Scuba, Tan, Laundry

So it is almost October and we have been in Bonaire for slightly over two months. Haven't raised sail or used the main engine for 9 weeks. Some might ask, what the heck do you do everyday sitting in the same place? In the words of the original beach slackers from that fitting sequel to Masterpiece Theatre (Jersey Shore),  - Scuba, Tan, Laundry (or oil change, groceries, vacuum). Here is our typical day - 

Our dock at Eden Beach - exchanging tanks
1) Breakfast on boat (usually yoghurt for K, granola for T)
2) Jump in the dinghy and drive over to one of 100 local dive sites- typical dive is 90 minutes underwater.......eels, rays, huge tarpons, weird puffer fish, no sharks yet but it's early.
3) Lunch at Eden Beach (while we exchange tanks at WannaDive and outgas....no, not farting....if your second dive is too soon after your first, unfortunate complications arise such as death from nitrogen poisoning)
4) Back in the dingy to scuba dive at a different site- another 90 minute dive
5) Exchange tanks at WannaDive (have to get ready for tomorrow!)
6) Dinghy back to the boat and unload tanks; wash our scuba gear.....ugh, so much drudgery !!!
7) Read and snack in the cockpit.........pretzel nuggets and doritos.........."Dreadnought (Tom) and Inside the Kingdom (Kirstin)"
8) Happy hour and dinner

Life doesn't suck. 

OK - Once a week we ride our bikes (electric, so pedaling is appropriately minimal) to the grocery store and we do the occasional morning of maintenance on the boat but generally you can find us 50 feet below the surface.

Lunch! Hanging out at Eden Beach
The only problem is that Bonaire doesn't think we should lead this idyllic life forever. 90 days is the limit here. We arrived on July 23rd so we should be leaving on October 23rd. However, our boat insurance says no sailing north of Bonaire before November 1st - that pesky hurricane season getting in the way. So with a desperate desire not to go to Curacao (35 miles away but with a reputation for floating sewage in the sole anchorage), we put on our best smiley faces (and clean shorts) and headed off to Immigration this week. Tom worked his magic (sells snowballs to Eskimos for a living, afterall) and asked for a two week extension to November 6th. After phonecalls to Curacao conducted in rapid fire Dutch, the extension was granted. So our goal - reaching 100 dives by October 1st!

Wanna Dive - The Epicenter of our Scuba obsession