Monday, April 07, 2008

Curacao to Bonaire

After a wonderful week in Curacao with Brigitte and John, we spent the following week and a half doing boat chores and provisioning the boat. Love those free bus trips to the grocery stores! Curacao is great -- we've been walking, snorkelling and exploring -- but it's time to move on.
We waited for the wind and seas to die down and headed out to Klein Curacao. Well, the seas hadn't calmed as much as we thought they would, so it was a slow, salty motorsail to Klein Curacao. We're now heading back east, so we have that lovely current against us. Took almost seven hours to do 15 miles. It was a rolly anchorage but we enjoyed the walk around the island and the swimming. The lighthouse and wrecks are always something to see.
Up the next morning on our way to Bonaire. The ride wasn't quite so bad, but still slow and salty. You get that wave every once in awhile that washes over the boat and bimini, turning everything and us into giant salt licks!
Pulled into Bonaire around 4 p.m. and moored next to Jeff and Una from Dragonfly. After we got everything sorted out they came by and gave us all the local info. That's always good to know! The snorkelling here is amazing, even off the boat. We've been snorkelling almost every day, and thank goodness for the shorty wetsuits since the water is 'brisk'! Took some great underwater shots. The coral here is healthy and beautiful, which is why you have to take a mooring and there's no anchoring allowed at all in Bonaire. Even with the dinghy!

Frank and Gretchen on Infinity pulled in on Saturday and we celebrated yet another one of Dennis' birthdays with them. This was the big 6-0!!! We've travelled off and on with Infinity since leaving the Bahamas and always have so much fun with them. They keep us young! Rented a car with them and toured the island. Not a big island, but it did take all day. Again, got lots of exploring and snorkelling in, and a nice, relaxing lunch, finally, at 3 p.m.!

Walked to the Bonaire Warehouse grocery store today to finish provisioning and, thankfully, they had a delivery driver able to take us back to the dinghy. Our plan originally had been to do a nice beam reach to Chichiriviche, then check in at Puerto Cabello and a nice beam reach back to the Roques. Well, after speaking to many people, your check-in at Puerto Cabello doesn't count for Puerto La Cruz, where we'll be spending the majority of the summer. I don't want to pay check-in, check-out and agent fees more than I have to, so we'll wait for the wind and seas to die down and beat to windward to head back to Los Roques. At least we're not in a hurry and really can wait for weather!

Then, went to check out today and splurged on lunch out, since it would be our last meal out for awhile. There was a huge cruise ship in and we enjoyed the people watching and making fun of some of the outfits. Looked up, and who did we see walking by but my kids' grandmother and her husband, Vivienne and Frank. Haven't seen them in about three years, since our granddaughter Madison's 1st birthday party. Had a drink and spent an enjoyable hour catching up with them. Sometimes it is a small world! ~~_/)~~

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