When a pall of fog settled over the city and lower temperatures made me break out the fleece, I came across
this tantalyzing series in tomorrow’s New York Times about the Caribbean. I single out
this article on diving in Bonaire because not only is it the most “engaged” oriented piece among the group, but
also because it is all about diving in one of my favorite parts of the Caribbean. I’ve never dived Bonaire myself, but
I have dived both Curacao and the Turks and Caicos (admittedly a bit further away, but same idea, trust me). Bonaire is
known for being laid back, and does not cater intensely to the rich, all-inclusive crowd, which is a fact I like a lot.
As the writer points out:
“It’s anything but flashy or gregarious; it doesn’t rock to reggae or sway to samba. There are no golf courses,
and in a five-day stay at the end of January, I didn’t come across a single cocktail served in a coconut shell or
spiked with a tiny umbrella.”
For anyone who has gone to one of the ultra-expensive dive resorts, you know how lame they can be and how often you
feel compelled to cut the air hoses of whiny little rich kids sporting the most expensive gear money can buy. Anyway,
if you’re planning a dive trip this winter, give a look to the ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire,
Curacao).