Curacao 2008 Photos

Photos for our Curacao Trip from September 08.   Enjoy -MJ

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Curacao Sept 13-20, 2008

Curacao Sept 13-20, 2008

We just returned from a wonderful trip to another one of the ABC  (A= Aruba, B=Bonaire, and C = Curacao) islands.  This was our first trip to Curacao!  Curacao is a small island slightly north of Venezuela.  We chose to go there because our trip took place during hurricane season, and the ABC islands are generally considered to be out of the hurricane belt.

We chose to stay at Lion’s Dive resort, as there was a reputable dive shop on site, and it was attached to the marine park.  Any resident of Lion’s Dive has free access to the marine park for your entire stay. The hotel, in our opinion, was adequate, although there were a few frustrations here and there.  When we first arrived they didn’t have a lock to our safe, as promised, and we couldn’t get it until after noon the next day, which was quite inconvenient to us. We also had a ton of mosquitoes floating around our balcony, and several slipped into our rooms for nightly visits!   I left with many more mosquito bites than I care to have had!   People we met from other hotels said they did not have issues with mosquitoes, so not sure if it was the position on the island, or what… but definitely if you go here, bring your DEET!    In general, however, the front desk staff was quite friendly and helpful.  The rooms were OK, but not quite what we noted on the website.  A little smaller, and a little more plain, but the oceanfront view was nice, and there was a refrigerator for our beverages. It was adequate for our needs.  You don’t really spend much time in the room anyway!!

Lunch and dinner was most excellent at both Nemo’s and Hemingway’s, the hotel’s two restaurants.  We ate a wonderful dinner at Nemo’s the first night we arrived, although the food there was pretty expensive.  We frequently visited Hemingway’s for their wonderful cheeseburgers, pizzas, and sandwiches for lunch.  The Nemo staff was excellent, but the staff at Hemingway’s, one of the two hotel’s (less expensive) restaurants varied a bit.  Many of them were friendly, but it seemed they were a little inconvenienced by some requests.  Prepare yourself for no split bills (as it plainly says on their menu).  There are no split bills, and there are no exceptions.  Our friends and ourselves (four of us on this trip) started sitting at different tables so we could easily keep our finances straight.  Oh, and just an aside, if you happen to be a ketchup freak like myself, buy a bottle at the nearby store, and take it to your meals, both on, and especially off the hotel grounds.  After two packets of ketchup at the local Kentucky fried chicken, you have to buy each packet!!    Breakfast at Nemo’s was just so-so, and I didn’t think worth the $13 and some cents price tag.  We only did that one day, and stuck to our granola bars and store bought stuff the rest of the week.  They also informed us they didn’t give change at Nemo’s for breakfast, so you lost even more money if you didn’t bring exact change (if you decided not to pay for the entire week ahead of time like we did).  After a few days, we rented a car, and hit a nearby grocery store, and the cost for meals came down significantly.

Lion’s Dive dive shop is Ocean Encounters.    It was a well equipped facility with very nice dive boats.  The staff there was very accommodating to the changing needs of our group.  Sherman was one of my favorite divemasters… he was very funny and fun to be around.  The diving was good.  BE SURE to go to the Mushroom Forest as that was one of the most, if not THE most  beautiful reef I’ve ever been to.  It’s mushroom after mushroom of coral reefs with so much marine life there.  It’s $40 extra as it’s about an hour boat ride each way, and lunch is provided, but it’s worth every penny.   After that far of a haul, I was disappointed we only did one dive there, and then a second at a nearby site.   The second one wasn’t nearly as good.  However, I imagine they do that so as to keep that reef as pristine as it currently is.  Also during our surface interval we snorkeled to the edge of the rocky shore, dove down, and came up in a cave with an air pocket where we could all see and breathe above the water.  That was pretty cool.  It was a much better than the average ‘sit around on the boat’ surface interval.

One difference between the dive shops at Bonaire and Curacao, was that Bonaire was much more structured and informative to divers when they got to the island.  I felt this way with both the shops I dove with there.  First day in Bonaire, you sit down with a dive shop member to pay your marine park fee, fill out your paperwork, and then go over dive procedures on the island.  In Curacao, there was no marine park fee (paid at the dive shop, anyway), and there was not much of an introduction.  We basically felt our way around and asked lots of questions along the way.  Being experienced divers that was no big deal.  For new divers, however, this would be a little more of a disconcerting way to get started.  Proper orientation is a lot more comforting than being thrown into your dive day, and figureing out your check-out dive, schedules, and procedures all on your own.

Sherry, Crystal, and myself also did the dolphin dive.  It was about a 30 minute open water dive with, in our case, two dolphins.  The dolphins, Annie and Tayla were both pregnant and preferred to spend a lot of time together, so they were both present on our dive.  They came very close and everyone had 4-5 opportunities to touch them.  George, the marine biologist, gave us a very good briefing prior to the dive and then met us at the site with the dolphins following his boat out there.  It was a wonderful experience, I’d do it again in a heart beat, even for another $200!!   We have the video and have included at the bottom of this post.

The Sea Aquarium next door was a little small, but definitely worth a visit.   There is a schedule, and you can watch the dolphin and sea lions train, as well as feeding of the fish.  We also have some great photos of Crystal and Sherry feeding the nurse sharks.  You can schedule a time to snorkel with the dolphins or sea lions if you like.  Sherry and Crystal scheduled private time with the sea lions where they were allowed to touch one, get a kiss from one, and then snorkel with several in their pens attached to the open ocean.

One of the biggest highlights for me on the trip is that I was introduced to Dolphin Assisted Therapy.  At the sea aquarium they have a two week therapy session for the disabled.  They take anyone from childhood to young adult.  The facility is staffed with physical therapists, occupational therapists, social workers and speech therapists, who work with the patient dockside.  As part of their therapy or behavior rewards for the child, each child gets to interact with the dolphins.  A dolphin trainer is also present at each platform to work with the therapists.  Because of my background as a therapist, I was encouraged to come learn about the center, and was permitted to observe as the sessions were going on in the water.  It was a wonderful thing to see.  The director of the program introduced me to the program itself, and gave me information to bring back home.  As most of the participants are from Germany and Holland currently, she was hoping I’d take the idea home to the Americans.    It is only one of a very few facilities of its kind in the world.  She said she had seen some phenomenal results, as kids come back year after year.  It is $6000 US to participate, but it appeared to me to be worth every penny.  She also stated they were building more hotel rooms right next door that were being designed to be more handicapped accessible, not only for program participants, but also for the general population that has more difficulty getting around, due to age or disability.

Towards the end of the week we added a few non diving activities to our agenda.  First we went to the Aloe Vera farm, where you could see aloe plant after aloe plant after aloe plant.  Their products are 98% aloe vera, which is supposed to have very healing properties.  It was a quick stop, but I thought worth the trip.  Right next door, we went to the Ostrich Farm, which was some of the most fun we had all week.  We climbed up on a big old German world war two vehicle that had been outfitted with benches for tourists.  Our guide took us around the farm explaining facts about, and the habits of the ostrich.  There is a restaurant onsite were fresh ostrich is served, if you desire to partake.  We just took the tour out of pure interest.  For $10 it was worth the trip.  At one point we got off our vehicle, each held a big pan of ostrich food, slowly backed our way up to the ostrich pen, and all these ostrich heads appeared curling around in front of us going crazy on that bucket of food.  You couldn’t help but just burst out laughing!   Later we actually got to hold a 3 day old chick and we each stood on an ostrich egg because they’re so strong they can hold up to 400 pounds!  They have to, because the males fertilize them!  We learned they’re not the smartest animals, but that they are some of the strongest!  Their method of defense is kicking forwards with both of their legs.  They can defend themselves and kill  a cheetah by kicking them in the head.  They broke both the forearm bones of a hired hand awhile back the guide told us.   “He didn’t come back after that”, the guide said.

We also went to a small cave in the area which was a fun diversion.    It was the first cave Mike had ever been to, so he found it very entertaining.  There were plenty of bats on the  ceiling, and interesting formations inside to be found.   The guide was knowledgeable and friendly.  Most people on the island spoke Dutch and English, so wherever we went there was someone who could speak to us in English.  After the cave we drove north and hit the coast line.  We walked over a natural bridge, went into caves the sea ran in and out of, and hiked along the coastline to see what we could see.

The last couple of days we went downtown for a little shopping.  They had a very quaint little, Dutch styled downtown.  There was a waterway dividing the two sides of town.  Connecting both sides of the town was a bridge you could walk across to get from Punda to Otrabanda.    The interesting thing about the bridge is that it had a motor at one end.  When the large cruise ships or cargo ships went through, they engaged the engine on the bridge and pushed it to the side to allow the ships to pass.  During this occurrence, people were shuttled from one side to the other via small ferry.  We used both methods of transit during our stay just for the fun of it.  Also downtown we saw the floating market.  This was where all the small boats gather that carry produce across the ocean from Venezuela.  Locals go there to purchase their fresh produce and exchange goods.  We saw some fun artwork in their alleyways, an old beautiful church with white sand for its floor, and lots of the local wares.  Of note, the map given to us by the hotel had many unmarked roads on it.  Also some of the roads on the map were marked very poorly with lack of street signs on the island.  It took a little bit of getting used to getting around on our own, but with a little help from the front desk for directions, by the end of the week, we were getting around to just about anywhere we wanted to go.

All in all, it was a very fun trip.  Curacao is definitely a place I’d return to.  We’d been to Bonaire 3 times, as we liked it very much.  We expected Curacao to be very similar, and in many ways it was.  The language, the laid back people, and the diving was much the same.  However, Curacao is a bit more developed.  It’s larger with more to do than on Bonaire.  So, if non-divers were participating on the trip, I’d have to pick Curacao over Bonaire, because there’s more places to go and more things to do.  Nightlife is also more plentiful in Curacao, as compared to Bonaire, for all you party hounds our there!

We hope you enjoy.

Shannon

Photos from our Trip





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Bonaire 2005, 2006

Bonaire has thus far been one of our favorite dive destinations. We actually visited 3 times within a year and a half with a variety of dive buddies because we enjoy it so much. There’s something to be said for returning to places you are familiar and comfortable with. The people are friendly. The system for accessing your tanks for shore diving is very user friendly. It’s also an island that’s very easy to get around. Rent a truck at the airport, and off you go.

The accommodations have been very nice at both facilities we’ve experienced, although the last time we stayed at Plaza Resort, the grounds keeping and rooms appeared to have gone downhill a bit. Rumor had it the place was up for sale, and it appeared they weren’t putting much money into the upkeep. This was disappointing because our first trip to Bonaire, the grounds were BEAUTIFUL, and well kept. Things may have turned around with new owners, but we have not heard anything differently as of yet.

To date, we’ve gone diving with ‘Buddy Dive’ and ‘Toucan Divers’ dive shops. Both Dive Shops were very accommodating as far as staff goes. Toucan Divers had a ‘one-up’, however, as their dive boats are stored in a protected area. You’re able to load your things and get your gear ready prior to leaving the dock in calm waters. The Buddy Dive boats were on a dock adjacent to open ocean, which was a nice view, but the boat is constantly slamming into the dock as you’re trying to board with your heavy gear. You also have to get your stuff ready on the way to, or at the dive site, because you just need to sit down and hang on as the boat bangs away after loading. Another reason I favor Toucan is one dive master in particular. His name is Jackson. He is ever enthusiastic about the sport despite doing it for years, and is always making a point to show divers the cool things, like frog fish, and the air pocket at the 99’ deep Hilma Hooker wreck. If those are the two choices, Toucan has always been my preference.

Bonaire’s marine creatures are plentiful. We started off our first dive with a beautiful floating eagle ray, and saw several more as the week progressed. There were also turtles on several dives. These will always be some of my favorites. Bonaire also has several dive sites where the seahorses tended to gather. These are definitely a creature you don’t see often, but I’ve seen them on every trip to Bonaire. There were also several chances to see the frog fish, which was a new one for me as I came into Bonaire. There were many more which deserve honorable mention, but too many to include them all here! Let’s just say the diving here gets a definite thumbs up!!

Bonaire is well known for its shore diving, and we have tried that several times. Although the freedom of the shore diving is wonderful, the entries at many sites are still quite challenging as they are often rocky and slippery. And watch your fingers because there are little eels everywhere! There are several sites we favor such as "Oil Slick" because you can enter via platform ladder. We also like "Angel City" because that site has never disappointed us. The old coral is a little bit of a tricky entrance, but it’s definitely worth it when you jump in and see all the squid that like to hang out here. I will always like the boat diving best because I like jumping right in to the water without the hazards of spraining an ankle on the way in (which happened to a friend of ours even before she made it to the water)! Also, if shore diving, make sure not to leave anything valuable in the car as we’ve heard of theft issues, but have never experienced them.

Our favorite restaurant is here in Bonaire as well – Casablanca’s. They have the best steaks, and great ambiance at their little establishment. The prices are decent for the food you receive. If you’re really hungry, get their meat platter. It’s a platter piled 6-8 inches high with steak, pork, sausage, etc, etc. It’s definitely something to be shared, and also nice for take home if you want to eat it for lunch the next day. Pasa Bon Pizza is another favorite. They make YUMMY pizza, and although I haven’t tried it yet, they were also famous for their lasagna. It’s so good, they were out of it by the time I got there that night! For cheaper quicker meals, there’s always the KFC and Subway. Our other meals were eaten at our resorts, and I thought all meals were exceptional. No complaints about the food here.

As far as the Nature Park goes…. Don’t cry if you have too much to do and aren’t able to make it out there. The last time we went there were so many deep pot holes, I don’t know how our trucks came out unscathed!! It was a several hour, incredibly bumpy and uncomfortable ride. The highlight was when the wild donkey stuck his nose in the truck to check us out. That was kind of fun! Also, the Flamingo Reserve is an okay drive, but the flamingos are often off at a good distance, not up close and personal. Take your binoculars. And watch out for the iguanas… they’re everywhere when driving. They also like to beg for food by scratching at the back door to your room! They’re fun to watch, but Bonaire might not be the place for you if you have an iguana phobia!!

The only last bit of information is we strongly recommend you bring your DEET or OFF, as we’ve progressively noticed increased mosquitos with each visit. This, however, could have been due to going at varying times of the year. If you’re armed with your insect repellent, however, they are very tolerable, and won’t serve as a deterrent to spending evenings out and about.

All and all, we highly recommend the overall Bonaire experience. It’s a reasonably priced vacation, provides great food and experiences, and fantastic diving. It’s definitely on our list of places we look forward to returning to.

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Honduras 2007

Utila Aggressor June 16-23, 2007:
by Shannon:

June 16th we arrived at the San Pedro Sula Airport in Honduras. It was a bit hectic and disconcerting! After picking up our luggage off the carousels, the local airport personnel immediately came up to us, picked up our bags and started escorting through the airport. They were a bit forward and in a hurry as they wanted their tips so they could get back to other people’s baggage. I couldn’t find my matching luggage tags immediately and they wouldn’t stop for just a second to allow me to gather my things. It was a bit nuts! Finally I found my tags. Then we had to make sure the way some new strangers were leading us was to our appropriate bus so we could head to our Aggressor. Finally after a couple of phone calls all was squared away and we were in a very comfortable air conditioned bus for the ride through Honduran countryside to make it to our departure area.

It took an hour longer than it was supposed to reach our ship as we got stuck in Honduran traffic as a wreck was blocking the road. We didn’t mind, though, as the ride gave us a chance to observe the countryside. It was very beautiful, although you could see from the housing accommodations it was a very poor nation. We all would have liked to spend some more time in the country to get the ‘lay of the land’, but the boat charter would keep us busy all week. Next time we will have to save extra days to explore some land destinations.

Finally, we arrived at the dock! Hooray! We were ushered onboard and introduced to the crew. Sasha, Jodie, and Nester were are all extremely friendly and accommodating from day one. They were so laid back and did a great job of attending to our needs. It was a very relaxing week. The Live Aboards have always been my favorite dive trips, as you get so much diving with so little work. And I love to be rocked to sleep by the boat every night! The weather that week was a little rough. We encountered rough waters and some current closer to Utila, but the Captain did a great job of rushing us over to Roatan where the reefs were spectacular. We saw eagle ray, blennies, HUGE groupers, eels, turtles, stingray, damsel fish, angels of all types, spotted drum, lobster, tunicates, squid, wrass, and so much more! We didn’t get to see the whale shark we were all hoping to get a glimpse of, but there’s always next year. The food wasn’t as exquisite as the other liveaboards I’ve experienced. It was basic, decent food (although there were a few of us who missed a dive or two because of G.I. problems mid week), but nothing like the more upscale meals served on the Turks & Caicos Aggressor or the AquaCat.

Oh, and the final night on the Aggressor, the owner of our boat water taxied us over to his Laguna Beach Resort for a free meal, and an introduction to his Resort. Our only frustration was that it was dark outside and difficult to see the grounds, but the set up looked great. The whale shark shaped pool was very cool. The food that evening was wonderful. It was a very quaint little place with 13 bungalows, a restaurant, and easy to access dive and fishing boats. It looked like a great place for a land based trip. The owner was very accommodating, and it looked like a very promising place to visit. For more information Google Laguna Beach Resort and see what you think for yourself. I just might have to try it one of these days.

Exiting Honduras the next day was much less pressured. We were a little perturbed that the exit tax however was not just $33 even… it was $33.19. Thing was they would accept American dollars, but not the change. They also gave no change unless it was Honduran currency, so basically you had to give them $34 in American to leave their country. Nice little way to make extra money for Honduras, eh? They have published that in the information they send you from the Aggressor now. I’m not sure if it was there and I missed it before, or they’ve begun adding it to the information. Either way…. Be sure to bring your $34 and your leftover Honduran money to pay the exit toll to get yourself home!

Despite the airport stress, overall I'd recommend the dive destination. I was pleased with the diving, the accommodations and the service. I will definitely keep Honduras in the back of my mind for future vacations, and will continue to pursue live aboards as one of my favorite diving destinations.

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Bahamas 2004

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