Take a peak daily at Live Streaming Video
Check out the TV Screen for Live Streaming Video
Archive for July, 2012
Team Bonaire at the PWA Feurtaventura
July 26, 2012Wicked Windsurfing
July 26, 2012
Nic Hibdige of Lymington, England – Photo By Sam Hibdige
Our winds are positively amazing this month and last month, and the month before. Today, it was gusting beyond 25 knots at times. The waves rolling into Lac Bay were amazing.
Take a look at Nic Hibdige, GBR 700. He is sponsored by Mystic, Simmer Sails, Starboard and 24-7 Boardsports. He and his super fast slalom sailor brother, Sam take on the waters of Bonaire. Nic is new school freestyle, whilst Sam is old school slalom. Today, Sam was blasting on the blue highway of Lac Bay racing / training with former Olympian, Constanstine “Patun” Saragoza. Sam has clocked 57 KPH in the UK. Today he was rocking his 5.7 TR7 and 86 ltr Isonic.
i,m
Wounded Warriors Back to Bonaire
July 25, 2012For Immediate Release from TCB Inc.
BONAIRE TO HONOR U.S. MILITARY VETERANS
***Week-Long Program Designed To Help Wounded Warriors Relax Underwater
And Experience What It Means To Be On ‘Island Time’***
Kralendijk, Bonaire – (July 25, 2012) –Tourism Corporation Bonaire and the entire island will welcome a group of “Wounded Warriors” next month. The group will be scuba diving for rehabilitation and recreation from August 18-25, 2012. This is the seventh year that Bonaire, one of the top scuba diving destinations in the world, will be hosting a group of U.S. military veterans.
During this week, severely wounded soldiers and their significant others will travel to the island to complete the final step in the process of obtaining their dive certifications. Representatives of the Diving Equipment & Marketing Association’s (DEMA’s) Be A Diver Program, the North American office of Tourism Corporation Bonaire and the Handicapped Scuba Association (HSA) will also be on-site in Bonaire. All accommodations and diving will be provided courtesy of Captain Don’s Habitat Bonaire. Each year, the people of Bonaire warmly welcome this group and show them not only the natural beauty and pristine waters of the island, but also the friendliness and genuine hospitality of the Bonairean people.
“It’s certainly appropriate that these warriors are coming to Bonaire to scuba dive. The fantastic reefs and marine life found on our island help create an unforgettable experience,” commented Anja Romeijnders, President of Tourism Corporation Bonaire. “As a scuba diver myself, I know the excitement I feel after a dive. I’m pleased that Bonaire is able to help these impressive soldiers experience that same feeling and always remember Bonaire. It’s one way we can thank them all for their efforts and sacrifices,” Anja Romeijinders continued.
This year’s contingent of ten Wounded Warriors has suffered life-changing physical injuries received in combat while stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan. They and their partners will be kept busy with a variety of activities beginning with the completion of their PADI and HSA dive certifications, which will take place on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Once certified, they will continue diving throughout the week, both from the dock of Captain Don’s Habitat and via boat dives to Klein Bonaire and other famous Bonaire dive sites. The group will also enjoy sightseeing, shopping, dining, a beach BBQ and an authentic Texas-style BBQ. The highlight of the week will take place when the Bonaire community gathers to meet these extraordinary troops and their companions at a reception held in their honor with Bonaire’s first female Lt. Governor, the Honorable Lydia Emerencia.
Sponsors to date of the 7th Bonaire-Be A Diver-Wounded Warrior Scuba Certification trip are: 9Line LLC, Adams Unlimited Public Relations & Marketing, Bikers Bonaire, Bonaire KFC, BonPhoto, BonaireTalk.com, Bonaire Quad Tours, Bonaire Guided Motorcycle Tours, Bonaire Tours & Vacations, Budget Rent A Car Bonaire, Captain Don’s Habitat, Caradonna Dive Adventures, Inc., Care Coalition, Caribbean Travel & Life Magazine, Chat & Browse Bonaire, Casablanca Restaurant, Destinations Weddings & Honeymoons Magazine, Disabled Sports USA, DEMA/Be a Diver, Dive Training Magazine, Henderson, H.S.A. International Training Center of New Jersey, Innovative Scuba Concepts, Inc., Iron Order Motorcycle Club Bonaire (Caribbean Pirates Crew), Islands Magazine, It Rains Fishes, Jack Chalk, Jewel Of Bonaire, NetTech, N.V., OCEANIC, PADI, Paradise Moon Bar & Restaurant, Pasa Bon Pizza, Princeton Tec, Rum Runners, Scuba Diving Magazine, Spice Beach Club, Sport Diver Magazine, Tourism Corporation Bonaire, XS Scuba, Wounded Warrior Project
Located eighty-six miles east of Aruba, the Dutch Caribbean island of Bonaire offers year-round sunshine, low annual rainfall, pristine coral formations and the most thriving fish population in the Caribbean. Ideal for adventurers, explorers and sun-worshippers alike, Bonaire offers myriad eco-adventure activities including world renowned scuba diving and snorkeling, windsurfing, kite boarding, mountain biking, sea and mangrove kayaking, horseback riding, nature tours, hiking, bird watching, sailing and deep sea and bone fishing. With a selection of accommodations ranging from full-service oceanfront resorts and condominiums to guesthouses and small inns, Bonaire has something for every lifestyle and budget.
Bonaire is the recipient of the prestigious Islands Magazine/Caribbean Tourism Organization 2008 Sustainable Tourism Award and continues to be recognized as one of the top destinations worldwide for its sustainable tourism practices. It was designated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as having the healthiest reefs in the Caribbean (January 2008) and in 2011, Bonaire was voted one of the top five Snorkeling Destinations in the Caribbean by the editors of Caribbean Travel & Life. For 19 consecutive years, Bonaire has been selected as the number one Shore Diving destination in the Caribbean/Atlantic in Scuba Diving Magazine’s annual Readers’ Choice Awards. This year, it was voted one of the Best Destinations Overall, number one for Marine and Macro life, and number one for Snorkeling also in the Reader’s Choice Awards.
For more information on Bonaire, contact the Tourism Corporation Bonaire in the U.S. at 1-800-BONAIRE or visit Bonaire’s official web site at http://www.tourismbonaire.com. Follow Bonaire on Twitter and Facebook.
What I am reading in Bonaire Today
July 21, 2012I am an avid reader and always create a summer reading list. Here is my latest read, a super addition to anyone’s list:
Lionfish Update Bonaire
July 17, 2012From Adams PR FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE- Edited Version
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
BONAIRE’S 24/7 ATTENTION TO LIONFISH PRIOR TO THEIR UNWELCOME ARRIVAL PAYS OFF
***Bonaire’s Actions to Combat the Lionfish Continue to be Effective***
Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean – It is common knowledge that species of the invasive Pacific lionfish have populated nearly the entire Caribbean region. Although Bonaire was fortunate enough to be one of the last dive destinations to have these predators inhabit its waters, the island had a master plan in place long before the first lionfish was spotted in October 2009.
“Bonaire is very fortunate that there was a pro-active battle-plan in place before the lionfish actually arrived. Bonaire’s nature foundations began their defense against this invasive species in early 2009, nearly six months before its arrival,” commented Anja Romeijnders, President of Tourism Corporation Bonaire. “Having a management plan in place provided the island’s volunteer corps and diving operators the time to prepare for a fast response when the lionfish did arrive in October, 2009,” Mrs. Romeijnders continued.
The Bonaire National Marine Park (STINAPA) and the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) held a workshop to educate both the general public, as well as dive operators and their staff, about controlling this invasive species, since it was determined that a well-informed community and pro-active dive staff would be Bonaire’s best defense.
Even Bonaire’s diving visitors jumped to assist with the task of marking and reporting the location of lionfish for future removal. The Bonaire National Marine Park rangers conducted over 40 lionfish workshops for those marine park volunteers or visitors who were interested in helping to remove the fish, focusing upon how to safely catch and remove them. Today there are over 300 official lionfish hunters on Bonaire, of which there is a core group of about 30 hunters who are removing hundreds of fish every week. Everyone can follow the hunters’ efforts by joining the Bonaire Lionfish Hunters Facebook group page at http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/bonairelionfish/.
Additionally, the CIEE Bonaire Research Station (Council on International Educational Exchange) has processed thousands of lionfish brought to their headquarters to take vital statistics such as size, weight, etc. to analyze and gather more data.
Through their continued efforts, STINAPA and DCNA have jointly developed a smart phone app whereby Bonaire’s lionfish hunters can add the location and details of lionfish caught, escaped, or seen during a dive, and this data can be viewed on a live map. The impetus behind this app is to collect all data in one centralized location so that a complete picture of the lionfish situation and its control is available to anyone. The website, http://www.lionfishcontrol.org, may be used on a desktop computer or as a mobile application on a tablet or phone. Visitors to the site may register as either a hunter or observer and begin accessing the data immediately. This tool is innovative and a benchmark for lionfish control.
Located eighty-six miles east of Aruba, the Dutch Caribbean island of Bonaire offers year-round sunshine, low annual rainfall, pristine coral formations and the most thriving fish population in the Caribbean. Ideal for adventurers, explorers and sun-worshippers alike, Bonaire offers myriad eco-adventure activities including world renowned scuba diving and snorkeling, windsurfing, kite boarding, mountain biking, sea and mangrove kayaking, horseback riding, nature tours, hiking, bird watching, sailing and deep sea and bone fishing. And with a selection of accommodations ranging from full-service oceanfront resorts and condominiums to guesthouses and small inns, Bonaire has something for every lifestyle and budget.
Bonaire is the recipient of the prestigious Islands Magazine/Caribbean Tourism Organization 2008 Sustainable Tourism Award and continues to be recognized as one of the top destinations worldwide for its sustainable tourism. It was designated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as having the healthiest reefs in the Caribbean (January 2008) and in 2011, Bonaire was voted one of the top five Snorkeling Destinations in the Caribbean by the editors of Caribbean Travel & Life. For 19 consecutive years in Scuba Diving magazine’s annual Readers’ Choice Awards, Bonaire has been selected as the number one Shore Diving destination in the Caribbean/Atlantic. This year, it was voted one of the Best Destinations Overall, number one for Marine and Macro life, and for Snorkeling also in the Reader’s Choice Awards.
For more information on Bonaire contact the Tourism Corporation Bonaire in the U.S. at 1-800-BONAIRE or visit Bonaire’s official web site at http://www.tourismbonaire.com. Follow Bonaire on Twitter and Facebook. To book your Bonaire Dive Vacation contact ann@bonairecaribbean.com today and ask for the Lionfish Special Dive Package Rate Quote.
Lucky the Loggerhead Sea Turtle Returns 8 Years Later to Bonaire
July 11, 2012Press Release Bonaire July 13, 2012
Eight Years Later, “Extra” the Loggerhead Sea Turtle Returns to Bonaire
Photo of Lucky in 2004 with The Sea Turtle Foundation – Courtesy of National Geographic
July 9th 2004, Klein Bonaire: a female loggerhead sea turtle named Extra was fitted with a satellite transmitter by Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire (STCB) staff. The very next day Extra began her 1,754 km (1,090 mi) migration to the waters off the coast of Honduras, an area now known to be critical feeding grounds for Bonaire-nesting sea turtles.
July 1st 2012, Klein Bonaire: reported sightings of a large loggerhead sea turtle with a small device secured to its carapace (shell) led the STCB team to investigate. Extra was identified resting and swimming on the coral reef surrounding Klein Bonaire and the remnants of her satellite transmitter were removed from her carapace. The device was completely missing its antennae and was easily removed by the team.
The sighting of Extra is not only a heart warming story for Bonaire, but also very important for our knowledge base of Bonaire’s sea turtles. Extra is nesting once again on Klein Bonaire, which helps confirm the hypothesis that female turtles return to the same nesting beach for their entire adult life (and usually the same beach where they themselves were born). Loggerheads nest with intervals of two to three years, suggesting that this is the third time Extra has returned to nest on Klein Bonaire since the transmitter was fitted.
Satellite transmitters stop working after some time for different reasons; the antennas break, they run out of batteries, or sometimes they fall from the shell, especially as the turtle grows. A turtle’s shell grows from inside out just like fingernails do, but growth in adult sea turtles is very slow and that explains why the transmitters can stay attached to the turtle after so many years.
Extra back in Bonaire waters in 2012
In 2004 Extra had her four flippers intact, however now she is missing half of her right front, possibly from a shark attack. Luckily, she didn’t lose it completely and is still swimming and nesting successfully. So far this season Extra has laid three nests on Klein Bonaire and is expected to lay at least one more before she returns to her feeding home off the coast of Honduras.
Keep count of sea turtle nests on Bonaire’s here
STCB’s satellite tracking of mature sea turtles was featured in the October, 2004 issue of National Geographic (Dutch edition). The photograph chosen for the article was the release of EXTRA after transmitter deployment (see above).
Loggerhead Extra was named after the local newspaper as a way to give publicity to the tracking of sea turtles to raise public awareness about these majestic reptiles.
STCB staff would like to thank Woodwind Sail and Snorkeling for reporting on the sighting of this turtle and for participating in the quest to recover the transmitter. We are grateful to our volunteers: Dee, Tina and Richard who are always ready to help us protect Bonaire’s sea turtles. And last but not least we thank Extra for carrying this device and providing valuable information that can be used to share with our international partners to enhance sea turtle conservation in the Caribbean.
Warmest Regards,
Mabel Nava
Manager
Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire
http://www.bonaireturtles.org
Join STCB on our Facebook page.
Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire (STCB) is a non-governmental research and conservation organization that has been protecting sea turtles since 1991. Our mission is to ensure the protection and recovery of Bonaire’s sea turtle populations throughout their range.
Funding for STCB comes from conservation and research grants, merchandise sales and donations.
You can email us at stcb@bonaireturtles.org
Donkey Press Release
July 11, 2012PRESS RELEASE
10th of July 2012
Donkey Sanctuary Bonaire fights government plan to send donkeys to Haiti
Donkey Sanctuary Bonaire is extremely concerned about the government’s plan to catch the wild donkeys on Bonaire and send them to Haiti to become working donkeys.
The government of Bonaire wants to capture all these donkeys at very short notice, claiming that its aim is to prevent damage to vegetation and improve road safety. Deputy James Kroon told the media that the donkeys will then be transported to Haiti to be used as working animals over there.
Although Donkey Sanctuary Bonaire has been calling upon the government for many years to rescue the stray donkeys from the streets, its chairwoman Marina Melis does not agree with the government’s plans.
“It seems that the donkeys will be captured without proper welfare precautions, which will cause them distress and suffering,” she said.
“Besides, the donkeys will probably face a miserable future on Haiti. There are no guarantees at all that they will be well cared for there. Anyway we are dealing with feral donkeys here, which cannot be simply put to work like trained, domestic animals.”
Donkey Sanctuary Bonaire has already had several consultations with the government to try to find a more animal friendly solution.
Donkey Sanctuary Bonaire offered to coordinate the rounding-up and capture of the wild donkeys. This way the donkeys would be removed from the streets in an animal friendly manner, by people with the right training and equipment. Donkey Sanctuary Bonaire has all the necessary knowledge and experience at its disposal, but a project like this needs thorough preparation and therefore could not be executed until the beginning of 2013 at the earliest.
All the captured mares (including those which are pregnant) and foals can then be accommodated in the donkey sanctuary, where they will be safe and have a good life, on condition that the government contributes to the cost of taking care for these animals. Until now Donkey Sanctuary Bonaire has not received any financial support from the government.
Unfortunately, the captured adult stallions cannot be placed in the Donkey Sanctuary. Even if they are neutered, they will still have aggressive territorial tendencies and will attack other males confined with them, so it is not possible to have them in the sanctuary. Donkey Sanctuary Bonaire proposes to neuter these stallions and then set them free again on the island, or have them euthanized by the vet. Even this last resort would be more humane than sending the donkeys to Haiti.
Donkey Sanctuary Bonaire is a non-profit organisation whose primary objective is to offer safety and protection for all donkeys on Bonaire. Marina also works to raise awareness and overcome negative perceptions of donkeys among the local community, schools and tourists.
At the moment over 400 donkeys are already cared for in the donkey sanctuary. They are provided with food, drinking water and medical care and have plenty of space and freedom. All male donkeys in the sanctuary are neutered to control the number of donkeys in care.
The number of wild donkeys on Bonaire is estimated at approximately 200. These stray donkeys are in constant danger. Every year lots of donkeys die from starvation, dehydration, illness and (road) accidents.
___________________________________________________________________________
More information:
Marina Melis, chairwoman Stichting Donkeyshelp
Donkey Sanctuary Bonaire
PO Box 331
Bonaire
info@donkeysanctuary.com
http://www.donkeysanctuary.com
phone + 599 95 607 607
Save the Bonaire Donkeys
July 9, 2012Please sign this urgent petition
http://www.change.org/petitions/save-the-bonaire-donkeys-stop-the-shipment-of-200-wild-male-donkeys-to-haiti#
The Bonaire Government is trying to rectify the overpopulation of wild donkeys by sending them to Haiti to become beasts of burden. Their proposal includes rounding up wild males, tranquilizing them and sending them with the Dutch Navy to Haiti. Donkeys have been used as working animals for many years around the world, but wild donkeys that roam the island of Bonaire would not be able to be used in such a manner It is more likely that the donkeys (those who actually survived the journey) would have a short hard life & that some of them would be used for food perhaps.
Donkeys have roamed freely for years. They are often a nuisance due to car accidents and aggressive male behavior but most including the author are charmed by their presence in the island landscape. Tourists flock to see the donkeys at the habitat. Many locals water and feed the wild donkeys. They are greatly beloved by most. The Donkey Sanctuary has provided a safe haven for the island but cannot manage all so many still roam wild. Their goal is to sterilize all wild males to lessen the population and decrease aggressiveness. There are other means to support the plight of these lovely creatures that have been a part of the island’s landscape for over a hundred years. Please consider supporting a humane way to help. Go to http://www.donkeysanctuary.org/ to learn more.
Windsurfing Summer
July 5, 2012There is so much going on this summer in Lac Bay. First off, the wind has been non stop since May. The crowds are down and it’s the perfect time to enjoy a windsurf holiday. Jibe City and Caribbean Wind & Sun Vacations have Kids Camps all summer long. For 200.00 USD your children can learn to sail or hone their skills. Contact Ann at ann@bonairewindsurfing.com for details on special packages.
Andy Brandt returns for a summer freestyle camp Aug.20. He will be featuring freestyle lessons but basic and intermediate skills will be taught in this week long camp. Ann has super deals for windsurfers including stay 7 pay for 6 nights at Kontiki, Sorobon, Windsock, Coco Palm Gardens and Happy Holiday Homes. Ask for the ABK Camp Special package.
Hang Out Bar has a summer long calendar of food, fun, music, BBQ and Full Moon parties.
To learn more call Ann at 011 599 786 3134 or email ann@bonairewindsurfing.com today.
Flyer Courtesy of Hang Out Bar
Dive Photo of the Day
July 4, 2012Tribsy is at it again. She dove Bachelor Beach and got some nice shots.
Photo by Jeanine Clark Bremmer
It’s the perfect time to plan a dive holiday. Caribbean Wind & Sun Vacations is offering stay 7 pay for 6 and free diver packages this fall. Call 011 599 786 3134 today or email ann@bonairecaribbean.com
Travel Bliss 