Friday November 25 Bonaire

 Friday November 25 Bonaire

We got to sleep this morning as we didn’t dock until almost 11:30am and our excursion wasn’t until 3:30 in the afternoon. Carm and I mooched around getting breakfast at the buffet and coffee at the IC, then retired to our room for a great view of the docking process. The heat and humidity is high.

I’ve been a bit congested with a tiny sore throat that I think is due to the air conditioning in our room blasting in my ears. I think the up and down of our drive yesterday may have screwed up my left ear as I’m having an intermittent sharp jab just below my ear every few minutes. Very unpleasant and made for a fitful sleep.

After we all got organised we wandered off the ship for a walk around… we could see the vessel that we’d be having our excursion later on docked in the bay… a Chinese Junk! Excitement mounted as we wandered down the waterfront especially once we spotted tropical fish in the crystal blue waters. There wasn’t a terrific amount to see in the town… and we were anticipating our trip.

A little rest and a slather of sunscreen got us ready for our 3:35 excursion - a 3 hour tour! Zodiaks ferried us out to the waiting boat where we had to clamber aboard the mighty craft. Soon everyone was on board and we were sailing out to a deserted island for some snorkelling and beach time.

As the young skipper (Orus) and his crew, with their young lythe tanned bodies brought me back to summer days of my youth when we’d spend summers sailing down in the Thousand Islands, a swimsuit and t-shirt our only attire, our bodies brown with the sun. We were nimble and quick with our bare feet and sea legs. I’m rarely envious of the young, but if I could have traded places with them…

I recalled people we’d met years ago that also had a Junk and wondered where they were now - were they also on some tropical island giving tourists a taste of paradise?

It was idyllic… the past and the present. The sand was white sugar, water azure blue, sky resplendent with dramatic clouds. 

Kirsten and Shawn did a drift snorkel and saw tons of fish. Carm and I putzd around the beach as neither of us had ever snorkelled - experienced swimmers only! It was still wonderful - we’ll be practising in the pool next summer!

On the sail back to the ship the sunset was outstanding - a sliver of moon hung in the sky, highlighted by rays from the setting sun. 

Magical.

Once back we changed and met up for supper at the little pizza restaurant, then an early night for me - I was beat!

Awesome

“heat and humidity”

“sunset”

“reliving those halcyon summer days”