Best of Mike #156

Like many Caribbean islands.... Bonaire has a history that is both long and colorful.

It is believed that the Caiquetios (a branch of the Arawak Indians).... sailed from Venezuela to inhabit the island 1000 years ago.

The name Bonaire is thought to have originally come from the Ciaquetio work "Bonjay" a name that meant low country.

The early Spanish and Dutch modified it's spelling to Bojnaj and then Bonaire.

You may hear that the name is French and means "good air".... but the French influence while present at various times, throughout the history of Bonaire, was never strong enough to account for the name.

After the arrival of the Europeans, homes on the island were often built using the colors that you see here.

Part of the colorful Caribbean culture, your thinking.... perhaps, but also rooted in the very practical.

The mustard yellow was made from the clay in the earth. The orange, for the roof tiles, from dyewood pigments. And, the white is a whitewash made from limestone.

In addition to being colors that could be made from local ingredients.... that combination of colors was used to honor the Netherlands' Royal House of Orange.

Best of Mike #155

Even in paradise.... some really good ideas never catch on.

On the windward side of Bonaire, is an area called Lac Bay.... world famous for as a windsurfing destination.

And.... maybe a little bit famous for the nudist colony next door too.

We like to drive over to that side of the island on our last day or each trip.... our non-diving day.

Just around the corner, from those resorts, on the road back to town is a cool little restaurant.

Right across the street from that restaurant is this seating area with a great view of the bay.

But in all the times we have been to Bonaire.... I have never seen anyone seated there.

Just a little too far around the corner for any windsurfing action.... or natural viewing, I guess.

Best of Mike #154

On the windward side of Bonaire.... the really windy, man it's blowing, holy crap it's windy over here side.

You find these trees.... not a lot of them, always standing alone, on a barren piece of ground.

We read a series of books (The #1 Ladies Detective Agency).... that is set in Botswana.

In those books they are always talking about the Acacia tree.... the shade it provides and the thorns it carries.

These are Bonaire's thorn trees.... I don't know if they are Acacia trees but they always make me think of Africa.

Best of Mike #153

The Flamingo is a protected species on Bonaire.... and is the islands signature bird.

Found in the salt pans around the island, the algae and insects they feed on.... are rich in the pigments that give them their pink color.

It is said that the Caribbean birds have the brightest color of all Flamingos.

There is a Flamingo Reserve on the southern tip of the island.... that is one of the few breeding grounds in the Southern Caribbean.

On most evenings, around sunset, you can see small flocks leaving the southern tip of the island, near the Willemstoren Lighthouse.

Contrary to popular belief, they are not all flying to Venezuela.... although some undoubtedly will reach the South American Coast, which is about 60 miles away.

Other flamingo facts.... they lay only on egg, chicks are born grey and white, in order to take flight they need to get a running start and they have absolutely no sense of smell.

Best of Mike #152

Pretty much the whole north end of the island of Bonaire is a National Park.

Over a century ago, two plantations stood on the land that is the present day park. They were called Washington and Slagbaai.... their owners exported goats, cattle, aloe, salt and charcoal.

Both plantations had harbors that welcomed boats from nearby islands, such as Curacao.... and from as far away as Holland. 

The original park was formed in 1969 from the land that had been the Washington plantation. In 1979, the land from Slagbaai, was added. You can still see the fence that once separated the two plantations.

Visitors will notice a dramatic difference between the landscape of Washington, in the north, and Slagbaai in the south.

Vegetation is sparse in Washington, mainly cacti and low shrubs.... due to soil that is predominantly limestone and the salt laden trade winds that blow over the area. Any seedlings that do land here and take root.... are soon eaten by the goats that still forage freely in the northern part of the park.

Slagbaai, however is closed to goats (a fence keeps them out), is protected from the wind by a series of hills and has a more fertile soil.... so the vegetation there is more lush. 

Slagbaai, means slaughter.... in the past cattle were slaughtered here before the meat was loaded aboard the ships, giving this area it's name.
Pictured above is the flower of an aloe plant.... or at least part of the flower of an aloe plant. I was standing a good distance away on a hill and still couldn't get the whole thing in my pixture.

They grow straight up from the center to the plant to enormous height.... I would say 20 or 30 ft isn't out of the question.

Best of Mike #151

Linda and I are not big fans of night diving.... but every once in a while we do one.

This was one of those times.

Right at the end of the dive, just as we came to the ladder for our exit, we spotted this Orange Cup Coral.... in full night bloom.

Each time I look at this pixture.... I think happiness.

This was the trip we made to replace the one we cancelled.... when I was diagnosed with cancer.

I won.... and get to dive again and again and again.

So, it's just fitting that the last underwater pixture, on the last dive or this trip.... is a pixture of happiness.

Best of Mike #150

When you dive in Bonaire and we do.... a lot.

You see Eels.... a lot.

This Spotted Moray is one of my favorite eel shots.

Because.... I always imagine that he is saying "this is my good side".

It's also the pixture where I noticed that all Spotted Morays are not the same color.

This one follows the usual pattern of brown spots on a white body.

But on him, the spots are much smaller, than say the Spotted Moray that was the subject for Best of Mike #146

As an added point of interest.... check out the green tint along his pectoral fin.

Best of Mike #149

I don't know about you but I thought the only fish that isn't swimming constantly is the one that is floating upside down at the surface, dead.

Turns out, that is not the case.

This is a Porcupinefish.... also known as Balloonfish and sometimes called a Blowfish.

Then are kind of slow moving and tend to hover a lot.... and sometimes see them taking a break, altogether, from the work of swimming.

In this case, he has found a nice soft bowl shaped sponge to sit down on.

They have the ability to take in water or air to blow themselves up to about 2x their normal size.... if threatened.

Once inflated the sharp spines that cover their body point straight out.... making for a first line of defense.

And last but certainly not leas.... some species, in this family, are also poisonous. Having a neuro-toxin in their internal organs that is at least 1200 times more potent than cyanide.

So make a note .... while diving, you should never bite a Porcupinefish.

As a result of all these defenses, these fish generally get left alone.... although adults are sometimes the prey of sharks and orcas and, juveniles can be a meal for tuna and dolphin.

Best of Mike #148

Scuba diving is a hard, hard life.... a terrible way to take a vacation.

All day in the water.... with amazing creatures and colors.

Lunch together.... on the beach, in the sun.

And then, as you walk along the seawall, on your way to dinner .... you see this view.