Day 57 - Bonaire

Just as it ended the trip itself, this sunset now concludes the Bonaire portion of our program. Tomorrow's post will resume the less exotic imagery of Southern California.

Day 56 - Bonaire

One of Bonaire's few exports is sea salt. Ocean water is pumped into large evaporation ponds; brine shrimp and algae turn the water pink.

Once the water is completely evaporated, the salt crystals are scooped up and loaded into trucks, where it's sifted into huge pyramids, before it's loaded into the cargo holds of ships moored at the Salt Pier just offshore.

Day 55 - Bonaire

There are a lot of things on Bonaire that don't live underwater . . .

Day 54 - Bonaire

The West side of Bonaire is relatively calm; the East side, not so much

Day 53 - Bonaire

I spotted this tree while traipsing through some dry mud flats after flamingos. Funny how you see something that instantly looks like it should be black-and-white.

Day 52 - Bonaire

Not only did Erin find this seahorse at Oil Slick all by herself, she went back a few days later and found it again. Remind me not to play hide-n-seek with her . . .

Day 51 - Bonaire

This is a Slipper Lobster; the large plates just left of its eyes are actually its enlarged antennae. Weird to see on a night dive . . .

Day 50 - Bonaire

A juvenile French Angelfish looks nothing like the adults.

Day 49 - Bonaire

We sat and watched this Spotted Eagle Ray feed for over half an hour. He's just like Mr. Ray, without the students.

Day 48 - Bonaire

This is a Pedersen's Cleaning Shrimp - they clean bits of food and parasites out of the mouths of other fish.

Day 47 - People I Dig

Aunty Lou is my father's sister and the de facto matriarch of our family. She handled my Uncle Hans' passing with dignity and grace, as much as one can when losing their husband of over 42 years. Love you lots, Aunty Lou . . .

Uncle Hans

I lost my Uncle Hans yesterday, just 10 days short of his 70th birthday. He went into the hospital for a (supposedly) simple surgery, but didn't make it through.

I spent the bulk of the day yesterday with my Aunty Lou and cousin John, first at the hospital, and then at their respective homes, but I had little of value to say to them. We just tried to get logistical details for this weekend's memorial worked out, but even that seemed just . . . surreal.

After last year, where it seemed like we were going to a funeral, memorial, or remembrance almost once a month, John and I talked about how we wanted a do-over for 2009 and hoped 2010 would be better, but now it seems like this year is picking up where the last one ended.

I'll miss you, Uncle Hans. I'll miss your accent, and how you pronounced certain words in that unmistakable way. I'll miss your hugs, and I'll really miss you calling me your "favorite nephew."

Give Aunt Helen, Aunt Judy, and my Grandmas and Grandpas a hug for me . . .

Love,

Your Favorite Nephew

People I Dig

Laura and Joe are fantastic divers . . .


. . . as is Mallik . . .






















. . . and so are Erin and Chris. Plus, they're getting married in April. Awwww.

Day 46 - Bonaire

The Fairy Basslet is another fast-moving little fish that doesn't want its picture taken. I guess with colors like that (and those are its natural colors) it's hard to blend into the reef.

Day 45 - Bonaire

This Queen Angelfish did not want its picture taken. I have no idea if it's a male or female, but with a name like that, the other fish must sure pick on the males when they're little.

Day 44 - Bonaire

These orange cup corals only "bloom" at night when they're feeding.

Day 43 - Bonaire

Bonaire has tropical birds, like flamingos and parrots, sea birds like pelicans and frigate birds, and land birds like this Yellow Oriole.

Day 42 - Bonaire

Every day in Bonaire had a spectacular sunset. Granted, there were days that I was underwater at sunset, but I'm sure they were all lovely.

Day 41 - Bonaire

These are Flamingo Tongue Snails, which feed on the soft corals.

Day 40 - Bonaire

I'm back from Bonaire, where I spent the majority of my time underwater. I'll post pics over the next week or so, catching up on my photo-a-day quota. Here's a juvenile Longfin Damselfish - they're quick little things, and hard to photograph, but very pretty.

Day 39 - Nighttime

It's been a long couple of days; this is a long shutter image of a plane landing overhead at LAX.

Day 38 - Production

Indirect and diffuse light is the only way to shoot cars.

Day 37 - Production

This is what the bulk of my day consisted of.

Day 36 - Sunrise

Productions usually mean early mornings, and early mornings mean sunrises.

Day 35 - Ferris Wheel

The ferris wheel on the Santa Monica Pier has moving lights all along its spokes.

Day 34 - Sunset

Snow one day, this the next. Only in L.A.

Day 33 - People I Dig

Since I won't be around a computer next week, I'm going to do some multiple postings for the next few days so I don't fall behind. Michael is Margie's editor from D.C. and I believe the answer to his question about The Deer Hunter is Ding Santos.

Day 32 - Big

What should I wish for?

Skiing