Best of Mike #196

In April of 2010 we made  trip to the Bahamas.

It was on that trip that we met this guy.... as a villain.

He is a Lionfish.... in the Pacific he is indigenous.

In the Caribbean he is an invasive species.... and much reviled.


The belief being that he has no known enemies.... except for man.

So, unless we kill them, at every opportunity.... they will take over the eco-system.

Interesting by it's absence, from that whole story is.... what's eating them in the Pacific.

There is now, a growing body of evidence that eels, cornet fish, groupers, frogfish, scorpionfish, angelfish, pufferfish triggerfish and even other lionfish.... have or are acquiring a taste, for Lionfish in the Caribbean.

So maybe Mother Nature will get this sorted out.... and won't really need Man (as is so often the case) to do her job for her.

Best of Mike #195

I have always wondered about this place.

It's on the beach in Bonaire, at a dive site called Atlantis.

I am not sure.... if it was ever someone's home.

But I am willing to bet.... it has been site of many a great party.

We used to dive Atlantis.... and then hang out here for a picnic lunch.

But in the last few years.... the "kite boarders" have come to Bonaire.

Their beach of choice is Atlantis.... so it's kind of hard to dive there now.

Although, it is great fun to pull over and watch them do their thing.... when we are driving by. 

It's not anywhere near as much fun to be surfacing at the end of a dive.... as they rip by on their boards.

Best of Mike #194

It's not like we get in the water.... with a list of things to see for every dive.

There's so much cool stuff to see.... when you are at a great destination like Bonaire.

It's easy to just fall in and.... swim around seeing what you see.

But after a few days of any trip.... you will start to notice what you're not seeing.

On this day I had commented that we had not yet seen.... a Green Moray.

So Linda, my very excellent spotter.... went about the business of finding us one.

And here is what she came up with.

Best of Mike #193

Bonaire publishes a couple of small booklets for tourists.... Bonaire Nights and Bonaire Affair. 

They have ads for the shops and restaurants on the island.... and include stories about the island and it's history.

We like to pick them up at the airport as soon as we arrive.

The issue that we picked up on this trip.... had a picture very similar to this one on the front cover.

And so began a week long photographic hunt.

Smooth Trunkfish are small, interestingly color,ed almost triangular in shape.... and not a fast swimmer. 

They are quite plentiful. I bet we see them on pretty much every dive ... so you would think this would be an easy shot to get.

It wasn't.

Until the afternoon of our 2nd to last dive day.... on the reef at Buddy Dive, right in front of our resort.

I enjoyed the hunt, very much.... and am kind of proud of the end result.

Best of Mike #192

I have a lot of reasons for liking sunset pixtures.

They are easy to take.

The colors are rich.

They often, get ohhs and ahhs when viewed.

But  the best reasons.... are the memories they bring back.

It is an easy walk from our favorite resort.... to Kralendijk (downtown Bonaire).

The route we like takes you along a seawall.... with the harbor to your right.

Many people like to time it so they are seated in the restaurant or bar.... to watch the sunset. 

We prefer to stroll, hand in hand, down the seawall.... stopping regularly to catch the next great shot, as the sun sinks lower and the colors get richer.