Bonaire is hardly remote. It’s been on the scuba diving map for 3 decades and sports a healthy tourism industry, due to the sound management of its ecological treasures. But it feels way off the map, and we’re finding much to love. With Los Aves so nearby, exploring the two on one trip makes for one hell of a journey. And #11 was wicked in the best of ways.
This time we headed out with just three. Patrick and his girlfriend Emilie and Iain Henderson, out for a trial trip to see if The Best Odyssey yacht share was the ticket he was looking for. To make a long story short, he’s now an owner, but I’m getting ahead of myself.
We decided to spend a few days exploring Bonaire. Patrick and I had a great evening out at Atlantis, the local kite spot but our winds shut down for the next couple days, which provided time to do some island exploring, diving and snorkeling.
We slipped off the mooring at 3 a.m. on Tuesday to head east out to Los Aves. Heading dead east, against the prevailing winds is not something we do unless there’s a perfect forecast, and something in that direction well worth exploring. Los Aves is, and the forecast was indeed perfect. One day of very light winds, followed by several that would be perfect for kiting.
As Emilie and Iain were both learning, we also hoped to find a suitable place for having as few kitemares as possible.
And that we did. After some searching and a long motor, Discovery and crew tucked into a little spot with a long white sand beach, a thin row of trees and little else for company but the wind. Emilie and Iain both got their first rides while Patrick, Jody and I rode by day and even got some turns under the full moon. Usually we’re on the move most days, but this spot, called “Isla Oeste” held us rapt for three nights. It’s hard not to love a spot like this, but with Nico preparing his standard incredible fare, great kiting, great snorkeling, and not another boat or person in sight- we were all happy settling in.
From Isla Oeste we sailed the right direction again (west) to explore Aves de Sotavento. Once again we sailed into paradise, hunkering into our own little bay between two islands that had a couple palm trees, a wall of conch shells, a fishing hut and not a soul around.
When you’re out here it’s hard to imagine there’s some 6 billion of us living on earth. I know each of the people on the Best Odyssey on trip #11 were thankful to have it to themselves.
Too bad though for the owners of this Cat