Another 3-dive day! Highlights would be one of the biggest lobsters we have ever seen, a small turtle swimming above us, a very nice sting ray to chase, and a large flounder that Greg found on a sandy bottom.
Most dive profiles, led by Alex, is to snorkel out to the reef, usually 100-200 feet from shore, then dive to around 80-90 feet, stay there for around 20 minutes, then spend the rest of the time between 60 and 30 feet depending on what we are looking for. By diving that profile, we only have a safety stop at 15 feet for 3 minutes instead of a decompression stop that could last 10 minutes or more. Most dives last 50 to 60 minutes. This is the best way to dive without a professional guide.
Greg took pictures today, nice to see another perspective. He did an excellent job, see below!
Greg has turned into the moray eel spotter. He usually spots 2 or 3 each dive.
I am usually the one taking pictures, so you are one of the first to see me diving!
This is actually one of my favorite pictures. These are little snails attached to a fan coral at around 40 feet.
Another excellent picture that Greg took of an angel fish.
Finally, a picture of the monster lobster; probably 2 feet long, he was mean too. Usually they slink back into their caves when a diver comes by. This guy just stood there daring us to catch him. He won.
Finally, we also drove by the salt ponds on Bonaire. Apparently the primary reason the Dutch annexed this island in the 1600’s was for a source of salt. Their previous source was lost, so they started producing salt here and have done so for 400 years. These “mountains” are huge, difficult to get a perspective.
The huge bulldozers are the specks on the far left, in the middle is the conveyer to make the mountains, the pond in front is one of the many evaporating ponds. We think it is lavender due to an algae that may grow in the brine.
Tomorrow, we will discuss the Dutch cuisine here on Bonaire. French Fries and mayonnaise anyone??
