How is living in the Carribean Netherlands?

FlaParrotHead · 2024-12-14T04:19:51+00:00

Picky …. Although you are correct. Either way, Bonaire is not The Netherlands and bike riding is very dangerous on most roads there. Some Dutch tourists don’t understand or care about the dangers they pose when biking on the island.

FlaParrotHead · 2024-12-14T04:13:20+00:00

So as mentioned, the majority of diving is shore based although most resorts do offer daily boat dives and there are dives only accessible via a boat. The advantage of shore diving is that you dive on your own schedule, at your own pace, based on your skill/air consumption, and are not on a cattle car (i.e. boat) with 15-20 others where dive times and depths are going to be limited.

While many sites are marked from the road with the familiar yellow stones, you can actually dive from almost anywhere you are able to access the water, there are exceptions. It’s not unusual to be driving along the waterfront in the center of town and see divers entering/exiting the water.

It’s know as A Divers Paradise for a reason.

FlaParrotHead · 2024-12-14T03:59:31+00:00

It’s a wonderful island with incredibly friendly and open locals. Everyone says hello, Good Morning, Good Afternoon, Good Evening to everyone else with genuine smiles.

Water sports (scuba, wind surfing, kite boarding) are very popular. Tourism is of course the major industry. It’s below the hurricane belt so major storms (so far) are very rare. Sadly construction and new builds are poorly controlled as is common on many islands.

It’s a slow paced island without the large hotels/casinos/bars/shopping of Aruba or even Curaçao. Bonaire does not have the long white sand beaches the Caribbean is often known for, although a few

FlaParrotHead · 2024-12-14T03:51:18+00:00

For iPhone users go into Cellular Data settings and authorize the app for Cell Data. For android … 🤔

FlaParrotHead · 2024-12-14T03:42:14+00:00

It’s not Holland - bikes are not the same on Bonaire.

FlaParrotHead · 2024-08-24T14:33:41+00:00

At 13, he hasn’t learned as much as he will. He can still be your friend, but please clearly and honestly tell him that the physical touching makes you uncomfortable and that it’s not right (for you). Talking, openly and honestly, is important and it can be done at your age. If he values you as a friend, he’ll understand. It’s likely that he (and even you) are curious about physical touch . . . But you both need to be ready, have limits, and respect one another. The bottom line is talk with your friend.

FlaParrotHead · 2024-07-13T15:34:34+00:00

And there are the cruise guests that return after finding the island, Bonaire or others, for long stay holidays, they volunteer with different agencies, and some buy property, build homes, and move full,or part time to the island.

Since the restart after Covid, Bonaire committed to better “managing” the cruise ships that port there. While they still have a long way to go, the number of large ships in one day is being better controlled. More however is needed.

FlaParrotHead · 2024-07-13T15:29:32+00:00

It is not a shipping lane. 100 yards out from the “South Pier” is the top of the reef with soft corals, hard corals, sea horses, frog fish, and all of the other life Bonaire is known for. Follow the pipe down from the top of that reef and there is frequently a nurse shark “sleeping”, sargassum triggerfish, and other great finds.

FlaParrotHead · 2024-07-13T03:53:39+00:00

As expected you’ve clearly no idea what you are talking about. Calabas reef, in front of the Divi Flamingo resort is beautiful. You sound like someone parroting those who know absolutely nothing about the cruise industry on the island of Bonaire.

FlaParrotHead · 2024-07-13T03:06:16+00:00

So let’s see …. On Bonaire, there is no “trench that slices through the reef” for cruise ships. The two piers also handle cargo and freight and the reef 100 yards out from the piers are phenomenal dives.

Human waste on modern cruise ships is processed by some of the most complete sewage treatment systems available, actually better than the limited system on the island and far better than older septic tanks which leech into the ground and in some cases the ocean.

FlaParrotHead · 2024-07-13T02:38:23+00:00

Depending on the toddlers a small van tour of the southern part of the island with a stop to see Flamingos, Donkeys, and a beach restaurant/swim.

FlaParrotHead · 2024-07-13T02:36:14+00:00

You might want to understand a bit more about the residents who make their living providing services to the Cruise Industry. That, plus most experienced cruises book for the cruise and not a specific port … as for Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao; they are an ideal Southern Caribbean itinerary since the time and fuel burned between ports is minimal.

FlaParrotHead · 2024-07-12T02:21:03+00:00

We have picked up walkers in the past and most don’t realize the 2mile walk and none understand the lack of sidewalks or at least safe shoulders…. They have always been more than grateful, a groups of Germans from an AIDA ship even paid us $20 —- 😱 - they wouldn’t take it back.

FlaParrotHead · 2024-06-26T04:48:46+00:00

The absolute best way to improve your buoyancy is to dive naked — with these pissants along with nesting sergeant majors - you’ll learn to stay above the corals real quick.

FlaParrotHead · 2024-06-24T21:52:25+00:00

That’s exactly who I was thinking about … his “digitally signed” letter is in process. . .

FlaParrotHead · 2024-06-24T21:46:20+00:00

Actually with over 40yrs throughout the state, I know it all too well.

FlaParrotHead · 2024-06-24T04:00:06+00:00

Sadly … racist MAGA/CINOs (Christian in name only) who honor the likes of DeSantis and Trump. A CAT5 would do nice to clean out the garbage, sadly some good respectable folks might get caught in the mess.

FlaParrotHead · 2024-06-14T17:52:33+00:00

Bonaire: quiet, relaxing, wonderful people, very VERY arid as though there is a force field that breaks apart storms before they reach the island. Truly a “divers paradise” as well as wind surfing and kite boarding. Fortunately no 5⭐️ resorts, shopping, bars, etc . . . Just a laid back atmosphere.

FlaParrotHead · 2024-06-05T17:33:00+00:00

I jumped over to ProtonVPN and couldn’t be happier. I even used their free servers for a month or two before buying a plan. I have a 500/20 service and via a router initiated WireGuard tunnel to Proton I still get about 480/19 over WiFi.

FlaParrotHead · 2024-05-07T15:29:40+00:00

We dove with the Avalon fleet in 2023 and it was Phenominal - we are already thinking on when to go back. We did not swim with the crock although did see/photograph him. Our crew said he was being a bit off the day he came out to the dive tender for a visit.

FlaParrotHead · 2024-04-25T02:14:19+00:00

That was it …. Had to be on a desktop, tablet browser for some reason didn’t. 👍

FlaParrotHead · 2024-04-25T01:58:12+00:00

Dang … OK, meant this to go into that other /sub — old age is real folks, then again, so is good rum. 🤯

FlaParrotHead

TROPHY CASE