Wind-Borne III - Journal

Bonaire 

August 1, 2004, Kralendijk, Bonaire

Less roll overnight and a lovely breeze allowed everyone to awake well rested.  We ate a much healthier breakfast of yoghurt, fruit and some toast (Kelly’s influence).  While Kelly sunbathed on deck for a while, Rick ran the engine and watermaker for an hour in the morning.  Afterwards, Kelly and I went snorkelling and fed the fish.  There were many hungry varieties of fish just hanging around the boat but the sergeant majors outnumbered the others.  While we were swimming Rick scrubbed and cleaned the bottom of the dinghy.  We returned to the boat, showered and were ready for Happy Hour a little early.  There was a regatta of small boats in the bay that kept us entertained.  They looked like radio control boats but really they sailed on their own.  The boat that was the best balanced won the race as they just let them go and followed in a small power boat to pick them up at the finish line.  In the evening, Rick barbecued some pork chops for dinner. 

August 2, 2004, Kralendijk, Bonaire

First thing in the morning we went by dinghy to pay our mooring fee for this month.  We didn’t want to be evicted by the landlord.  Afterwards Kelly and I walked down the street to the sail and canvas shop.  Rick moved the dinghy to a closer dock.  The sail and canvas shop has some wonderful crafts and artwork made by the native people in and around the Panama area.  I had put a few things aside a couple of weeks ago and picked them up today.  We left there and again while Kelly and I walked to Budget Marine, Rick moved the dinghy to a closer dock.  Our next stop after Budget Marine was the pharmacy then The Lost Penguin for lunch. 

When we returned to the boat, Kelly retired to the hammock on deck while Rick and I remained below.  Everyone read and had a siesta until Happy Hour.  Dinner was onboard and prepared by Rick. 

August 3, 2004, Kralendijk, Bonaire

We definitely played tourist today.  We walked to the Plaza Resort and paid $5 each which gave us the use of their grounds for the day.  They provided us with towels and we lounged in chairs under a palm tree on the beach during the morning.  We had a nice lunch in one of the restaurants on the resort and then moved to poolside for the afternoon.  The pool was a little busy with kids but we went in for a swim anyway.  We all had a little more sun than we’re use to but it was worth it.  We returned the towels and went to Happy Hour on the resort.  Beer was $5NAF and 2 for 1 during Happy Hour.  Rick said that was way too much so we quickly walked back to town and spent Happy Hour at the City Café again.  We shared a pizza for dinner. 

August 4, 2004, Kralendijk, Bonaire

Last night was terrible!! I was up all night sick while Kelly and Rick were both sawing logs.  It was too much sun.  I wasn’t sunburned and although we had tried to stay in the shade most of the day I knew even with my hat on that I was getting too much sun.  Other than being very tired in the morning I starting to feel better.  Rick the hero made breakfast for Kelly and himself.  I wasn’t really interested in food yet so he made me a cup of tea and I had a couple of soda crackers.  Later in the morning after a shower I felt like a new person again.  We heard Peter & Lani (Marnel IV) on the VHF so we called and welcomed them to Bonaire.  Shortly after lunch we went ashore.  Kelly and I roamed the tourist shops while Rick waited patiently outside for us.  We went to the internet café, made a few phone calls and returned to the boat.  I prepared a lovely pork roast for dinner and even enjoyed it myself.  While Rick washed dishes, Kelly read and I went to bed.  The minute my head hit the pillow I was gone. 

August 5, 2004, Kralendijk, Bonaire

Sometime during the evening I awoke to find Rick running around closing hatches.  We had 342 drops of rain.  In the morning the winds became very strong.  We’re not sure if it’s a low pressure area just off of Venezuela causing the high winds or whether we’re getting a bit of shear from the tropical depression that’s in the central Caribbean.

I did laundry, Rick polished stainless and Kelly made like she was on vacation by lying in the cockpit and reading.  She started out in the hammock but the wind was whipping her around a little too much so she moved into the cockpit.  In the afternoon we went to town for a few groceries, internet surfing and phone calls.  One of the calls we made was for a dinner reservation at Casablanca.  The lady who took the call kept mentioning that some of the outside tables would not be available because it was going to rain tonight.  Poor Rick who had already returned to the boat by himself once with the groceries headed that way again.  We had left the hatches and ports wide open as it didn’t look like rain to us.  Who are we to question a local?  Kelly and I waited for him at the City Café (it was Happy Hour).  He joined us and then we made our way to Casablanca. We stopped to say hello to Susan who was walking her dog and met Pablo, our favourite waiter.  He told us if we were sitting inside tonight he would be our waiter again.  Inside had been our choice with all the dire predictions of rain.  We ordered the mixed grill for 2 and shared it between the 3 of us.  After eating the 2 steaks, 2 pork chops, 1 blood sausage and half a chicken we had to ask for a doggy bag for the rack of pork ribs, the rack of beef ribs, 2 large sausages and the other half a chicken.  While walking back to the dock we commented on how clear the sky was.  It never did rain.

August 6, 2004, Kralendijk, Bonaire

During the night the boat started to roll so badly that a couple of things when flying off the counter.  Kelly thought she was being attacked.  We’re not sure if we had a little wind reversal or something large went by and caused a large wake.  

We were all up early because of the roll and when we went on deck there was a large flying fish in the cockpit.  We normally only get flying fish onboard when we’re underway in rough seas so that was a little indication of how rough the anchorage was overnight.  Kelly requested that we remain at the boat, swim and have fun in the water with the floaters today.  Rick said he wouldn’t attempt to take the floaters in the water with the strong wind we had because they would get away from us and we wouldn’t be able to go after them fast enough.

It is now a daily routine that after our breakfast is finished Kelly feeds her pet fishes.  She knows their likes and dislikes as well as their preferred eating time.  This morning she served them Cheerios and Special K.  The first large groups to appear were the sergeant major fish with their black and yellow stripes.  It wasn’t very long after they started eating when the large yellow tailed snappers arrived.  When their breakfast was finished I just happened to mention that we could go fishing since it was too windy to swim.  This was not a good thing to say.  The fish have all become her personal friends.

Later Kelly took her position on deck at the bow with her book.  We almost had to strap her down the wind was so strong.  In the afternoon she retired to the cockpit but none of us suggested going for a swim it was still too windy.

When dinner was finished we were sitting in the cockpit talking when we heard Mike on Panda getting excited.  He was fishing and we thought he had caught a fish.  Almost, he said, there were lots of yellow tailed snappers all around him but he hadn’t been able to get them to take the line.  Kelly immediately began feeding them again from our boat to attract them away from Panda and the fishing line. 

August 7, 2004, Kralendijk, Bonaire

We went ashore this morning to try and reserve a couple of seats for Kelly and me on the Aquaspace boat (www.Aquaspacebonaire.com).  Sounds very touristy but it appears that everyone who goes out on this boat comes back smiling so we wanted to give it a try.  The boat is a weird looking trimaran with a clear plexiglas hull below the waterline for viewing.  Anyway, they were totally booked for today and our next available day was Wednesday so we reserved for then.  We later walked over to the one and only Venezuelan fishing boat in the harbour and asked if they could get us some lobsters.  No problem, next Thursday morning before 9AM they will return with lobsters.  We were told to be at their boat early because many people come on Thursday’s to buy lobster.

We had lunch at City Café. As we returned to the boat we kept an eye on threatening skies that seemed to be heading our way.  I wanted to go snorkelling but it was still too rough so Kelly and I took to the water right around the boat with our floaters.  The floaters are inflatable long tubes with mesh in the centre to lay on and a pillow for our head.  Rick added a grommet to each of them so that we were able to tie them to the boat on a long rope and not drift away.  As Kelly and I floated in the waves, Rick stayed on board and played bartender.  It was fun but after an hour I was starting to feel queasy with all of the swells that were tossing us around so I climbed back aboard.  Kelly wasn’t far behind me.  With everyone back on board our bartender announced that it was time for Happy Hour. 

After dinner we relaxed in the main salon with a strong roll rocking us not quite so gently.

August 8, 2004, Kralendijk, Bonaire

We had booked a rental car for the day.  Really they only rent trucks or four wheel drive vehicles.  We picked it up at 1PM and it was a truck.  It was standard transmission and I was driving.  Kelly seemed a little nervous but I didn’t stall or grind the gears even once.  Our first stop was the Donkey Sanctuary.  It was a nice place to visit and the donkeys there were very tame unlike the wild ones we see roaming free on the island.  Mariana who established the sanctuary runs it on donations only (www.donkeyhelp.com).

We left there and drove to Lac Cai.  On our way we stopped  to take pictures of flamingos but they were quite a distance from us.  Rick had taken over the driving responsibilities and was honking at all geckos brave enough to cross the road in front of us.  Kelly wants a bumper sticker made “ We honk for Geckos”.  It was still fairly early when we arrived at the park.  It wasn’t crowded yet but one of the local bands had started to play.  It seemed a mix between a jam session and an afternoon of karaoke.  All of the locals we joining in to provide entertainment.  We sat for a while, had a local snack and then left for a walk along the beach.  When we left Cai we drove around the south end of the island.  Kelly was the official photographer this day and she had us stop at the windmills, slave huts and salt ponds.  It was still quite early when we returned to Kralendijk but Rick wasn’t feeling well so we returned to the boat.  We think he has the same thing I had the other day (I guess it wasn’t too much sun after all) so he should feel better tomorrow.  Kelly and I had Happy Hour alone in the cockpit and Rick rested below. 

August 9, 2004, Kralendijk, Bonaire

Breakfast with Kelly onboard includes breakfast with the fish as she feeds them regularly now.  Rick was feeling better today so we finished our island tour with the car.  We travelled toward the north end of the island along the coast.  We didn’t go into the park but did travel across the centre of the island through the town of Rincon.  When we reached the other side of the island we stopped and looked at some Indian inscriptions on the walls of some cave-like formations of coral.  We returned to Kralendijk waving to donkeys on the way and honking at slow moving geckos crossing the road in front of us.

We returned the rental car and went to check the internet.  There was a little excitement over the weather that was headed our way.  As we were returning to our boat we noticed that quite a few of the other boats were missing.  I called the marina (after siesta time) and asked if the weather forecast indicated that we might be told to leave the mooring balls (this happens a couple of times a year in Bonaire due to a wind reversal).  I was told yes.  So after confirming that there was room for us in the marina we let go of the mooring ball and headed for a dock.  We watched other boats do the same all afternoon.  We were lucky and obtained the last slip available at a dock.  After us, the marina personnel were working hard to fit everyone in somewhere.  Boats were squeezed in between other boats.  The slips are extremely wide in this marina.  Gradually all the dive boats, fishing boats and tour boats arrived and obtained a spot on the wall.  By dinner time there was a tropical storm warning forecast that included our area.  Tropical Depression number 3 was headed our way.

Snug at dock we walked to a bar on the beach for Happy Hour and watched additional boats go into the marina as the sunset.  We had a nice dinner at the Lighthouse Restaurant, which is within the marina.  Now in the dark we continued to watch more boats come in for shelter.

We went to bed with very calm winds wondering what tomorrow would bring.  

August 10, 2004, Kralendijk, Bonaire

We had a few sprinkles of rain during the night and had to close all the hatches and ports.  The no-see-ums arrived in the early morning hours and went looking specifically for Kelly.  They found her. There was no wind at all when we awoke and the sky was totally overcast.  The latest weather forecast indicated that the storm would hit us around 2PM.  We were to be picked up at 8:30AM at the marina by a van from the Mangrove Centre (www.mangrovecenter.com).  We had arranged to go kayaking through the mangroves.  It was a wonderful and educational morning.  Richard, the manager of the centre said this day was very special because normally we have to fight wind and waves in one area when we cross the lake.  The air was still and there were no waves to fight.  We went through tunnels in the mangroves sometimes paddling and sometimes when it was too narrow we pulled our way through using the branches of the mangroves.  In the last tunnel Rick and I got out of our kayaks and snorkelled through the tunnel.  Unlike the brown dank water we normally see in mangrove areas this was crystal clear.  There was a strong current that carried us through the tunnel while we looked at small fish and colourful sponges growing beneath the water.  The mangrove area is the breeding ground here for all of the reef fish.  We even saw some small barracuda no more than 8 inches swimming along with attitude.  They already feared no one and nothing.  It was great in the tunnel until we had to swim back.  We hadn’t bothered wearing fns so it was hard work swimming against the current.  We returned to the Mangrove Information Centre where Richard’s wife Natasha was waiting to drive us back to the boat.

We had a siesta in the afternoon while waiting for the storm.  By dinner time there was still nothing happening but the local boats remained in the marina so everyone else followed suit.  The storm had now been named Charley and was directly north of us by a few hundred miles.  In the last week and a half since Kelly arrived there has been Tropical Storm Alex, Bonnie and now Charley She thinks it might have something to do with us being in the ABC islands.

We had dinner on board and prepared for tomorrow’s adventure.  

August 11, 2004, Kralendijk, Bonaire

Kelly and I had reserved the morning on the Aquaspace boat, which is a glass bottom trimaran (www.aquaspacebonaire.com).  The trimaran was in the marina along with every other boat so when we saw the captain arrive before he could cast off the lines, Rick took Kelly and I over by dinghy to ask if we could hitch a ride to their regular dock to save ourselves a long wet dinghy ride.  It was no problem and 30 seconds after we climbed aboard we were on our way.  It was a fun morning.  We sat below and watched the fish and the reefs as we sailed over to Klein Bonaire.  When we arrived at Klein Bonaire the captain threw some bread in the water and the fish came from every direction.  We snorkelled for a while and then had a leisurely sail back to Kralendijk while eating snacks and drinking wine.  We also learned that laughing gulls like peanuts.  We all took turns standing with a single peanut held in an outstretched hand while the gulls took turns flying in and taking it from us. 

Rick was waiting at the dinghy dock for us and as soon as we returned to the marina we checked out and took the boat back out to the mooring in front of town.  We went to City Café for Happy Hour and then to dinner just around the corner at Cappriccio Ristaurante.  Our meal was one of the best we (Rick and I) have had in a long time.  Lela the owner let us know that if there were any supplies like olive oil, good pasta etc. that we had trouble finding on the island, she could sell us some of their supplies that are shipped in specifically for the restaurant.  We found this so nice.  We have already bought some malt vinegar from Renada at the Lost Penquin and she has offered us other supplies as well.  Bonaire is a very unique island and because it is so small everyone seems extremely helpful.

August 12, 2004, Kralendijk, Bonaire

I set the alarm for 2AM and Kelly and I both got up and went into the cockpit to watch the meteor shower.  I had a problem with this, as it was so comfortable sitting there with the cool tropical breeze my eyes kept closing.  The viewing conditions weren’t perfect because of all the lights from town but Kelly saw at least 5 meteors.  One had an amazing tail.  After about an hour we returned to our beds and slept soundly.  

Everyone was up early in the morning and while I made some Irish soda bread for breakfast, Kelly and Rick went to pick up lobster from the fishermen.  They returned with six 1 pound lobsters just as breakfast was coming out of the oven.  Rick cleaned the lobsters as soon as breakfast was finished then we went ashore.  We had lunch at the Lost Penguin, stopped at the internet café for awhile then picked up a few groceries before returning to the boat.  When we arrived at the waterfront we noticed that Top Cat and Tothill had arrived.  We stopped to say hi to everyone then we rested up for Happy Hour.  Back to shore for a quick Happy Hour and a phone call to book a taxi to the airport for tomorrow morning.  Dinner was lobster and champagne.  Rick had a problem with the regulator on the barbecue so the lobsters weren’t quite perfect but they were certainly good.  Even on Kelly’s last night here we all went to bed early.

August 13, 2004, Kralendijk, Bonaire

Friday the 13th.  The day Kelly flew home.  It started out perfect.  Our taxi was right on time and we were at the airport early.  The plane however had problems and was running late.  We sat around for a while until they announced that Kelly’s 11AM flight from Bonaire to Curacao would leave at 1PM.  Her connecting flight was not until 3PM so it wasn’t a problem.  Kelly said that we should not wait with her rather we should return to the boat.  We had our hugs and walked out of the airport back to town (just the two of us).  It’s always sad to say good bye.

Rick and I had lunch in town, picked up a few groceries and returned to the boat.  I hadn’t really done any cleaning during the last couple of weeks so first thing I did was defrost and clean the refrigerator.  Rick cleaned stainless while we ran the water maker for a while because next on my to-do list was laundry.

August 14, 2004, Kralendijk, Bonaire

It was a little lonely around here today, even the little sergeant major fish (Kelly’s buddies) didn’t come for breakfast.  We got off to a slow start but eventually we got moving.  After breakfast I began with the mountains of laundry that had accumulated during the last little while.  Rick cleaned the build-up of Sahara dust off all the screens.  When we finished our chores we went by dinghy to the marina for a while.  Later during the day, Judy and Bud (Gonzo II) arrived from Las Aves and Tony (Side By Side) arrived by plane back from the States.  Benta won’t be back for a few more days. 

In the afternoon we both worked together to measure and determine the make and type of autopilot to install.  We seem to have sorted it out but still have a few questions for the manufacturer that will have to wait until Monday.

Another major storm seemed to be the topic of discussion on the radio today.  Our concern here is not really the storm but a wind reversal that it could cause.  With the practise run last week, we know what to do when that happens so we know that the marina is ready and we’re ready but we’ll keep an eye on the forecast.

August 15, 2004, Kralendijk, Bonaire

When the chores were completed in the morning we went into town with almost every other cruiser moored in the bay.  Everyone went to the internet to check the status of Tropical Storm Earl.  Earl seemed to be a lot stronger than Charley and was headed a little closer to us.  The afternoon forecast specifically indicated that we should not receive winds from the west.  That gave us a nice comfortable feeling until we arrived at the dinghy dock and found that our friend Henk had removed the two large catamarans Luna C and Mushi Mushi.  He said he had not received an official warning but he had moved the boats just in case the warning came in the middle of the night.

We went to Happy Hour at City Café and then moved on to Bobbejans for ribs.  Our friend Susan was there with another couple and invited us to join them.  It was 8PM when we returned to the boat, which was just in time to check for another weather forecast.

August 16, 2004, Kralendijk, Bonaire

By the time we went to bed, all of the fishing boats had been moved from the dock as well as all of the charter boats.  There was a container ship and a cruise ship at dock and neither appeared to be leaving so we remained on our mooring as well.  It became almost comical listening to some of the newcomers calling everyone else to get an opinion as to whether it would be safe to go to sleep this night.  Guaranteed, if the wind changed to a westerly direction and they were sleeping they would be awakened very quickly with the rocking and rolling of the boat.  Having said all that, Rick was up roaming around the boat and checking things at 2AM.  I tried to ignore him but it was difficult when he walked across the deck right above where I was trying to sleep.  Just as with the previous storm (Charley) that went north of us, we had no wind at all overnight.

When we awoke in the morning, T.S. Earl was directly north of us.  The sky was overcast and we did have a good 15 to 20 knot wind.  The wind direction was still easterly with no mention of it changing to westerly in any of the forecasts.

Rick and I had a few more measurements to check for the new autopilot before going into town.  By the time we were ready to leave the boat it was almost lunchtime.  We had an appointment to meet with Peter at 1:30PM to order our new (Raymarine) Linear Drive Autopilot.  We stopped and checked the satellite view of the weather at the internet and then went to the Lost Penguin for lunch.

While we were meeting with Peter, Karen from Oscarina was waiting to see him regarding an alternator problem she was having.  We got talking and Rick agreed to check the alternator wiring for her as soon as we finished at the marine store and grocery store.  Her boat was docked at Club Nautico where we left our dinghy.  Rick got the alternator charging for her but there was still a problem with her Link interface when we left.  She had a friend that would help her with it. 

Back at our boat we had a quiet Happy Hour and I made a nice celebratory (no hurricane) dinner of pork chops, scalloped potatoes with broccoli and a nice cheese sauce.  The sky was perfectly clear and there was a light breeze.  This evening we would sleep well with no thoughts of hurricanes, tropical storms or wind reversals.

August 17, 2004, Kralendijk, Bonaire

It was a perfect day in paradise.  The sky was clear and the sun was shining all day with a nice strong breeze to cool things down a bit.  I returned to doing laundry.  During the past couple of days I hadn’t done much because I didn’t like hanging laundry outside while we had potential storm warnings and may have had to move the boat.

I helped Rick raise the dinghy on a halyard beside the boat in the morning so that he could clean the bottom.  It was a terrible job and took him most of the day.  When he was finished I cleaned the topsides of the dinghy and then we both jumped in for a swim.

We had a quiet dinner on board.  I say quiet because Rick lit a candle and then turned the wind generator off.  How romantic can he get!  

August 18, 2004, Kralendijk, Bonaire

We decided first thing in the morning that we didn’t want to or need to go to town today.  I went back to bed after breakfast and slept for an extra hour.  Rick quietly waxed the dinghy while I was sleeping.  When I awoke we both worked on boat chores, ran the engine and the watermaker and of course continued doing laundry.

In the afternoon we both went for a snorkel.  I was busy feeding the fish but Rick was mainly checking the hull.  There were a few new schools of fish hanging around our boat this day.  There was a large group of what looked like Rainbow Wrasse with their florescent colours sparkling as they swam around.  There was a huge school of Brown Chromis as well as the regular Sergeant Majors a bunch of Yellow Tail Snappers and a few Parrot Fish.  These fish all reside under our hull and expect to be fed regularly since Kelly’s visit.

Tonight’s dinner was great.  Rick wanted POP (plain ordinary pasta) for dinner, which is his speciality.  So I sat back and relaxed while he made dinner.

August 19, 2004, Kralendijk, Bonaire

It was another extremely windy day in Bonaire.  Evidently according to some of the cruisers, who have been coming here for 8 years, we are having the type of winds that are normal for the month of June.  At this time of year there normally is very little wind.  Although the winds stir the sandy bottom up a little for snorkelling it also dries the laundry quite quickly.  I am just about caught up with laundry.  Today in addition to the regular laundry I washed almost all of the canvas.  Rick was out washing paradise off the deck (scrubbing the deck) and while he was doing that I whipped off the dodger, plastic windows, mast boot, chimney cover and even the cover for the radar screen.  The only thing I didn’t remove was the bimini and sail cover.  The solar panels cover most of the bimini so washing the solar panels and hosing down the bimini seemed sufficient.  The boat was so clean by the afternoon it was enjoyable to just relax and look at it knowing that within a couple of weeks it will be totally coated again with the red Sahara dust.

In the late afternoon we went into town for Happy Hour with Judy and Bud (Gonzo II).  It was enjoyable but when we returned to the boat we were both exhausted and went right to bed.

August 20, 2004, Kralendijk, Bonaire

It was our wedding anniversary today and we had originally planned to go out for a nice dinner.  We had also agreed to have hamburgers with Judy and Bud at the Lost Penguin.  They had never been to the Lost Penguin so we really wanted to join them but we couldn’t have lunch and dinner out in one day.  The meals are much too large.  So the Lost Penguin it was.  It was well worth it, not only was the meal great but when I was showing Judy the book exchange I happened to mention that I was keeping an eye out for the book “The Davinci Code” and Renota (the owner of the Lost Penguin), heard me.  What’s it worth to you she asked, I explained I had the first book “Angels and Demons” and would be willing to trade.  I left the restaurant with the only English copy of the book on the island.  I know there is at least one other copy but it’s written in Dutch.

We returned to the boat and had a siesta in the afternoon then made ourselves a nice anniversary dinner of barbecued pork tenderloin.

August 21, 2004, Kralendijk, Bonaire

The ITCZ (Inter Tropical Convergence Zone) visited Bonaire today.  The rain with thunder and lightening began at 6:30AM and continued until 10:30AM.  Cruisers were out scrubbing their decks, some raised the sails to allow the rain to rinse the red dust from them.  Since we had already scrubbed the deck a couple of days ago we just put our plants outside to give them a nice freshwater rinse.  I curled up with my new book and read most of the morning.  When it was all over we had about 6 inches of water in the dinghy to pump out.

We had talked about going to breakfast at the Lost Penguin for Belgium Waffles but neither of us wanted to venture out in the rain.  Instead we went and had the waffles for lunch.  They were topped with fresh fruit and whipped cream and served with real maple syrup on the side.  The Lost Penguin is closing for a 3-week vacation at the end of this month and we wanted to make sure that we tried the waffles before they closed.

On our way to pick up a few groceries we noticed that the new Garfield movie was playing at the theatre.  After shopping, Rick took the groceries back to the boat in the dinghy and then we walked back to the theatre.  This was opening day for Garfield so there was a special, which we weren’t aware.  If we had read the small print on the sign we would have realised that this wasn’t the best day of us to see the movie.  The first hour before the movie started was a magic show.  The theatre only has 120 seats and half of those seats were filled with young children screaming for the magician to make a balloon animal for them.  He didn’t really have to perform magic tricks they would have been happy with a continual supply of balloons.  We had arrived for a 3 o’clock show that really didn’t start until 4:30PM.  The funny parts of the movie seemed much funnier however with all of the young laughter.

It was 6PM when we left and walked back towards the boat.  On our way we decided that this would be our special anniversary dinner and we went into the restaurant “It Rains Fishes”.  We had just placed our order for Wahoo when the fisherman walked into the restaurant carrying two very large Wahoos.  It doesn’t come much fresher than that.  Dinner was extremely good but also extremely large.  Neither Rick nor I could finish our meals.  We ended up having a nice conversation with an American family that was vacationing for a second time in Bonaire and it was 8:30PM by the time we finally returned to the boat.

August 22, 2004, Kralendijk, Bonaire

The weather today was perfect.  The day itself was not.  Everyone’s watermaker was acting up today.  Allen and Karen (Sylvia K) returned from the States and moved their boat from the marina back onto a mooring.  They tried to start up their watermaker and it wouldn’t start at all.  Sharon and Bill (Makai) were running their watermaker today when unbeknownst to them the high pressure hose broke loose.  Salt water had sprayed everywhere before they found it.  We turned our watermaker on and one of the feed pumps seemed to have lost it’s prime and wouldn’t seem to re-prime.  Rick disconnected the pump and found a loose electrical connection had shorted.  He fixed the wiring on the pump, reinstalled it but then we had to reset the pressure switch to stall at the correct pressure.  We primed both pumps and ran the system for a while but the pressure was too high.  Rick then cleaned all strainers and filters, we primed the pumps again (they have to be primed one at a time) and still the pressure was too high.  We ran the system with just one pump meaning we were only making about 7 GPH.  I decided I would give the membrane and acid-wash in the evening but meanwhile we would top up the water tank a bit.

Late in the afternoon we went ashore with Judy and Bud (Gonzo II) for Ribs at Bobbejan’s.  When we got there we found they were closed for vacation.  Neither Judy nor I had prepared anything for dinner so we looked elsewhere.  First stop was the Rib Factory but they were closed because it was Sunday.  We all thought that Pizza sounded good so we started walking towards one of the Pizza patios.  We didn’t walk the whole distance because we could see there were no tables and chairs out so it was closed as well.  The finally solution was the City Café which is always open.  By this time we had missed Happy Hour but we didn’t care.  Rudy who used to serve us at the bar was waiting tables tonight so we sat in her area and had an enjoyable meal.  On our way back to the boat we stopped for a dessert of ice cream.

It was 8:30PM when we returned to the boat and I started the membrane cleaning process.  I ran the system for an hour but then let the solution sit in the membrane overnight.

I wouldn’t want to be without a watermaker on board but of all the equipment we have, the watermaker was the most expensive to purchase, is the most expensive to maintain and seems to require a lot of maintenance and TLC.

August 23, 2004, Kralendijk, Bonaire

My favourite time of the day is very early in the morning.  The air is still cool when the tropic breeze first picks up.  The fishing boats cause a gentle wake that rocks our boat as if it was a cradle.  I usually turn over in bed and wait until I smell the coffee brewing before even thinking about getting up.  That didn’t happen this morning.  For some reason yesterday when we were talking with Karen and Allen (Sylvia K) I mentioned that we would like to walk with them in the morning.  We agreed to meet at the dock between 6:30 and 6:45AM.  Rick had the coffee ready for me when the alarm clock went off at 6:00AM.  I got up and poured myself a cup but then just set it on the counter and tried to go back to bed.  Rick wouldn’t stop talking so eventually I had to get up and we did make it to dock before Karen and Allen.

When they arrived, Karen took the lead.  We walked as far as possible heading north on the waterfront and it was a real power walk.  I was starting to lag behind a bit on our way back but I could see the dock and the dinghy not far ahead.  Karen was well in front now and as she reached the dinghy dock she just kept on going!  To my relief I saw Allen sit on the bench at the dinghy dock as he watched her continue to head south.  I felt I should join him and Rick stopped as well.  Karen, he said, would keep going to the Venezuelan vegetable market or she might continue to the Divi Flamingo Hotel where the road ends.  He assured us it would only take her a couple of minutes and it did.

We were back at the boat and eating breakfast by 7:30AM.  As soon as breakfast was finished I continued with the cleaning of the watermaker membrane.  While I was doing that Rick was getting things ready to install an additional filter for the watermaker.  It had a strainer and a 5 micron filter but he wanted to install an 20 micron filter ahead of the 5 micron one.  It took quite a bit of rearranging of the existing plumbing but he did it and was finished just after noon.  Meanwhile I don’t think the acid wash was very successful because even with the new filters, accumulator tank checked, and everything clean, the pressure was still to high.  I got things ready in the afternoon to try an alkaline cleaner on the membrane.  It will be an overnight soaking but I have a feeling that we may have to purchase a new membrane for the watermaker.  This is the most expensive part of the whole system so I have to try everything before resorting to that.

Meanwhile, since we weren’t able to have a “rib fix” yesterday I prepared and onboard platter of ribs for the two of us.  I think it was a mistake because Rick liked the ribs I made better that the restaurant.  He is already talking about buying some more for me to cook.

August 24, 2004, Kralendijk, Bonaire

I have no idea how, but I have a cold.  Sore throat, stuffy, sneezing etc.  I’m sure it is my body rebelling against this power walking idea.  Regardless, I was up early, granted Rick was up earlier so my coffee could be ready.  We were out at the dock waiting for Karen and Allen a little ahead of time.  The bench that we sit on by the dock is the perfect spot to wake up.  We did the same routine again all of us bowing out on the return trip when we reached the dinghy dock while Karen continued on. 

As soon as we returned to the boat I warmed the alkaline solution and started cycling it in the watermaker for a couple of hours.  Then after breakfast the big test… I ran the watermaker as recommended without pressure for at least an hour.  Then when I pressurised it, it did it again.  The pressure went up way too high.  That was our last chance at rescuing the membrane.  After lunch we went in to order a new one.  Just by chance, Budget Marine had received one in error and had just sent it to the FedEx office to be returned to California.  They called and asked them to bring it back to the store (advantages of a small island).  We’ll know tomorrow morning whether or not it’s the correct size.  Our fingers are crossed.

On our way back to the boat we noticed that Bob and Joan (Too Pfarr Out) had arrived.  We stopped and said hello and then returned to our boat for Happy Hour and dinner.

August 25, 2004, Kralendijk, Bonaire

Waking up this morning was not easy.  I had been up every 4 hours taking cold pills and sneezing all night long.  We were ashore sitting on our bench waiting for Allen and Karen by a little after 6:30AM.  We did our deed and returned to the boat for a quick breakfast.

We were dressed and on our way to Budget Marine by 9AM on the dot.  We were optimistically hopeful that they would have a membrane for us.  It was a good try but what they actually had FedEx bring back was a Clark pump (Peter took a weeks vacation and the girls were doing their best).  So we began the order process all over again to have one shipped from California.  We are still able to make water we just have to be careful and sometimes use only the one pump to keep the pressure down.  This means less water.

We picked up a few groceries and returned to the boat.  I took another cold pill and rested for an hour.  We had a quick lunch and then at 1PM went over to Gonzo II for a game of dominoes.  It was a fun game.  Judy won.  Bud might have done better but he was a little handicapped.  The other day he took his scooter ashore and while he was motoring along, it blew a front tire.  He went head over heals and broke his arm and a finger.  He has a cast on both but the healing seems to progress faster dependant upon the amount of pampering supplied by Judy.  She has been doing almost everything.  We saw her returning from the grocery store wearing two backpacks and lugging bags.  She told us she changed the oil in the generator and fixed a water leak in the galley this morning.  The only thing she was not willing to do was let Bud win at dominoes.  

While we were still at Gonzo II we heard “Yellow House” calling us on the radio.  It was Susan who lives in the yellow house on the waterfront.  She had finally turned her radio on and had called to confirm our date at Pasa Bon Pizza tonight.  We were still on but running late.  When we left Gonzo II we had just enough time to stop at our boat for Rick to change.  We arrived at the restaurant at 6PM, right on time.  The plan had been to talk to Susan and Lisa about Fiji.  They are leaving next week and wanted to pick our brain about the trip we took a few years ago.  Poor Lisa was working at the restaurant and made us a lovely dinner but we didn’t get to talk with her much.  We had a very enjoyable evening with Susan and talked about fish more than we talked about Fiji.  She told us where we must snorkel on Bonaire to watch the fish having sex at noon each day.  Rick is quite anxious to go snorkelling again.

August 26, 2004, Kralendijk, Bonaire

We slept late this morning and didn’t have time for a coffee before our power walk.

After breakfast, Rick checked and serviced the batteries.  I had been trying to call Budget Marine just to confirm that they had placed the order for the watermaker membrane but they weren’t answering the radio.  Just before lunch Rick went in to pick up our propane tank that he had left to be filled at the Harbour Village Marina a couple of days ago.  He wasn’t gone long and when he returned I learned the tank hadn’t been filled because the marina was out of propane.  He also stopped at Budget Marine and learned that the order hadn’t been placed for the membrane because the girl was too busy to do it.  They weren’t answering the radio because they forgot to turn it up and therefore couldn’t hear it.  This day was not going very well so far.  We’ll be glad when Peter returns from vacation next week!

After lunch we went back to Budget Marine because the autopilot we ordered should have been here by now and I was concerned enough that I wanted to get the tracking numbers and find out where it was.  Well… it was no where!!!  When we checked with Budget Marine, we learned it hadn’t even been ordered yet.  Needless to say we were a little upset.  We cancelled our order and had them refund the $2000 U.S.  deposit we had given them.  We left Budget and made a phone call to Raymarine who gave us a dealer’s name and phone number in the British Virgin Islands.  We called the BVI's and placed the same order all over again.  It will be at least another week before it arrives now.

After a frustrating day we thought it would be appropriate to go to Happy Hour at City Café.  We did and it was very enjoyable to talk to the locals about topics other than boat problems.  

August 27, 2004, Kralendijk, Bonaire

I think my cold is gone.  I haven’t taken a cold pill for over 24 hours and I feel fine.  We went for our morning walk and then after breakfast we went snorkelling.  The morning wind was light and there had been no wind at all overnight so it was a perfect snorkelling day.  Judy and Bud came along as well.  Judy just wrapped Bud’s non-fibreglass bandage as best she could so he could swim.  We shared a mooring with a large dive boat that had at least a dozen divers on board This worked out great for Bud when he was ready to get out of the water.  Instead of having to try and climb into the dinghy with his broken arm he asked the dive boat if he could come aboard using their ladder.  After that he just had to climb down from the dive boat into the dinghy.

It was lunchtime when we returned to our boat. We had a short siesta and then went to greet Heather and Mike (Blueprint) who had just arrived.  Judy and Bud met us at Blueprint and we went ashore to the canvas and sail shop.  This is the store that has items from the San Blas Islands and other Panamanian countries.  We weren’t buying I just wanted Judy to see all of the beautiful crafts they had.

During Happy Hour we sat in the cockpit and watched some very young children in their Optimist Sailboats practising for the upcoming regatta.  They were so cute and handled the boats better than many adults.

Dinner was onboard tonight.  I made Swiss steak and it had to simmer for a couple of hours so we watched a movie (The Thomas Crown Affair) while it was cooking.

August 28, 2004, Kralendijk, Bonaire

We told Sylvia K that we would not be walking with them this morning.  Tothill and Topcat were leaving and we wanted to move onto one of their moorings.  It wasn’t that we didn’t like the mooring we had, in fact we thought we had the best mooring in the mooring field.  We had been told that when the regatta started, our mooring which was right off the regatta headquarters would be in the way of the launch for some of the races.  Each year they ask the boat on our mooring and the one next to it to leave during the regatta.  We don’t plan to be here then but the way things are going the items we’ve ordered may not arrive in time to be installed by October 1.  We know there are quite a few boats on their way here so before all the prime moorings were gone we thought it would be best to move.  This was a wise decision!  It was 6:45AM and we were sitting in the cockpit watching for one of the boats to leave when we realised a boat was arriving.  Normally boats arrive from the east in the early afternoon not in the morning.  Luckily the new boat went right on by looking for a mooring.  So as soon as we saw Topcat starting to leave we started the engine, dropped our lines and hurried over to his spot.  What we didn’t know was that two other boats had decided to take these moorings as well.  Too Pfarr Out and Makai who were on inside moorings wanted to move to an outside mooring but they weren’t fast enough.  Later when Tothill started to leave he hadn’t even finished dropping their mooring lines and Too Pfarr Out was on their way into the spot.  We thought the new boat would have taken our old spot but instead they took an inside mooring.  Makai was then contemplating taking our spot but another boat arrived and took it.  I think this boat just came out of the marina.  In the afternoon Starlight Dancer and Infinity arrived from Las Aves and the only moorings available were on the inside row.

The musical chair race for a mooring was over for the day but it will now be fun to watch as the weather improves and more boats make their way to Bonaire.

We went to the internet café and grocery shopping in the morning.  In the afternoon Judy had asked if I would do a girls day out roaming the stores (but not buying).  I said I’d love to but at the last moment when I was about to leave Rick said he wanted to come as well.  Then Bud changed his mind and he came too.  The town is not that big so the guys just sat on a bench and watched while Judy and I went from store to store.  We did buy a couple of things Judy bought a new hat for Bud and I bought Rick a new pad for his snorkel mask and a neoprene eyeglass holder.  It was a fun afternoon but when we came out of the last store we found the guys were gone.  Judy and I knew immediately that it must be time for Happy Hour.  Sure enough, we found them sitting in City Café waiting for a beer. 

We returned to the boat and barbecued a couple of the striploin steaks we had bought at the grocery store today.  It’s difficult to find nice cuts in the grocery store and I think it’s because there is no restaurant supplier on the island but many restaurants.  The restaurants get all of the prime cuts from the grocery stores and what’s left goes on the counter for everyone else to purchase.  Having said all that, dinner was great.

August 29, 2004, Kralendijk, Bonaire

Oh no!  We slept late this morning and missed our walk.  I called Sylvia K and apologised to Karen and Allen who delayed their walk to wait for us.  

Since it was Sunday morning and we had nothing special planned I made some French Toast for breakfast.  Rick had been asking for some for a while but all bread here is sliced very thin and wouldn’t make very good French Toast.  When we were at the grocery store yesterday I caught the lady just as she was putting the bread into the slicing machine and asked if I could have an unsliced loaf.  That’s how we happened to have nice thick French Toast with maple syrup this morning.  We took our time over breakfast but eventually decided we had to get a move on.  

Rick went to town for a couple of things and then started working on the stainless steel.  I took the covers off of all our throw cushions.  I hadn’t realised how grubby they had become until I compared the inside seams to the outside fabric.  It was so bad I didn’t think I’d be able to save them.  I soaked and scrubbed and when I had given up I tried some bleach.  I really didn’t think the fabric could withstand the bleach but there was nothing to lose.  The cushions looked brand new after soaking in a bleach solution for about an hour.  That was our excitement for the morning.

In the afternoon we both went in for a snorkel just off the boat.  We were moored quite a ways down the shore from where we were before so there was new terrain to check out under the boat.  There wasn’t near as much coral in our new spot but the variety of fish was better.  Our friends the Sergeant Majors and Yellow Tail Snappers were still with us.  I also saw some Surgeon and Doctor fish smiling at me.  There were quite a few large Stoplight Parrot fish, Butterfly fish and a few of my favourite Trunk fish.  I was looking to see if I could see any Flounder but instead I saw a small Gold spotted eel.  Although it doesn’t compare with the snorkel site (Andrea) that we went to by dinghy the other day.  It’s pretty amazing to be able to just jump off the boat in downtown Kralendijk and find such an abundance of fish.

Dinner was onboard tonight.  I made some Flemish cabbage that is cooked with apples.  I’m sure it’s supposed to be served with pork but I served it with chicken.  Rick doesn’t seem to care what it’s served with, he just likes the smell of it cooking.  It seems to have become one of his favourites.

August 30, 2004, Kralendijk, Bonaire

It started out as a nice relaxing day.  We finished our boat chores in the morning and went to the Lost Penguin for lunch.  This was the last day the Penguin would be open for the next 3 weeks.  They were closing and going on vacation.  Where does someone who lives in the Caribbean go on vacation?  They are taking a cruise in the Western Caribbean but their Cruise ship leaves from Miami.  They are to arrive and leave from Miami about the same time as Hurricane Frances is due there.  So they are no longer quite sure where they will spend their vacation.  Before they closed we wanted to try the fish and chips, which is something almost unheard of on most Caribbean Islands.  It was the closest I think we’ll find anywhere to the real (British) thing.  The meal was served with a creamy coleslaw, homemade tartar sauce and malt vinegar.  The fish was cooked in a light beer batter and the chips were perfect.  There is no halibut or haddock available here so they used a very mild fresh tuna.  It was wonderful but it was also our last for at least a few weeks.

The next thing on our to-do list was to make sure that our autopilot order had been processed without any further problems.  Well that was wishful thinking!  Our Visa charge was declined.  It took many phone calls to find out why and finally have it resolved.  The last and final reason we received that seemed to resolve the issue was that regardless of what the limit is on the card, if you are making a major purchase it must be pre-approved before the charge is processed.  Late in the afternoon the charge finally went through after many, many long distance phone calls.  Meanwhile the store we were dealing with in St. Johns BVI was busy boarding the windows for Hurricane Frances, which is headed in their direction.

We returned to the boat and rested up for Happy Hour, which we had on board.  

August 31, 2004, Kralendijk, Bonaire

We got back to power walking this morning.  We had taken a few days off and now it was time to get back into it.  When we finished our “walk and talk” we returned to the boat for breakfast.  I call it our “walk and talk” now because as we reach the dinghy dock where Allen, Rick and I collapse.  We talk and wait as Karen continues for a couple more miles.

We miss the morning weather report when we walk so I didn’t hear how our friends in the Virgin Islands made out with Frances.  We all feel a little guilty sitting here with calm seas and blue skies knowing that north of us many cruisers and islanders are going through some scary times as the hurricane passes.

After breakfast I tidied and cleaned below while Rick washed the cockpit.  We were both finished by noon so we had a light lunch and then went for a snorkel.  I don’t know whether word is spreading in the fish community that meals are served regularly over the side of Wind-Borne III, but there were a lot more fish hanging around our boat today.  In addition to the regulars there were a few Queen Angel fish, some Trumpet fish, many colourful Wrasses and I was even able to show Rick a flounder that just happened to move while I was watching.  A young turtle swam around the boat just after we climbed aboard.  Being in Bonaire is like being anchored in a giant aquarium.

We showered and had a wonderful siesta.  When we awoke I baked a pile of ribs and put together some snacks for Happy Hour.  We invited Tony and Benta to join us.  It was a very enjoyable evening.  Rick and Tony devoured the ribs while Benta and I got to taste a couple.