Best of Mike #30

Still at Boca Slagbaai, if you turn and look across the road, the vista before you is a pretty good representation of the "rest of Boniare".

In the foreground, what looks like rock, is really the dead and broken coral that makes up the land mass of Bonaire.

The thorn tree and a few cacti remind you that it is essentially a desert.

Some of the 14,000 flamingos that inhabit the island, are feeding in the briny, inland water.

And off in the distance, is Mount Brandaris, the highest point on the island, 787 ft above the level of the sea.

Best of Mike #29

When you stand on the shore at Boca Slagbaai and look towards the sea, this is what you see. Or at least part of what you see.

The bay itself is shallow, only about 20ft and has a sandy bottom, hence the beautiful turquoise color you see in the water.

It's a fairly long swim, from the shore, to the point where the reef drops away.

But always an interesting swim as as there are still a few small, very old, cannon scattered about the bottom and it's always fun to find one of those.

The rock you see, that makes up the land mass looks a whole lot like volcanic rock but it is not. There has never been any volcanic action near Bonaire, even at the dawn of time.

Bonaire was formed from coral reef. Eons ago, as it rose from the sea and died off, the coral left limestone deposits. Being a very soft rock, the limestone was subject to wind and water erosion.

So over the years, the island, has taken on an appearance that is hauntingly similar to some of the landscapes that I have seen on Maui.

Although, Bonaire is a desert and therefore much, much less lush than the Hawaii Islands.

Best of Mike #28

All of Bonaire is a Marine Park and has been for a very long time, with conservation efforts starting there in the 60s.

The Marine Park completely encircles the island. From the high water mark to a depth of 200ft. I am sure that I read or heard somewhere that it was the second marine park ever created, in the world.

In addition, the land on the northwest side the island, close to a 1/4 of the land mass, has been given over to Washington Slagbaai National Park

At one time in history, there were three Aloe Plantations on this part of the island. But the final owners of each sold their land back to the government of The Netherlands, with the idea that it would be allowed to revert back to it's natural state ..... and it has.

This is the hilly part of the island and while there are roads, they are virtually all unpaved and always make for a truly "bone jarring, tank bouncing ride". Even at speeds as slow as 10-15mph. Travelling to and from the Slagbaai is usually an all day affair, even in these modern times.

There are a number of places to stop and spend time. Some offering open vistas and others secluded coves.

My favorite is Boca Slagabaai. Back in the day this was the shipping port for the plantations. They exported donkeys, goats, sheep, aloe, divi-divi pods and charcoal.

Boca Slagbaai actually means Slaughter Bay, as sometimes the livestock was slaughtered there prior to export and then shipped as commodities like dried/salted meat or hides.

The buildings you see in this pixture date to 1870 and have, over the years, been residences, warehouses and customs offices. Over the time that we have been visiting Bonaire they have been largely unused.

Bonaire lies below the hurricane belt so is not actually visited by those storms. But it is common for storm surge that from hurricanes passing farther north to hit the island.

Such was the case in during either 2001 or 2002 hurricane season. The wave hit particularly hard along the entire north side of the island and did a lot of damage to these buildings.

I am shocked to realize that we have not been back to Boca Slagbaai since that dive in September of 2002. So, I don't know if the buildings have been repaired. But I do know that finding out will be a "must do" on our next trip to Bonaire.

Best of Mike #27

This was the Bonaire trip that seemed to have an extra abundance of life on any and every dive.

We were there is September for this trip and I have often wondered if it was that particular time of the year that made life so plentiful.

We have been to Bonaire at a variety of different times of the year.... and it seems like there is always more going on in the late summer/early fall.

On this particular trip, it was the eels that seemed to be just about everywhere.

They were small but we regularly found them in settings just tailor made for good pixtures.

I believe this guy is a Goldentail Moray. I am saying that because his shape and the pattern of his markings are right for that species.

But I hesitate because his overall color is wrong. He should have a base color of brown but certainly has a green hue in this pixture.

Could be that we were seeing a rare individual of the species. But I notice in the data that my camera collects that the strobe did not fire.

Colors are definitely affected by the loss of light underwater. The strobes I use simulate sunlight and therefore make the colors right to our eye.

One of the first colors to be filtered out of the light spectrum, underwater, is red.

So, a more likely scenario is that something brown is appearing as green without the light from my strobes.

He is still kind of cute, even if he is the wrong color.

Best of Mike #26

Here's my dive buddy, Linda, doing what she does really, really well ..... finding me things to photograph.

Looks pretty calm, cool, collected and comfortable doesn't she. Just the model for neutral buoyancy as she uses her flashlight to spot and point out small critters, going about their business on the reef.

But it wasn't always so.

For the non-divers that follow my blog, there are two ways to control your buoyancy underwater. One is to use the air volume in your lungs and the other is to use your BC (buoyancy compensator). That vest like device that she is wearing that is also holding the tank on her back.

Moving vertically is something that we don't do much on land. But it is something that you do alot underwater. It's pretty cool and pretty much like being able to fly. But it is one of the new skills that all divers must learn and one that many people struggle with in the beginning.

Early in our dive careers, pretty much all of us carry too much weight and therefore have to use large amounts of air in our BC to make adjustments.

This gets to be particularly challenging as we head for the surface. Air expands as the pressure of the water decreases, so you have to "dump" air from your BC.

When you are new to moving vertically all kinds of strange things can happen. Such as arriving at the surface with your butt over your head.

But the good folks that make BCs have thought of that and included a dump valve in the bottom of the BC.

The BC that Linda likes, the one you see in this picture, is made up of two parts - an outer shell and an inner bladder.

We did our very first night dive together, in Bonaire, a couple of years before this trip.

On that dive, Linda did arrive at the surface spontaneously and butt first, pulling for all she was worth on her "butt dump".

Pulling so hard in fact, that she had torn the valve right out of the BC and had pulled about a third of the bladder through that hole.

But that was along time ago. She is much calmer now, serene even.... as long as she is underwater.

Because Linda will tell you, she can't swim. That's not really true but it does make for someone who is not comfortable on the surface.

She is "one with their BC" and much more comfortable, underwater.... with a "breathing deally" in her mouth..

Best of Mike #25

This is probably the best pixture I have ever taken of a Lettuce Sea Slug.

It's almost like he draped himself over this picturesque piece of coral and waited for me to come swimming along with a camera in my hand.

I am always amazed that anything with "slug" in it's name could be this pretty.

I took this pixture with the first camera that I used underwater.

It was just a Nikon "point and shoot".... but it did a great job of letting me get real close and still be able to focus. Always an advantage when you are shooting the little stuff.

It was only a 2 megapixel camera but it took a nice pixture.... as long as the light was good.

So I am guessing that I took this one if some fairly shallow water, as there does seem to be lots of good light over the whole scene.

Best of Mike #24

I forgot to tell you in my last post that we were changing locations.

In September 2000, Linda and I, led a group trip to Bonaire for Giant Stride Scuba and now you are coming too.

This wasn't our first trip there (nor our last) but it was the first time "ac" (after camera) that we had gone there.

Bonaire is well know for it's shore diving and has a great diversity of life, especially the small stuff (always my favorite).

There is virtually no current, ever. All of which makes it a a very photography friendly destination.

Today's pixture is an extreme close-up of Brain Coral. It most often grows in a shape that looks a whole lot like your head, with it's brains exposed.

When it's nice and healthy like this specimen.... getting real close always makes an interesting pixture.

Can't you almost see the electrical pulses running to and fro as this beautiful creature thinks.

Best of Mike #23

This has to be one of the best places on the planet to spend and afternoon.

We have often stayed at the Scuba Club Cozumel.... and this delightful area is beach side at that resort.

A thatched roof for some shade, a cool breeze off the water and a wrap around hammock to keep you cozy while you doze an afternoon away.

At least that's the deal most of the time.

I have seen days where the wind is a little too fresh and a little too much "off the water".

Then, when they least suspect it.... the nappers get a salt water shower.

Oh my ..... they do jump and screech then.

Best of Mike #22

We are planning another trip to Cozumel, this year, between Christmas and New Years.

That will make my 9th visit to what is often thought of as, the best "drift diving" destination in the world.

The upcoming trip will tie Cozumel with Bonaire, as the destination that we have visited more than anywhere else in the world.

But I probably have fewer pictures from here than anywhere we have been.

There are reasons for that. Four of my trips to Cozumel were "BC" (before camera).

Most of the trips I have made there were as a group or with new divers to teach. Situations that give you lots to do, without adding a camera to the mix.

Last but certainly not least, it's drift diving, always a challenge for a photographer.

This is my friend Cal Van Essen, an accomplished photographer, at work.

Looks like he found a sheltered spot or it was one of those rare days with a soft current.

You can see his bubbles going straight up vs the more common sight, for Cozumel, of bubbles streaming ahead of you with the current.

Look at the great buoyancy control. Hovering just above the reef, even as he focuses his attention on his subject.