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Trip Reports: Debbie's rainy day adventure
Bonaire Talk: Trip Reports: Archives: Archives 2006-2008: Archives 2008-08-01 to 2008-12-31: Debbie's rainy day adventure
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Debbie B. ~ Jersey Gal (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #8347) on Sunday, November 16, 2008 - 5:46 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Just thought I would take a moment to post about our dive today. Today was a real rainy, windy day, but only got two days left to dive, and you all get wet anyway, so we decided to head out.

Went with a Bonaire sister on this dive, and the sky looked like it was going to open up any minute while we geared up. Entry was a bit different from Omar, but I think it is easier now. We get in and we are seeing lots of barracudas are in a row going by, not that I like seeing them, but they looked pretty cool lined up like that, three french angels all together, lots of fish in pairs or groups, some schools too going by. We are just getting down to about 40 or 50 feet and out of the blue around the corner, comes a manta!!!!

Yep, it was coming right at us, seemed pretty curious. We all quickly look at each other to make sure we are all seeing it and it made a bee line for us. Right over the top of us, could have touched the underbelly of it, so close, so cool, so magnificient to witness the majesty of this manta and watch it go by. :-) It was all alone out there and we hoped it would circle and come back, but kept onward on its journey south.

Never have I ever been so close to one like today, it was exhilerating, I tell you. Saw one once before, but from a distance, this was so much better today. It was Gregg's first time seeing one, so very special indeed. We could have finished the dive right there, doesn't get any better than that.

Our Bonaire sister showed up the cutest seahorse which was another plus to the dive, I have yet to spot one on my own, so nice to see too, saw a Buffalo trunkfish and just all kinds of fish, I won't bore ya with all the names.

It was so COOL!!!! Had to share and no, not a one of us had a camera, but the memory is etched in my mind and we are all walking around with huge GRINS still from our encounter. :-)

Now, as some of you know, we have been doing a lot of work on our place this trip, so diving has been less what we normally do.

But, I can tell you, even with Omar and the changes in the reef, entries and all, there are some awesome sites to see on Bonaire that were not damaged too much at all, fish are coming back more and more, larger fish too.

Like our first dive, we are coming back on our return of the dive, pass a couple of Bonaire sisters and what do we see? Dolphins!!! Well, that was pretty cool, came within two feet of Gregg, they sure liked him, thought they were going to nose him with their noses. Hee Hee.

Then today, a manta! Well, Omar has left some damage to the reefs, but the reefs are still alive and there is still lots to see. We saw more with our limited dives than we have seen in over a lot of dives and years for that matter.

Noticed a lot of fish from deeper waters coming up around shallower waters which is nice to see and lots of turtles too!

Having a blast, but no pictures this trip, sorry.
Just enjoying Mother Ocean here.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Peter Oliveira (LBR28) (BonaireTalker - Post #43) on Sunday, November 16, 2008 - 6:23 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi Neighbor,
You saw a manta today. Awesome!!!! It is an experience you'll cherish forever.
A couple of years ago I had a similar encounter coming out of Torries reef, I'll never forget it.

Enjoy the rest of your trip.
Peter

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tom C. (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #8565) on Sunday, November 16, 2008 - 6:44 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Oh Debbie, Debbie, Debbie, without photo evidence your story seems like a fairy tale:-) Only kidding, of course I believe you, really, I mean it............................

Okay now, what are you folks drinking? Do you have any pictures of that?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Vince DePietro (Bonaire Beach Condo ) (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1762) on Sunday, November 16, 2008 - 7:40 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Lucky you Debbie. One of these trips I'd love to be underwater when the dolphins pass by. You may want to but a lottery ticket today!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Beck-ee... not wanting winter to come (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1995) on Sunday, November 16, 2008 - 7:41 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Way cool Debbie! What an amazing dive. I'm not jealous, really, I'm not!!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Judy T (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #5097) on Sunday, November 16, 2008 - 8:12 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Debbie - how awesome :-) I can feel your excitement! That's something you & Gregg won't soon forget :-) Thanks for the report on the reefs too and glad to hear the fish are coming back :-)
Enjoy the rest of your time on Bonaire :-)
It's a very special place!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Debbie B. ~ Jersey Gal (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #8348) on Sunday, November 16, 2008 - 8:15 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

And it keeps getting cooler, went to dinner tonight at Patagonia with our Bonaire sister and someone is looking out in the water and asking what kind of fish they are looking at.

So, we all take a look and it was an Atlantic tripletail, never saw one on Bonaire before, so very exciting, looks kinda like a soapfish, floats on its side, but on top of the water, but so much prettier than the soapfish we see elsewhere, it is yellowish, look like a leaf almost and right underneath it was a snook and some tarpon too. Pretty cool! So, not a soapfish at all, just kinda looks like one.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Beck-ee... not wanting winter to come (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #2002) on Sunday, November 16, 2008 - 10:04 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Geez, Debbie... I want to be on Bonaire when you are. You get all the cool stuff! a

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Debbie B. ~ Jersey Gal (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #8350) on Monday, November 17, 2008 - 5:47 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Here is a picture of the atlantic triple tail:
http://www.fishbase.org/Photos/PicturesSummary.php?ID=1077&what=species
Now, I was told the only place on Bonaire this fish has been spotted is in the marina there where we saw it.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Denise K (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #2196) on Monday, November 17, 2008 - 7:00 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Debbie, How is the entry at Bachelor's Beach now?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Debbie B. ~ Jersey Gal (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #8352) on Monday, November 17, 2008 - 7:14 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Denise, haven't done that dive this trip, but I hear everything is still good there for entry.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By DARLENE IN MA (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #2593) on Monday, November 17, 2008 - 9:53 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Way cool Debbie!!! I can only imagine the feeling as he went over you!!!!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Pegi Sue, PegiPie******************* (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #7524) on Monday, November 17, 2008 - 10:24 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

HOW VERY COOL!!! I want to dive w/ yall again!! Debbie and Gregg took me to sites I'd never dove before and they are excellent at finding beautiful places!! And fantastic dive buddies!! With TONS of patience!!LOL

I'm so glad yall are having a GREAT time!!!:-)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By elaine sculley (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #545) on Monday, November 17, 2008 - 12:36 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

debbie
u lucky thing. i have been looking for frog fish and sea horse (to find myself for years) but never do. enrique always finds tons of them both. i did see a manta feeding out by kline i think. i was kinda by myself and see this dust cloud so i go over slowly and there it is digging. then the others get curious like what is she doing(laying there not moving) then it took off. of course no camera and my husband is snapping something else.
es

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Debbie B. ~ Jersey Gal (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #8354) on Monday, November 17, 2008 - 3:15 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Denise, dove Bachelor's beach today as one of my dives. Steps are still there, but at bottom, no sand is there now. Just lots of coral rubble, beach area there now gone. Hard to get down after the steps end. Too much of a drop now and the coral slips when you step down, so not so safe IMHO. Gregg had to pull me up first step up on way out, I got down, but very tricky, has only one handrail, should have one on other side as that is the best side to get down and up on. Dive was good, still lots of sand on way out, just not in close anymore.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By *joe brannan* (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #616) on Monday, November 17, 2008 - 9:06 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Debbie
I still got 3 dive days.....where the heck did you see all this stuff.

cheeseit

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jim McPeak (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1750) on Tuesday, November 18, 2008 - 1:04 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Saw a manta in Belize, but never in Bonaire. You go girl.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tribs (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #6965) on Tuesday, November 18, 2008 - 8:43 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

So I read this and thought - good for her! What a great dive! Then I thought, this kind of sucks sitting here in 30 degree weather while she is having a great dive with great people and really cool critters. But no matter, I'm not jealous, not jealous at all!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By marge karalis (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #791) on Thursday, November 20, 2008 - 10:53 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Deb, where did you see the manta ray? Come on, you can tell us.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By pat murphy (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1619) on Friday, November 21, 2008 - 5:11 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

and people wonder why i never go into the water without a camera. marge, in 11 weeks we'll be finding mantas, frogfish, seahorses, and whale sharks. now that you have that new part for your camera we're expecting great pics of all those things.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Debbie B. ~ Jersey Gal (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #8366) on Friday, November 21, 2008 - 5:26 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hey Pat, all I can say is that this trip, no camera, and we got two feet from dolphins and a manta, so not sure I will ever take a camera again. Seems to me that not having one is better. :-) :-) :-)
Well, at least for me this trip it was. Hee hee.
Two ways of looking at things, eh?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Freddie,PBD sets in..... (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #11090) on Friday, November 21, 2008 - 5:36 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

hey I should have been there with my dang camera.. but the dolphin day was the day that I flooded it..
it is fine now though... gotta love the ear stuff

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By mary pequinot (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #740) on Friday, November 21, 2008 - 6:43 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi Debbie,

No pics? I think you're telling a tale...LOL

Just kidding...

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Anjela (BonaireTalker - Post #19) on Friday, November 21, 2008 - 9:00 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Debbie - we were at Patagonia a week before you and saw those sideways floating yellow fish that looked like leaves. Spent some time wondering what they were. Now we know! Thanks for solving the mystery.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Debbie B. ~ Jersey Gal (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #8369) on Saturday, November 22, 2008 - 3:54 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Angela, :-) It was the first time I ever saw it too, pretty cool fish. Just happened to be with someone who knew what it was.

 


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