Even as we approached Bonaire barely after sunrise, it was obvious that it was a smaller island than Aruba, with a tiny pier that stretched only about a fifth of the length of the ship. The captain expertly turned the ship and used the side thrusters to align the “door” to the gangway perfectly in the center of the small pier. From the deck I could see vast blue sky and beautiful water and between the two were small brightly colored buildings stretching several blocks back from the pier. I was glad to see a smaller town with the pier built right alongside it. Our dive was to meet early today on the small pier so we had no time to waste. This was a day we had particularly looked forward to because Bonaire is a world renowned dive spot. But after yesterday’s somewhat disappointing experience in its neighboring island of Aruba, I was a little more guarded in my expectation. We met the dive master on the pier and then hopped onto a dive boat docked just a few yards from the ship. We climbed over a large tire mounted on the pier to protect the hulls of boats and stepped across an expanse of water to balance on the outer rim of the boat and get in. The captain apologized for having to enter the boat in a manner he jokingly referred to as our agility test. But this seemed like the first small adventure of the day and only added to the fun in my eyes. We made a short trip to the “Dive Friends” shop about half a mile down the waterfront and went in to get what gear we’d need. The group was split into 2 for each of 2 available boats and we chose the smaller group (and hence the smaller boat), with the hope that a smaller group would more quickly develop a friendly atmosphere and a more fun trip. After we checked our gear, we dressed for the dive (a small dive boat leaves very little room for that once onboard). We boarded our boat and met our captain Ron and crew Bjorn and Richard, the first 2 being from Holland and the third from England. The boat ride to our first site was breathtaking. With more elevation on this island than in Aruba, we could see small houses perched on hillsides to take advantage of the spectacular view. Missing were large resorts, indeed  there were long stretches of beach with no development at all. From our vantage point, the beaches didn’t look as expansive, but they were also far less crowded. There were few palm trees and the effect was not as lush as some islands. The lack of rainfall here is apparent in the arid landscape and numerous cacti.

What makes diving unique in Bonaire is that the reefs are very close to the shore. For this reason, all water surrounding the island has been declared a Marine Sanctuary and is fiercely protected. Much of the road around the perimeter of the island runs alongside these beaches. Just off the beaches, about 100-300 feet away, yellow buoys are visible. Each of these buoys mark one of the 90+ dive sites surrounding the island. Divers typically carry their equipment in the back of a car and stop wherever the mood hits them to dive. Of course, this diving does require a little familiarity with the island and a good bit of dive experience (along with a dive computer) to do it safely. Since this doesn’t describe a first time 1 day only stop, we chose to go with dive-masters who are familiar with the island, and we took a boat to several sites not accessible by land. The sites are very close to shore, but a part of the shore not accessible by vehicle. Unlike yesterday’s crowded dives at the few dive sites near Aruba, the sheer number of dive sites in Bonaire coupled with the smaller population of both residents and tourists, mean these dive sites felt remote and unspoiled. As if we were the only people diving.

When everyone had equipment on and was ready, we took turns doing backward rolls off the side of the boat. Smaller boats with no open flat decks on the back require this entry method. At 82 degrees, I could have just floated around all day in the clear turquoise water looking at the untouched beach and landscape so close to us. Well, at least until I took a peek underwater. I wish I could find words to describe the beauty of a coral reef in crust all water with several hundred feet of visibility. I’m always struck by the creativity of a creator that has placed things in the water that do not resemble anything on land and that are so strikingly beautiful it takes my breath away every time. The sheer diversity of both the coral and the sea life mean you could do a thousand dives at beautiful reefs and never tire of it because it’s different every time. The underwater landscape sloped gently away from the island and a huge variety of colorful coral was crowded onto it as far as the eye could see. Among the coral are schools of fish so thick you can hardly see to the other side of them and smaller solitary fish of every shape, size, and brilliant color imaginable. My favorite are the fish with 5 or 6 colors on their body, usually in unexpected patterns. Every fish swims in a little bit of a different way, some dart from place to place, some glide smoothly, and some flutter in ways i wouldn’t  normally have even associated with fish. One of the loveliest ones may be the lion fish. Ironically, these poisonous fish are not native to the Caribbean, they are damaging to the reef system and are removed at every opportunity.

I’m always a little disappointed when the dive-master signals that it’s time to ascend. We were all excited and chattered about the dive, I love the atmosphere on a dive boat after a great dive. We were all taken with the beauty of the reef and its residents and were anxious to talk about it. Our surface interval gave us time to get to know some of our crew. Richard (from England) has lived on the island about 5 years. The cost of living is a little high (since everything must be imported), but he has no regrets about moving here. He works as a dive-master and also has a sailboat that he runs charters on. It’s all really just to support his dream of Caribbean living, and he counts it all as being worth it.

Our second dive was no less spectacular than the first. Having seen a reef and the sea life before never takes away from the awe of seeing it again, just as having seen a sunset never makes the next one less beautiful. We were a little sad to see our dives end and to return to the ship, but we were glad to have time to go ashore and see some of the island.

We had to walk only about a hundred feet off the ship to see local artisans selling their crafts. These was not your typical tourist market you see on most other islands. No brightly painted paper mache’ parrots from China or Mexican blankets were on sale. Instead there were bath salts made from the island’s salt mines, alcohol made from a cactus, and gorgeous hand made glass pendants and jewelry. Several painters were also selling original artwork, and giving demonstrations of their technique and talent at the same time. Past the market we walked onto the Main Street. The name of the city and the streets are Dutch and completely unpronounceable to us. As far as we could see were brightly colored colonial style buildings holding boutiques, drugstores, clothing stores, and restaurants. We wandered down the street, in and out of various shops, admiring the buildings. We walked through one long row of shops that led to the harbor. Here, small cafés lined the waterfront, each offering a breathtaking view from their tables.

In case it’s not obvious, I was quite taken with Bonaire. We sat in a small open air cafe near the pier and used their wifi to FaceTime the girls. We waited until the very last minute we were due to return to the ship.

I hope this is not the last I see of Bonaire. With its quaint town, friendly people, and fantastic diving, I’m officially adding it to my wish list of places to go for a longer visit…