Caribbean Note #51

We returned to Bonaire with fresh memories of our oldest grandchild turning 21 and our newborn grandchild squinting at the light as he began to see the new world around him. Lots will happen before little Christian reaches his cousin Garrett’s age. Berit and I were sad to say goodbye to you all but happy to be back here in our island paradise.

We arrived just in time for Regatta Week and right away were plunged back into our normal routine of birding with our friend Jerry and diving with our neighbors. When the winds are down we dive the otherwise violent east coast of Bonaire. Strange that this happens when the annual sailboat races are taking place!

Once again I chickened out of the 800 meter swim to Klein from Eden Beach. I go every year to join the crowds of people of all ages but my latest round of knee injections hadn’t kicked in fully and I was too timid to try, yet again. Maybe next year!!

We volunteered as flaggers and water station workers at the annual Duo Extreme bike race. I have mad respect for the riders in this 80 kilometer mountain bike race. The riders are faced with trails so steep and rough they sometimes have to carry their bicycles to negotiate the worst parts of the route. Every year we see the wounded who have fallen onto the rocks or into the cactus with bikes so covered in mud you wonder how the wheels turn or gears engage.

A formal end to hurricane season brought the cruise ships back in ever increasing numbers and by Matthew’s birthday we were once again faced with big city style traffic snarl in our little town of Kralendijk. Cruisers love to get on busses and into taxis and onto scooters and tour around our tiny island at 5mph on narrow roads where oncoming cars meet each other with one set of tires on the narrow asphalt roadway and the other set of tires on the coral rubble shoulder in order to fit two trucks into space enough for only one. It’s revealing that most everyone cooperates in this little maneuver and passes with a smile and a wave. But watch out too for herds of goats and foraging wild donkeys!!

In addition to our other official government business (residency, insurance, banking, taxes, political action and volunteering) we decided to get our driving licenses. They are required of residents but we only recently understood that we should have done this years ago. You see, there are the rules that exist that don’t get enforced and the rules that do get enforced. And recently, with the local cops setting up road blocks to check for license and registration we see it’s now time to comply with this rule.

It turns out it’s just as complicated to get a driver’s license as it is to do any other kind of government business here. We first had to go to the registry and pay to get a document that showed we were in fact residents. Then we took that to the “DMV” and made an appointment (five weeks away) for our driving test. Since we have valid Oregon driver’s licenses we didn’t have to take a written test, just a driving test, and in addition to paying the fees for the license, we were advised to hire a driving instructor to practice with because “everyone fails the test on their first try”.

As the weeks went by we asked around about the driving test and discovered that “everyone” really does fail the first time. So we hired a driving instructor recommended by the DMV and Berit and I went off with him to practice driving. It soon became clear that the reason everyone fails is because there are some very specific details you have to get right in order to pass.

For instance:

• No open toed shoes or you must reschedule your test.
• No sleeveless shirts or blouses.
• No shorts or capris; only long pants or dresses.
• No driving over 40 kilometers per hour (24 mph) which is really hard to do when everyone else is going at least twice that speed or faster.
• When making a u-turn the tires may not leave the asphalt roadway. So a turnaround involves going forward then backward in tiny increments on the narrow roadway until you’re all the way turned around.
• There is no need to parallel park but they make you back into these very narrow, sometimes skewed parking spots where you only have about six inches to spare on each side between the white lines. They have two examiners during your test and they open the doors on each side of the vehicle and compare notes before they agree you made it. And you have to succeed at this from each direction backing into the spots both from the left and from the right.

And the list goes on and on. They tell you that if they instruct you to turn a certain direction then to do that properly, but if they say nothing at an intersection you are supposed to “follow the rules of the road” and if you are confused you fail.

For example, you’re supposed to know (if uninstructed) that when you enter a roundabout you must signal and make the second right hand turn. By the same token if you arrive at a tee intersection (and there is no instruction) you must turn to the right. Oh, and if there is any construction on the road you may not go faster than 15 kilometers per hour.

• Or you fail.
• Or you fail.
• Or you fail.

We were glad we hired a driving instructor (for $60 more) and in the end we both passed on the first try. And then made an appointment for two weeks later to return (to a different office) to get our actual drivers licenses. Which we did and can now pass through the roadblocks without concern.

And yes, after working on it from the first of August until Thanksgiving our sedula’s have been renewed for the fourth time. One more year and we’ll be able to renew our residency in five year increments instead of each year!! WooHoo!!

By December we had been involved with the 35^th year celebration of the establishment of the Bonaire Marine Park with accompanying Lionfish Derby (killer Berit and I are up to 3,267 and counting); we had donated to The Sea Turtle Conservation Fundraiser Auction and had “won” a very nice driftwood carving called “Serenity” which is so big we have no idea where to put it; but it’s nice!!

We have once again witnessed the arrival (by boat) of Sinterklaas and The Black Piets (don’t ask!?!) and have helped serve at the annual Old Folks Christmas Dinner held this year at Divi Flamingo; which was pretty awesome. Thanks to our friend Michael Gaynor.

Of course we've been diving north, south, east and west with old friends and new friends and are very much looking forward to Matt & Kelli and Garrett & Zoe arriving soon to spend their Christmas vacation with us here on Bonaire.

Berit will be returning to Oregon in the middle of January for a six weeks stay in order to see family and take care of some necessary business and then return by the end of February in time for a visit from our friends Bob and Noelle in March. The diving here is still spectacular and our house is always available should you care to visit!!

As you surely know, you are in our thoughts and never a day goes by that we don’t speak of you all and hope you are finding joy and the strength to meet life’s challenges.

Merry Christmas (Felis Pasku) to you all!!

Love,

Dad

PS The truck (in our fenced and locked driveway) was broken into yet again. This sort of thing has become routine and sadly just a part of our new normal. This time in addition to all the other parts, they took the driver’s door right off the hinges!! So we’ve hired an electrician and designed additional security measures (lights and proximity sensors) to be installed in the driveway. At best it will discourage the thieves; at worst they’ll have better light to work in as they dismantle our truck.

Caribbean Note #50

Hey Everybody,

Wow, it seems like such a short time ago that we sent our original email to you all from Bonaire letting you know that we’d purchased a house here on the island. Now it’s been five years since that first Caribbean Note and today I’m writing number fifty. I suppose it’s fitting that these are nice round numbers since we've reached another milestone.

Work on the new house next door is finally finished and the place is ready for vacation rental. Here’s a link to our neighborhood website where you can see pictures of the house (Kas Koral #3) and potential renters can make contact with our property manager.

http://www.bonaireexclusief.nl/eng/bungalows/number3.html

Kas Koral - Bonaire Exclusief Bungalow #3

A new website is being developed with an updated appearance and additional information about the Bungalow Park, but this “old” site will have to do for now. Berit and I have worked hard this trip to make Kas Koral comfortable and nice and already people are signing up to rent this little vacation cottage. Of course it’s also available to family and friends, so we’ll be able to spread out between the two houses when you all come to visit. Just let us know when you can come and we’ll contact our property manager and have him block out the time for you.

You may remember the big news in my last post was all about my broken foot. I’m happy to report that all is well and mended now and we’ve resumed a full schedule of diving and hiking the goat trails in the mundi with Titan.

He’ll be traveling back to Oregon with us at the end of the week, so we’ve taken him to the vet for his shots and well dog paperwork and found a small carry-on kennel for him to travel in on the airplane. We’re not sure how he’ll react to the rain and cooler weather in Oregon. Since he barks and chases every critter he encounters from iguanas to goats, with great intensity, we’re a little concerned about him meeting Bentley and Kirby at the next family dinner. At least Cooni and Zumo won’t be there, so we have a pretty good chance that he’ll at least adapt to members of his own tribe. Please don’t hesitate to bring your dogs to meet him.

Speaking of the family dinner how about Sunday the 15^th of June at our house for a back yard BBQ? We can grill burgers and hot dogs and make some of grandpa’s onion dip. Let’s say come at noon and we’ll eat around 3:00. The only thing missing will be the grilled Lionfish. We’ve got a recipe for ceviche from Chef Hagen that Berit has wanted to try. We’ll make it for you when you come to the island.

We’ve missed a ton of recent birthdays and events to celebrate at the dinner too. Berit, Carrie, Amber, Sidney, Kelli, Ian and Jesse and I are all getting older and Zoe is graduating from high school and heading off to Oregon State; not to mention Sidney and Jesse are cooking up a brand new baby for us all to spoil and Geoffrey (with Amber’s help and support) has opened his new store. So much life happening all around. It will be nice to catch up on all the news.

As usual there have been some challenges living here on this little rock. When we arrived in 2008, the Island Council was embroiled in controversy and charged with all manner of corruption and criminal activity. The several coconspirators were placed under indictment and their records seized by the Dutch Government Officials who have had them under investigation all these years. And now the charges have been dropped and these men are back in office or currently forming a “new” political party to run for office in the upcoming election.

The 2015 evaluation of the 2010 change in the political status of the island is creating a push for a new referendum to include the choice to separate from the Netherlands and become an independent country; an option favored by a small but vocal group unhappy with Dutch rule. An appeal is being made to the United Nations under a sixty year old UN mandate ordering European powers to allow free elections in their colonies. Bonaire keeps voting for inclusion within the Kingdom of the Netherlands and this group keeps saying the elections are unfair and the vote is bought by local politicians aligned with Dutch interests.

Bonaire Marine Park has won its battle with Karel’s Beach Bar and now the huge new water park and hotel complex will not be built on the waterfront on new piers extending out onto the reef. In addition the pilings already sunk into the reef around the existing party pier will have to be removed. This is good news for the cause of reef conservation and the diving industry on Bonaire. But there are so many new hotel and development projects that the island infrastructure has been overloaded and power, water, roads, schools, airport, hospital, police, etc. etc. are all struggling to keep up with the influx of people and especially the island's embrace of tourism in the form of additional cruise ship amenities like shopping malls and island bus tours. The traffic is insane some days.

And Bonaire’s problem with petty theft and burglary just keeps getting worse. Social service programs and social welfare programs are stretched thin and with the lack of avenues for upward mobility the poor keep getting hit harder and harder with rising costs for food, power, water and other essentials including taxes. Many here blame this situation for the rise in petty theft and burglary. Our latest brush with crime resulted in our car being damaged and tossed right in our driveway inside our locked gates. Berit awoke to Titan barking at 3:00 AM and went outside but saw nothing in the darkened driveway. In the morning we discovered the damage to the truck and the missing tools and jack. We wonder if the dog had not barked would we also have lost the battery and tires or even the car itself.

But in spite of all this, Bonaire rewards us far more than she punishes and we do live on an otherwise beautiful, safe and essentially crime free island.

We fly back to Oregon in just a few days and can’t wait to see you all and especially Titan’s reaction to wet grass. With Rose Festival comes rain and more rain and our “outside dog” will have to learn to adjust. 

Our Sunbather -- He's gonna hate Oregon!

He may come to love the spot in front of our fireplace as much as Rexx did.

Love,

Dad

Caribbean Note #49

Hey Kids and Kidlets,

Well, we've been away from Oregon for a month and for the first three weeks Berit and I walked along the waterfront every morning and hiked in the mundi on Saturday and biked along the coast road on Sunday and stuck to our regular workout routine after returning from our early morning adventures before enjoying a leisurely breakfast in our garden. We were back in our little island paradise doing all the things we love after our cold, icy stay in the Pacific Northwest.

We managed to fit in a bunch of nice long dives during those weeks and then, in light surf on entry at Playa Frans, I stepped wrong on the coral rubble bottom and broke my foot.

The trials and tribulations of getting from that moment to this one;

were all handled with very competent and patient resolve by Nurse Berit who performed as ambulance driver and admittance clerk and personal assistant who took care of recording the doctors instructions and obtaining the crutches you see and making me comfortable etc. ad infinitum. Many thanks for this and all the years she’s chosen to put up with me. I know it’s been a lot of work.

The doctor said the foot was broken and I was given a temporary cast and after ten days hobbling around, I was to return to the hospital for evaluation and would know my fate. There was to be either a good result and I would get a walking cast to wear for the following five weeks, or surgery would be required to pin the broken bone back where it belonged and then later the walking cast.

This was a very, very long ten days; and after new X-rays were evaluated the result was better than I could have ever hoped. The doctor cut the cast off my foot and told me there was no further treatment required and I was free to go.

This is my left foot.  You see that little round broken bone fragment that sits isolated to the left of the large bones in my ankle?

That kind of looks like Klein Bonaire?

Well the doctor doesn't think it needs to be connected to anything, including where it broke from, so I’m released from my cast and free to walk on my foot as long as it doesn't hurt too much.

Which is very good news if my foot eventually stops hurting too much. For those of you who are old enough to remember, I’m getting around these days like Chester on the old Gunsmoke TV Show. “Mr. Dillon! Mr. Dillon!!”

During this time we've been entertaining our visiting guests Bob and Noelle, along with their son Matt. So while I was holding down the fort at home with Titan, they (Berit, Bob, Noelle and Matt) were out diving, during which time Bob took 650+/- pictures like this one of a Green Moray:

Bob and Noelle spent their non diving time taking care of projects around the house like figuring out and labeling the fuses in the electrical box, moving furniture around, sewing new curtains to replace the poorly functioning closet doors and were very helpful and fun to have around, especially while I was limping here and there on crutches. Matt was an interesting guest too; a physics professor at MIT when he’s not on Bonaire diving. We talked about gravity wave detection and the existential angst felt by those silly string theory guys. You know, small talk and chit chat.

Our guests have gone and things are getting back to normal. Berit’s birthday was a bit traumatic for her. She prefers to be confused about her age but this time it’s pretty easy to remember since both numbers are now the same.

She managed to get an additional 28 Lionfish while I was laid up and Bob took a bunch of shots of killer Berit too:

Going in for the kill

Got it; fish on!

Our houses look nice with their new paint, but we’re still waiting for the white stone to finish our project from last visit. Oh well; poco poco.

We don’t get a lot of news and would love to hear more from you all. Please “reply all” and let us know what’s up!

Love, Dad

** All photos courtesy of Bob Evans.  Thanks, Bob! **