A whole lot of diving going on

So - as always when visiting Bonairean waters the addiction kicks in - and it's just impossible to stay out of the water. Last few days 3 dives per day (makes the doctor go away....), sites as Alice in Wonderland, Angel City, Bachelors Beach (once more visit to the seahorse), Pink Beach - and our own "private" house reef of course. A few pics of sea creatures seen the last few days  - just before we go for another night dive tonight at Salt Pier.

Housevisit to a seahorse

We heard that on the reef by Bacherlors Beach there was a lonely seahorse, so we though we'd go to see if he's Ok. When we found him he was having a quiet day, as usual, hanging out in some bushes trying to blend in. We examined him properly from all angles, did som diagnostic pictures and found he was probably pregnant. So we left him alone to hang more out - as seahorses do.

Klein Bonaire - and far south with stingray encounter

Bonaire is about the very best of shorediving, as there are about 80 + marked sites accessible from shore. That means its a perfect island for no scedule diving as all one need to do is to load diving gear onto truck, - and off you go to explore whatever site that comes into your mind.
To get to the divesites of its little "sister" Klein Bonaire though, a boat is a must. Yesterday we went with the Sea Donkey and were honored with the former lobster fishing boat maiden trip as a dive-boat. Two dives at Klein - at divesites Forest and our favourite Jerry's Reef, where we always have seen turtles. But no turtles yesterday... Anyway, nice sponges and coral formation with plenty of opportunity to practise wide-angle photography.

Today - we took advantage of the calm conditions and went far south to Red Slave and Sweet Dreams, usually with rather large waves breaking close to the shore making entry and exit difficult. No problem today however, and we got out to the reef where we had a nice encounter with a southern stingray. Very happy to see this ray as we don't always have been granted with  such a treat on our visits to Bonaire. They are more common to see down south, and luckily today it was our turn.
A few of the last two days photos, more wide-angle excercise :) AND: The stingray! A little in the distance, but still - a stingray :)

Tough decisions

Life on Bonaire may seem easy, but every day there are tough decisions to me made. The major issues are: North or South, Macro or Wide. That is do we go north on the island to dive, or south to dive - and do I set up for Macro photography or Wide. Yesterday we went to what we call the far north and I brough my wide-angle for that. Up north just before Washington Slagbaii National Park there is a fish hut with a beach to enter the reef through a narrow channel. We call this divesite No Way Home, since it has prooved the channel going back in hasn't always been that easy to find..
We made two dives up there - one going south on the reef and one north. Beautiful reef both ways, and as "always" we were greeted and accompanied by our friend the green fat moray eel. We haven't always figured out whether his intentions for following us were "good" or "bad", but yesterday we got proof it was about food of course. As Ty speared a Lion fish (intended to be OUR dinner) the Moray attacked the spear and stole the whole fish! Assuming the speargun was lost, courageous Ty actually managed to grab it next to the moray eel's tail eating away on his lunch - and back in business hunting dinner... A few of yesterdays shots (video of moray + spear later).

Program of the day

Before leaving I had a skype lesson with Lars at Fotografit, who sold me the equipment - and good thing I did. Going through the wonder-machine he said: and if nothing works - just put it on P, and adjust the ISO. Yesterday, I just could not the manual settings right so P what I did. Thank you Lars :) Best pic of the day - an octopus, yellow fish and a lizard fish at Tolo and Witches hut - two nice dives , especially Tolo. Witches Hut had some damage to the corals after Matthew who striked the outskirts of Bonaire this autumn.

Loading the batteries...

Yes, we are here to load our batteries and retrieve some energy - without that nothing works. Neither do cameras or flashes...
The new equipment takes some preparations to get safely below water, and  - to our excuse a bit to get used to. So when arriving at Tori's reef down south yesterday - with fisheye lens and wideangle all set up to frame that so wished for eagle ray passing by - the flash had got too little attention for it's liking - no batteries...
Well, what to do? As uw photography is all about light, and getting good at it is about mastering available light (flashlight or the sun) this was a good as any opportunity to work with what was available, - the SUN! Luckily Tories reef has a long stretch of shallow water out to the reef and plenty of ambient light (sunlight)coming through on a sunny day. As we go deeper the color is absorbed by water, and we are more dependent of flashlight to bring them out again. So pictures from our two dives south (Tory's and Vista Blue) is about divers and blue water. And I had a go at split-level photos, though a lot of room for improvement there..
Back at the villa, it's impossible to stay out of the water so a night dive was inevitable. Now taking wideangle with the intention of getting those tarpons from yesterday. The three guys didn't disappoint, but so did the photographer. Thinking the camerabattery could take three dives in a row.. not so. 10 minutes into the dive - batteries gone dead.
So - lesson of the day - charged batteries make a huge difference... for both scubadoobies and equipment... At least our batteries are charged for every hour we spend down here :)