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Trip Reports: More trip- Mike and Tami 1/29-2/5
Bonaire Talk: Trip Reports: Archives: Archives 2000 to 2005: Archives - 2004-08-02 to 2005-05-08: More trip- Mike and Tami 1/29-2/5
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tami Lamb (BonaireTalker - Post #36) on Monday, February 14, 2005 - 10:56 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Now the diving part- I am SO GLAD that Shelly (littlenurse) said that they also found the shore dives a little difficult. Bonaire is where I learned to shore dive- and although I AM older now- I didn't remember that it was quite so difficult to get in and out. We did some lovely boat dives on Klein (man!! after fighting in and out on the shore the boat was wonderful!!)- Mike says that he likes Klein the best- everything is in such good condition. We always saw tons of fish and corals and even a bright yellow rainy off and on that whole week and the water had an awful lot of stuff stirred up in it. It wasn't the 100+ vis that we were used to (OK, maybe just 100!)- but you can certainly see all the scatter in the pictures. (well, and Mike had a new camera as well, still not used to it- I think there will have to be a few more trips with the darn thing- OR a new camera. Nothing like playing with expensive digital toys. )In fact- there was one day that was downright freezing on the water- it was warmer IN the water than out.
1st day- Aquaria and Invisibles- Mike picked some easy ones since I had grouched so much about the checkout dive off of Yellow Submarine- it was a great dive and we saw a seahorse, but I don't like diving where there are boats coming in and out- plus I was tired and very fussed about my weights. (Hey- I had LOST weight and I still ended up with more on than when we had gone diving off the live-aboard. Explain that one to me someone!! I went from 4 to NINE pounds of lead!) We saw banded shrimp and flamingo tongues and eels and a teeny baby flounder- plus all the usual fish. Trumpetfish in all colors- one that Mike swears was following me around trying to turn pink like my BC.
Then we went north to Karpata and Ol' Blue. You really need to scout the shore before you commit to going in- we found a much easier spot at Ol' BLue to get down to the sand and a pretty good spot to get in the water. Karpata (in my humble fussy opinion) STINKS to get in and out of the water- but you are talking to a small(ish) person here- I CANNOT- not matter what my dive buddy says- just step up out of the surge. My legs are short and my foot always fits perfectly into the small nooks and crannies. Plus- I can't even touch to bottom until I am on the rocks so floating and putting fins off and on is a chore. Even with a smaller tank there are many amusing (for the shore people) moments watching me sliding on my knees or my bottom across all the rocks at the edge of the water. I just can't get my balance - even the smallest of me right across the backs of my knees. (ho, ho my hubby says as he strides manfully out of the water while I remember all the spiney sea urchins that I just saw in the cracks where my foot is heading. Glad I got those new booties. Then he reaches back and grabs my tank and hauls me in after him. I wish he would just give up and carry me.)
Last shore dive day we did the early thing and went to Hilma- we were the ONLY ONES on the wreck. Couldn't believe it. saw a cleaning station but vis was poor once we got down to the underside of the wreck. Our final dive we drive down to "Sweet Dreams". Wow- I have NEVER seen such beautiful soft corals. wow, wow. It was a great dive- there was some surge and current- definately you have to pay pretty good attention to what you are doing getting in an our. (Entry good for me- exit me shreiking "Help me out" while the waves threw me on m knees!! Dutch sunbathers wondering why this was fun.) I can see why someone broke a bone. My shins still hurt.
Last part- the eats review in a few moments.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tami Lamb (BonaireTalker - Post #37) on Monday, February 14, 2005 - 10:59 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

what are those red dots in my post? We saw a frog fish and it was rainy. And the second group said that the waves were hitting me. (gee if you use your imagination you can make that post a lot more interesting!)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Gord Alder (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #9) on Monday, February 14, 2005 - 11:40 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

And I thought you were swearing about the difficult entry and exit.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kelly Baum (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #2286) on Monday, February 14, 2005 - 12:26 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Tami, if your husband doesn't have any problems getting out, you might want to take off your gear, all of it, and let him haul it in for you?? We dainty people must stick together. [STOP LAUGHING, CYNDE...darn it!! I AM dainty !!... lol]

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob Birk (BonaireTalker - Post #57) on Monday, February 14, 2005 - 12:26 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I'm with you all the way, Tami. We were there at the same time you were and found the same problem with the swells. We didn't get to dive the park because of them. I scratched up my legs at Aquarius, took a couple knee divots and an urchin spine to the thumb at the Hooker, and topped it all off with a shin gash at the salt pier. The gash really needed 2 or 3 stitches, but I just taped it together with steri strips (we come prepared). Our last trip to Bonaire was 5 years ago, and it was definitely calmer then. Ol Blue was the exception, that was an easy entry and exit, good snorkeling for the snorkelers, and a sweet and easy dive.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tami Lamb (BonaireTalker - Post #38) on Monday, February 14, 2005 - 12:41 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Only if 'frog fish' is a swear word in another language. and I WASN'T swearing.....well, not a whole lot so that you could hear me- I did know to keep the regulator in my mouth (Let face it- I kept it in until I was practically back at the truck!!) I did want to try to float my BC in and out and see if that made anything easier, but the saner head of Mike prevailed- I know that he was seeing himself swimming out to sea to retrieve all my gear. (I do not do well with the 'putting your fins on while floating' exercise. In fact- I am constantly messing with my finstraps because my feet are small and they always feel as if my fins are coming off and taking my bootie with it.)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Susan Feldman (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1162) on Monday, February 14, 2005 - 12:52 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Tami,
For what it's worth (which may not be much :-)) my husband has drilled it into my head to put my snorkel into my mouth as soon as I surface particularly when it's rough.

His justification: if you get caught by a wave and pushed down and under, your first impulse is to clamp down on your breathing (not breathe at all). This is a bad thing when you are breathing compressed air - even if you're in relatively shallow water, the pressure changes can cause a big problem when you come back up.

Just something you might want to think about.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tami Lamb (BonaireTalker - Post #39) on Monday, February 14, 2005 - 1:26 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I'm more a reg person- I even keep mine in my mouth until I am ON the boat- don't ever want to fall back in but I could see how it could happen if it is rough. I actually HATE my snorkel- have never found one that I like- it doesn't fit in my mouth...pulls off my mask...I don't hold my head right so the end is constantly under water. Indeed, it is amazing that I can dive at all because I am a failure at snorkeling- even just plain for fun snorkeling. (Although this last trip I was able to do the surface swims snorkeling without too much trouble. I think that if I can relax and not think about it.......its because I had something else to fuss about!!)(those ins and outs..)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By seb (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1986) on Monday, February 14, 2005 - 1:36 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Tami. I am a big fan of longer snorkels. I have a big head, so a regular snorkel is drowndingly short for me. I too, keep the reg in, sometimes all the way to the truck, as it keeps my mask on my face and I can see where I'm going ( prescription mask) w/o tightening my mask strap, which is loosey goosey after I've descended.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Gail Thomas (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #520) on Monday, February 14, 2005 - 6:23 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Tami - I'm with you too. I hate the snorkle, have not found one that I'm comfortable with, and keep my reg in until my feet are on solid ground! What ever works best for you!

(Whatever are the red dots?)

(Message edited by ski9413 on February 14, 2005)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Susan Feldman (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1164) on Monday, February 14, 2005 - 7:24 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I'm not a big fan of the snorkel either - they don't ever seem to have comfortable mouthpieces - but I am a fan of my lungs, and if a big wave pushed me down and popped me back up again with me too surprised to breathe, I'd rather it happen with a snorkel in my mouth than the regulator and compressed air in my lungs. Lung expansion injury does not sound like a day at the beach to me. :0

I know that's not all that likely in Bonaire and in shallow water there, but I think my husband's point is that if you do this as a habit you'll be ready should you find yourself in that predicament.


(Message edited by susanf on February 14, 2005)

 


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