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Trip Reports: Babs week one, pics to follow, reef report
Bonaire Talk: Trip Reports: Archives: Archives 2006-2008: Archives 2008-08-01 to 2008-12-31: Babs week one, pics to follow, reef report
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Babs (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #12209) on Sunday, October 26, 2008 - 4:33 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Okay, a little time to post; this has been a whirlwind of a past week for me! Having brought a new computer with limited photo software I am currently unable to re-size pics until I get home.
Getting re-acclimated, slowing down and mourning the loss of my 15 year old cat who became suddenly ill and had to be put down 5 days into my trip......:-(
Just thought I'd share some of my observations on the condition of the reefs after Omar. I arrived 3 days after the storm, there were intermittent showers, wind gusts and switching currents for the first week. My first dive for check out was at Chachacha where Yellow sub is setting up a new shop in the old Dive Inn. Huge amounts of lumbar, presumably much from the Divi, are in the water there as well as whole sections of dock, umbrellas, clothing etc. Much too much to haul anything out. The fish had all repositioned themselves along the reef but much of the coral was covered with sand, only small sections could be fanned clear .
I have since dove as far south as Soft Coral Garden, as far north as Karpata (did the LaDania leap to Karpata drift and today did two dives on Klein (Hands off and Jerry's corner)
The south has been much less affected than the north in terms of hard coral damage although many small hard corals were toppled over and are upside down; STINAPA has been asking some local folk to upright these. In the North there were many devastating effects. Yes, Oil Slick is currently a boat dive until the dock and ladder can be re-installed. A very large coral, resembling a Christmas tree, over 30 feet high at Sabedeco has toppled, broken into many many small pieces; the elkhorn and other hard corals along the shallows in the north are gone, replaced by sand.

On to the eel situation. I have seen 2 dead eels; one at the southwest corner of the channel at Something Special; a very large black and white spotted eel. And a small one on Klein at Hands Off. I have also seen many live eels including a chain moray, a huge green free swimming eel and many smaller sharptail, golden and black and white eels.

I have also seen an abundance of turtles, many juveniles, at almost every dive site so far. A welcome site in face of the damage.

The eastern side of Klein appears almost entirely unscathed and probably some of the best diving at this time. I will be diving Cai a couple of times later this week and assisting with a photo-documentary of the reefs at several sites during the week.

Well, I must get on to chores. Will write more as time and the intermittent electricity and internet allow!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kobi in Virginia (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #8932) on Sunday, October 26, 2008 - 5:02 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Babs,
I am sorry for the loss of your beloved cat:-( I know your heart is heavy; I've been thinking about you.

Thank you for updating us on the coral/reef conditions as you have seen them. I hope that things can correct themselves; somehow over time! I know these things happen and I hate to see the coral suffering. It has SO changed since we first saw it back in the mid 90's.

BIG hugs to you and continued safe diving

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Babs (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #12210) on Monday, October 27, 2008 - 6:46 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thanks Kobi, your note is much appreciated.

Here was my most memorable moment so far...I GOT TO SEE CORAL SPAWNING!! That was sooooo exciting, in addition I saw an orange ball collimorph and a basket star on the same dive...Bas N is the best!! :-)

Time to dive!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kristi...PBD, need plane tickets quick!! (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3735) on Monday, October 27, 2008 - 9:27 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Babs...thanks for the report..pretty much matches what we saw before we left on the 18th. Ken mentioned the debris near the Divi also. That is a shame. Will be a lot of work to gather that up...

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Babs (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #12211) on Monday, October 27, 2008 - 7:41 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Too bad I missed meeting you here Kristi-I had dinner and did some dives with Ken so I got a peek at bits of your trip! :-)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bas Noij (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #268) on Thursday, October 30, 2008 - 9:01 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I hope the Bonaire sun can soothe your feelings a bit Babs. It has been a rollercoaster week for you! You know where to find me if there is anything I can do. I finish my 3 days of research dives with Maria tomorrow....very interesting but VERY exhausting. Hope to see you again before you leave!

Take care!

Bas.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Babs (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #12218) on Friday, October 31, 2008 - 8:01 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thanks for the great dives Bas! I have a nice report from Maria who is also exhausted! Looking forward to seeing her results if I can!
Will post some pics of the dives with you when I get home!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By J.J zambrano mazzei (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #184) on Friday, October 31, 2008 - 3:13 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hello Babs ! greetings from Miami Florida !!!!
Juan Zambrano.

 


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