Bonaire

Bonaire

Because the ship bypassed the island of Curacao (pronounced COOR uh sow) yesterday (see Jerry’s post), we arrived earlier than expected on the neighboring island of Bonaire.  Most evident at first glance is that it is a much flatter island than many we have been to, and the architecture is European.

 We spent extra time on blogs which delayed our departure from the ship, learning immediately that no stores were open.  It was Sunday, of course.  Also, many on the island said that they didn’t know that our ship was coming.  Oh well.  We walked around the downtown anyway and drifted into the few places that were open, then went back on board for about 45 minutes to get cooled off.  We were to meet our tour near the dock at noon and were greeted by a fluent English speaker named Donna who was belaboring that Shore Excursions continued to forget to notify the customers that we were to meet 15 minutes before scheduled time for the activity.  Not our fault, as she emphasized.  We found out that she’s originally from Canada, has lived in Turkey, New Zealand, and elsewhere, and the cars we rode in (Blokarts) were brought from NZ and her husband was land sailing in a competition off-island.

Before today’s activity, here’s some fun information about an island I’d never known about prior to today.  Bonaire is the “B” in the ABC islands of Aruba and Curacao, a trio of Dutch colonies that were utilized during the slave trade.  Curacao was where slaves first arrived to the Americas.  Owners from everywhere arrived to bid.  Bonaire was a next stopping point and many slaves stayed on this island, walking miles to work and living up to four in the housing units still in the south of the island that are about the size of a large tree house (sorry about the lack of pictures--downloading problem wiped out our pictures from today)

NOT a volcanic island, Bonaire sits on top of tectonic plates with the coral reef just a leap from the shore.  Unlike volcanic islands where the reef is a ways off shore, the tectonic variety are right next to the shore.  The entire island is a national park, preserving wildlife and all that grows upon it.  It has been rated the best shore diving spot on Earth for the last 29 years.  Discovered by Spain in 1575, the three islands were dubbed “The Useless Islands” until Spain’s war with the Dutch in the 1600’s.  Those of you who are historians, remember that Spain and the Netherlands were at war during this time and Spain cut off the important supply of salt.  Down in the Caribbean, a Dutch vessel happened to pass by this island and saw salt crystals glinting in the sun. Ah HA!  Now you know the rest of the story.  Even now, there are acres upon acres of salt plants in large rectangular fields—each with different colors according to the algae or minerals within.  Early on, donkeys were brought on the island to help with the salt mining.  Descendants of these Nubian donkeys run wild on the island.  Gypsum crystals are a byproduct.  One crystal of salt takes about 11 months to matriculate through the process which is now owned by Cargill, (yes, Minnesota's Cargill) is shipped to the USA, and usually becomes softener salt. Bonaire is 37 miles long, has a population of about 21,000, is home to over 320 species of birds, has many flamboyances of flamingoes (not a mistake—and what do you call a baby flamingo?), boasts the first ever pair of sail- or wind boarders (on a sheet of plywood!), and just before Covid hit, hosted two major world events:  1) the world sunfish sailing contest, and 2) the world freestyle windsail championship.  Because of the consistent winds Bonaire has become a world renowned place for Kite boarding, wind surfing, and whatever they call it when someone holds a wind wing in their hands while standing on a small board that turns out to be a hydrofoil as they begin to get their speed up.

This is what a hydrofoil board looks like (it's upside down - the fin goes in the water and you stand on the board)

Now the activity.  Donna drove us about 10 minutes North of the pier among the cacti, narrating as we went.  We pulled off the main road and unloaded for our orientation to the blokarts:  a three-wheeled, low-to-the-ground sail-powered go-cart.  We donned leather gloves and bicycle helmets.  Bicycle handles steer the vehicle.  An inch-thick rope attaches to the sail, feeds through a pulley at about where my knees intersected and the rope was pulled and loosened for speed.  Number 1 rule:  let go of the rope.  Number 2 and 3 rules are the same.  If I’m going too fast for the curve/turn, let go of the rope.  Then, once through the turn, hitch it up and let the wind furl the sail to whatever speed is desired.  The oval track is hardened sand topped with gypsum, just under 1/8 mile on a side and the turns are just narrow enough to get a person in trouble.  Tires edge the track and help to bounce the lawnmower-type tires back onto the track.  We were seat belted in and turned loose for 45 minutes of around and around.  Two different large iguanas shared the track with us for a few rounds.  If possible, some photos will show them.  Luckily, we could drive around them, but one of the two was undeterred.  To learn more, Google www.landsailingadventures.com.  I was thrilled that it felt like riding horseback with lots and lots of reining and leaning and slowing down and taking off.  And, yes, two wheels is exhilarating.

You can find more photos of the day of land sailing HERE

When our 45 minutes expired, we were ready to stretch our legs and let our hands rest.  As Donna drove us back to the ship, she found out that I was taking copious notes of her information on Bonaire, so she took another 45 minutes or so to drive us on an island tour.  WHAT A TREAT!!!  We saw the flamingoes, the donkeys, the salt mines, held fresh salt crystals the size of stew meat.  We watched kite boarders and wind surfers and the hydrofoil windsails.  We marveled at the mangroves that protect the island and the coral reef by allowing fish to populate in protected groves.  I filled 5 pages with notes by the time we had finished.  Above is the condensed version.   Thank you, Donna!  (She now has our blog site, also.)