four years of lurking on BT, something to say and still willing to listen

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Niki Harris (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #698) on Tuesday, March 18, 2003 - 12:03 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

A truly stark contrast. Good for us to see, though.

De-lurking after four years... nice to meet you. :-)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Chet Wood (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #350) on Tuesday, March 18, 2003 - 8:37 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi Bob (& Charlotte),
Welcome to the ranks of "Talker".
1) Sorry we missed you two this year,
2) Thanks for delivery and distribution of "Feb/Mar 03 BT'er" buttons (now that you are a talker, I hope you kept one for yourself),
3) Also, sorry it took the crime issues (very personal to you and the Wetzel's now) to bring you to "Talker" status,
4) We've been very fortunate in our 6 visits to Bonaire, no personal experience yet with crime, except maybe the nuisance of "the Club" and car alarms.
Chet

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Robert Fishman (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #5) on Tuesday, March 18, 2003 - 2:48 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi Niki,
Nice to finally say hello to you and all.

Chet & Jean,
Hope to share another good meal together at Gibi's someday. BTW I have the complete set of BT pins ( both years :-).

As far as the topic goes, I have a few observations to share. First, stealing from cars and vans at dive sites on Bonaire is similar to lighting off fireworks by youths in the States. Totally illegal but accepted reluctantly by the authorities. Any other conclusion would require us to believe that the authorities were inept.

( Is it true that there are only eight police officers on the island?)

Consider Car Rental Agencies that insist we leave our vehicles unlocked to avoid broken glass. They tell us never to leave anything behind in our vehicles while diving. We are told never leave anything on the clothesline. Such policies lead me to believe that the Business Community has given up.

Another issue is the owner of the apartment we rented who wished us to remain silent of the break in and not publish our unfortunate experience. Why would he take such a stance?

We have been the victims of crime four years in a row. Mostly t shirts and hats and lunch bags. I am sure that without a potential police log being published and people like us coming forward, the true extent of the situation will be never known and continued to be covered up. As long as we tolerate it, the crime will continue.

Before making my personal experience public, I did fill out the crime report supplied by BONHATA. I also reported the thefts to the police. When robbed of personal possessions at a dive site, STINAPA was immediately contacted. No one has ever responded to my appeals. Although the Authorities and Business community speak several languages, I'm afraid they may only understand one, the Guilder!

I am sure our experience is not unique, except that maybe others might have given up sooner. The fact that we choose to rent outside of the patrolled resorts may add to our vulnerability. Boat diving also would not expose us to the potential liabilities that shore diving has. But isn't this the birthplace of Diving Freedom?

I choose not to give up. I have ideas, but afraid no one to listen.

kadushi bob

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Peggy Wages (BonaireTalker - Post #34) on Tuesday, March 18, 2003 - 4:52 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

My room at the Plaza (ground floor unit) was broken into while I was sleeping, several years ago. The burgler lifted the sliding glass door and slid it open, and took everything while we were sleeping (even stuff off the nightstand between the beds).

Plaza personnel acted mortified and tried to compensate for at least the cash we lost. We were told later than they increased security as well due to the incident, installing cameras around the property.

Thank goodness we didn't wake up while the burgler was in the room, that could have been tragic.

It's a strange feeling to know that a stranger has stood over me while I was sleeping.

Peggy

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob Davison (BonaireTalker - Post #34) on Wednesday, March 19, 2003 - 12:11 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Maybe its time that a portion of the abhorant DEPARTURE tax go to increased patrol of the dive sites. Is any of the Marine Park tax allocated to this effort?

Of course with most taxes that usually implies an INCREASE in the amount.

Bob

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Robert Fishman (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #6) on Wednesday, March 19, 2003 - 1:19 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Bob,

Thank you for your response. This is the direction I hope this thread takes. That is, offering suggestions that may have an impact on a solution.

I for one would not be against an increase of the $20 Marine Park fee if I knew for sure it were going, as you suggest, to better patrolling of dive sites.

I would assume everyone agrees that the Pink Bus venture has been a success with regards to deterring crime. I am not aware how much of it's funding if any now is public. I feel that expanding on the formula, whether public or private, would certainly be a step in the right direction.

I know all the beaches in my state have lifeguards on duty. How much do you think it would cost to have "Lifeguards" at say 10 dive sites? Would a five dollar increase in the Marine Tax support it?

kadushi bob

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By DIVER DEBBI (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #232) on Wednesday, March 19, 2003 - 11:14 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I'm in for any extra fee to patrol the dive sites..STINAPA or whoever that patrol car was that took theft report that day was really not very effective, just kinda smiled and said "report it to the police in town "...what is needed is a guard at each..maybe not each..but certain sites that we can count on the van not being molested while gone in the water...be happy to pay someone each time at specific sites..like a parking lot fee

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Linda Richter - NetTech (Moderator - Post #1370) on Thursday, March 20, 2003 - 8:06 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

An idea for right now:
Drop your gear and dive buddy at a dive site up one or down one from the Divebus, park at the Divebus and walk back to gear up and get in the water. Then make a one way dive to the Divebus location. This would work well on the southern shore. It also extends your possible dive sites while still having the security of the Divebus. And there are always those cool drinks and ice creams after diving.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Glen Reem (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1370) on Thursday, March 20, 2003 - 6:55 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Debbi,

As long as the fee is official not like the 'fee' paid to park safely on the street at some places in NYC.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Robert Fishman (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #7) on Thursday, March 20, 2003 - 9:09 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Linda,

I like your idea. A technique that Debbi taught me for underwater navigation might be beneficial with your suggestion.

After swimming out to the reef from our shore dive site entry point, we position on the ocean floor a red & white float ( a.k.a. fishing bobber) attached to a 2 lb. dive belt weight with a 3' long red plastic tape. This now becomes our return marker. From the marker, we denote it's underwater depth ( usually 15-20ft.) and angle of degree back to our entry point on land.

Our typical dive profile then would be to head into the current at any desirable depth. Once the first diver in our party reaches 1500psi, we turn around and slowly rise to the depth our marker was placed at. Once we return to the marker, we reverse our entry angle and return to the exact entry point.

Now let's say we make this dive profile the first of the morning at the Pink Bus. Instead of picking up the marker at the end of the dive, we leave it underwater.

From this point we now institute your suggestion of ferrying all but the designated driver up one dive site during offgassing. Driver returns car back to bus, walks back to meet others, everyone gets in water,and once again exits at the underwater marker.

One other advantage of your suggestion is extended bottom time due to the conservation of air not used in fighting the current on the second dive!

I think your suggestion matched with Debbi's technique should make you both charter members of the Bonaire Talk Think Tank !

 


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