Richard the Conquerer.......

Ouch, that hurt...

We're still moored in Bonaire amid other equally unemployed people looking for ways to make 2 hours of "must do's" fill our 16 hour per day leisure calendar. Our play-dates are often group dives. The neighbors are much more experienced in both diving and where to go in Bonaire, so we've been tagging along with them at times. Yesterday, we had a real treat. We got to see a fish homicide.

Richard, the neighbor, is a 68 year old Brit who is actually quite concerned with the health of the reef. An invasive species (the lion fish) has somehow been introduced to the Caribbean and with no natural enemies, is squeezing out other rare fish. In response, Bonaire has allowed divers who complete a course to kill the fish with a hand spear.

It's not as easy as it sounds. These fish have 5 inch poisonous spines and hide deep within coral heads. Yesterday, we dove with Richard on one of his "hunts". Not ten minutes into the dive, he had located one at about 60 feet. We rushed over and WHAM !!! He speared it and finished it off with his bad-ass looking diving knife.

It fell to the bottom spinning slowly.............but never made it there. A pack of 10 lb. groupers descended on it and tore it apart. There was nothing left after a few seconds. Kind of makes you wonder what's watching you hoping for a free meal.