SUNDAY, 9 JUNE Plan today is attend the dive briefing, then at least Sally & I are going in the water on the house reef to re-orient her to diving. She said she hasn't been in the water for two years. Our scheduled dives . . . . . . plus two check-out dives on the house reef Sally, Dave & I went to do our check-out dives. Sally had dive gear problems, so Dave & I did our check-out instead. (Sally's problems ran into the next day, Monday a.m.) The news was much worse than we thought; Sally had to find a place to service her computer so she could use it. We ate lunch and then the plan was that Sally was going to a dive shop recommended by Buddy Dive Resort and I would go along; we probably would do some grocery shopping. So that's what we did after first having lunch. The bird at meals is a usual feature . . . The sign post inside the resort . . .
The recommended dive shop was not too far from our resort; luckily, they were able to repair Sally's computer. After that, we got lost looking for the grocery store, and saw a lot of Bonaire we'dnever seen before. We were greeted (sorta) by the dogs outside the grocery store . . . I picked up some stroop wafels, bread, cheese and butter at Van Den Tweel super- market so I could make some sandwiches for lunch and not have to eat every meal out. Food here is very expensive; dinner last night without the tip was over $50.
Shelves of Dutch cookies, with stroop wafels circled . . .
Then we got lost coming back from the grocery store; fortunately, our little meander took us by the salt ponds where there was a flock of flamingos. I tried to get a picture, but either I startled them or people talking to me from the car startled them and they flew away.
World-renowned underwater photographer Ned Deloach has come to Bonaire quite often over the last 17 years. He is here now and was giving a presentation on critter identification for a contest the resort is holding. Below is a list of critters specifically to identify, with location, if you find them. And there's space for others that aren't listed. For example, on our check-out, I saw several splendid soapfish. The other people were expected sometime around two this afternoon. Tale of the travelers who had a terrible experience trying to get here: My roommates, Dave Olson & Richard Cox, whose flight was delayed over and over again for a total of about 15 hours, and was canceled, finally showed up around five this afternoon with no bags at all other than their carryon. They have been traveling for two days and Richard didn't have any clothes to change into when he got here. I loaned him a clean shirt and a pair of shorts he was able to fit into so he could take a shower and have a pleasant evening meal. Being the size I am, and he is close to my size, at least it didn't look like clothes were sprayed on his body. Because Neal's last two dive trips (Indonesia and The Philippines) were aborted because of active volcanoes, I asked him: There aren't volcanoes in Bonaire, are there?? He replied: Not that I know of, although someone at breakfast was talking about going on a cave snorkel tour. Not me; I'm not doing that [as it] sounds like a good way to break an ankle. Tomorrow's plan is for breakfast at 7 a.m.; when the dive shop opens at 8 a.m., Sally & I will do her check-out dive, while Richard, Dave & Catherine have to go through orientation.

THE DIVING BEGINS HERE