Back in Bonaire
Chaser 2
Yvonne Chapman
Thu 2 Oct 2014 12:10
After only a month in the Venezuelan Islands we left Las Aves and headed for
Bonaire, only a 40 mile sail. Jaco and Christelle were with us aboard their
sailboat 'Songerie'.
During the afternoon we went to clear in. Unfortunately after all the time
waiting in PLC for Songerie to get their visas, they weren't acceptable in
Bonaire, only Curacao. It was assumed the visa for the Dutch Antilles would
be good but alas no. They were allowed to stay for 7 days, then they could
clear out go to Curacao and come back, how crazy is that. Nevertheless they
stayed for the 7 days and we made the most of it, hiring a car for a day to
tour the Island, getting the free bus to the Van De Tweel supermarket and
taking Chaser out to one of the many dive buoys on Klien Bonaire.
We said our goodbyes after the week was up and wished them luck for their
travels inland on bicycles through South America to Chile, just hope they
don't have too many problems with their visas for each of the countries they
intend to visit.
Now we, Yvonne and I and Chaser2 are hooked up to a mooring buoy off the
shore of Bonaire in beautiful waters. We've met a few old faces from last
year and many new. Many have arrived from Grenada stopping maybe briefly at
Los Roques before continuing on to Bonaire out of fear of pirate attacks,
rumours put about by people such as Frank Virgintino (who has never been to
Venezuela) telling them not to go to Venezuela and not stop at the
Venezuelan Islands. When we tell people we have spent months in Venezuela
over the past 7 years they begin to realise they have missed some of the
best sailing, villages, Islands, weather and welcoming people in the whole
of the Caribbean, but of course once they are this far west it becomes a
little difficult to go back east.
On the other hand, Frank Virgintino and others that advise sailors not to go
there are in many ways doing us a favour because it would surely end up as
crowded and expensive as the windward, Leeward and Virgin islands. But, if
you really want to see the Caribbean as one always dreamed of, Venezuela is
the only place left. Fewer boardings and robberies than the Islands
mentioned above.
I've included so many photos of fish, the water is as good here, if not
better, than that in Venezuelan Islands, the fish, and turtles are amazing
to see and swim with. Each day we swim, snorkel or scuba to see the
underwater delights. No lobsters or conch though.
Bonaire doesn't have too much to offer in land, so if water sports are not
your thing it may get a little boring. For us Cruisers it's a delight, the
down side is you have to pay 10US$ per night to pick up a mooring buoy, you
are not allowed to anchor anywhere. You can't spearfish but you can fish
with conventional methods, rod and line, trolling etc. I caught a good Black
Jack and a good Yellow Snapper during the last couple of days just off the
back of the boat. Good fun with a light rod.
Restaurants here are hugely expensive in my opinion, of course it depends
what you are used to, many think they are average, but compared to Spain and
some of the other places we have visited
in the Caribbean. The 'Bistro de Paris' although a French restaurant by name
provides excellent food, the bar menu is good. Cruisers can get together
Wednesday nights during happy hour, with 2 for 1 drinks and a fantastic
selection of burger meals for 8US$ seated in a beautiful environment around
the waters edge. You need to look around, away from the tourist restaurants.
We are cruisers, we don't do expensive!
Susie our daughter is a expecting her second baby, due any day now, Yvonne
flew back on Monday for 4 weeks to be with her and help where necessary with
Evie our Grandaughter. This means I am here looking after Chaser and also
means Evie won't be visiting us here in the Caribbean which is a shame she
loves the water and the fish. No beaches in Bonaire though another minus.
S/V Songerie never went to Curacao in the end, just straight back to
Venezuela, so we on Chaser decided to hang around longer here. Curacao was
our intention for Yvonne to fly out from but I didn't fancy a long period in
'Spanish Waters Curacao' because you can't swim off the boat, always a lot
of wind, and a bus ride into town. So Yvonne flew to Curacao, and I may sail
to Curacao to collect her at the end of the month.
In the meantime I'm waiting for news, and going swimming looking for Sea
Horses, so until the next blog.
These pictures were sent with Picasa, from Google.
Try it out here: http://picasa.google.com/
