Bonaire May June 2018 - Wind and Dust

June 2018

Did I mention Bonaire is windy?

And dry?

And dusty?  No?  Well it is.  Badly!  Think "Grape of Wrath", dust bowl type dusty.  In the eastern Caribbean, even in the dry season, it rains some.  Not in Bonaire.  We might get a drop or three but that is it.  We were there a total of six weeks and never saw any rain.

After a passage the boat is always salty with sea spray.  We rinse off the gear but we hate to wash the entire boat using precious HO2.  We usually wait for a rain shower.  Having never been to Bonaire, we didn't know it wasn't going to rain, so we waited and waited.  But the rain never came.  In the mean time, dust coated the deck, mixing with the salt spray and turning it into a light coat of mud.

Dust coated everything.  Ugh!  And no one warned us.  Many, many cruising friends had been there before us but no one said a word.

While it was a pain, it was minor in the big scheme of things.  But if you go, don't say we didn't warn you about the dust.

Bonaire May June 2018 - Golf Course

June 2018

Not exactly Augusta National

Bonaire has a golf course.

Driving range

Sort of....

Tom peeking over the thorny fence to have a look

And yes, we had to check it out.

Panoramic view indeed

But WHEN  

An interesting drive to the golf course.  We actually drove through a live shooting range to get to it.  There didn't seem to be any fences or restricted areas, only warning signs to let you know you are currently in a target range.  I couldn't really figure out what the hours of the live range or where specifically the shooting takes place.  Gulp!

No - We did not play golf.  Perhaps someday.

Bonaire May June 2018 - Rincon Days

April 30 2018

Roberta, Mike and son Phillip

We were only in Bonaire a few days when sv Celilo / Mike and Roberta (aka all knowing cruisers about Bonaire because it is their 4th season here!) announced it was soon Rincon Days and invited us to come along with them to experience it.  We all rode up in their truck "Wanda."  The boyz -Tom, Jason and Phillip (Mike and Roberta's son who was visiting) all happily rode in the back of the pickup bed with the gear and beer.  *When was the last time you rode in the bed of a pickup truck?  Fun -Right!

Wanda the wonder truck and the boyz in the back

Rincon is a small town/village mid island.  The Rincon festival is celebrated by all on the island.  Everyone was in attendance.

One of the mas troupes 

Aruba beauties getting in on Rincon Days

They had a parade, much like carnival.....circling around and around on the parade route several times.

Young, old and in between

Everyone chippin'

There were Mas type troupes of people in the parade with wonderfully, beautiful customs - women, children and men, like carnival.

WOW - can you say PINK!

And the detail to the costumes - amazing!

Look at all the layers

The detail!

And the hats and headgear - wow

The DETAIL!

Oh the hats....

Fabulous!

So regal

So many smiles - everyone was having fun

Stunning!

Oh la la

There was parade music.  Much of it live, like carnivals of old.

Jammin'

Look at these band outfits

Kids band

And additional music in street cafes.

Street cafe performers

Special Guiro

Tom even got in on a bit of the music.

And street festival food.

Food booth

It was basically carnival but with more clothing.  HA!

Laura and Jason

So much fun.

Roberta and Laura

Thanks sv Celilo

Phillip, Mike and Roberta