The sail from Chaguaramas, Trinidad, to Bonaire is around 425 nautical miles. The journey took three days. It was a nice downwind sail with fairly consistent wind and calm sea. During the trip, we had some dolphins play at our bow, caught a mahi-mahi, and picked up a couple of stowaways, one of which went straight in the cabin and slept for 8 hours.
After some struggles with a very short mooring buoy pendant, we finally secured Juno to the buoy. Now it was time for a vacation!
My first impression of Bonaire was an immediate wow. The water was crystal clear! All the waters around Bonaire are part of a protected marine park. As such, anchoring is strictly prohibited to protect the reef system around the island. The mooring field is conveniently located right next to town, over the narrow, sandy seafloor. The bow of Juno sat above the sand, while her stern was right above a steep slope covered with colorful reefs. We could see fish swimming right under Juno. Every evening, night divers from the nearby diving school glided beneath our keel, their dive lights creating an underwater light show.
Bonaire has a desert-like climate. It rarely rains. The low humidity really makes everything seem brighter. When Robert and I caught up with our cruising friends, Sasha and Blair from SV Silver Moon, for dinner, the first thing we said to each other was, “Did you see that container ship at the commercial dock? It’s so fresh and clean—no rust at all!” What a difference from Chaguaramas, where it was humid, industrial, and the water was dark and murky.
Our first few days in Bonaire were filled with touristy activities. We drove around the Washington Slagbaai National Park with our cruising friends, visited the Donkey Sanctuary, tried Land Sailing, and did some boutique shopping in town.
Donkeys were used in the island’s salt-making operations in the 18th and 19th centuries. After cars and trucks were brought to the island, these working donkeys were released into the wild to fend for themselves. One can still see wild donkeys roaming on the roads. The Donkey Sanctuary cares for injured, sick, elderly, or young donkeys. Donkeys in the Sanctuary were very gentle, curious, and sweet.
For the first time, Robert and I tried land sailing with a group of cruisers. Land sailing is much faster than ocean sailing! These small carts can reach speeds of up to 80 km/h in a recreational setting, while the world record is over 200 km/h! Just like dinghy sailing, it is possible to tip over. I am grateful that no pictures exist to prove that I was the one who tipped over and needed to be rescued.
From childhood until my mid-forties, I was never comfortable in the water. While we were still dreaming about the cruising life in Miami a few years back, I finally learned to swim. In Bonaire, we took a free-diving course to learn some new skills. It was enlightening to learn that I can hold my breath for over 2.5 minutes, and likely more with practice. 2.5 minutes is more than enough time to dive down and take a closer look at a beautiful fish. Understanding this intellectually is one thing; being able to perform a swift duck dive elegantly is another. I gained newfound respect for those who can dive gracefully without scaring away the colorful reef fish.
Bonaire is one of the top diving destinations in the world. After the initial island touring, we settled into a daily routine of snorkeling in the late afternoon to cool off and exercise. The exercise was absolutely necessary, as we also discovered a local gelato shop and visited it way too often!
Diving in Bonaire is unlike diving in many other locations. On the island, most dives are conducted from the shore. Divers simply put on their gear and walk into the ocean. Each dive spot is clearly named and marked both onshore and in the water. There are over 60 designated dive sites on the main island, as well as an additional 26 sites on Klein Bonaire (the small island west of the main island). Diving is truly the island’s main sport. Robert and I explored the underwater world beneath Juno and the famous Salt Pier. Additionally, I took an Advanced Open Water course to refresh my skills and learn a few new techniques.
Below are some random pretty pictures.
Six weeks passed quickly, and by the end of our stay, we felt like locals. We developed a routine that included evening strolls, Friday night gelato, and Sunday Mexican Train Dominoes with cruising friends at the lovely Yhanni’s Arepas. I felt very fortunate to travel on our own sailboat and to experience places like Bonaire at a leisurely pace.
There are a few downsides for cruisers on Bonaire. The most common complaint is the cost. While we can usually anchor for free or obtain a low-cost cruising permit on most other islands, in Bonaire, we had to pay a daily mooring fee, which added up over time. The time has finally come for us to move on to the next Dutch island—Curacao.
