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Tr o p i c a l Ti d b i t s by Sue C Tr ave l
Harness the wind on Bonaire with your kids this summer Best known as a “Diver’s Paradise”, Dutch Caribbean Bonaire is also one of the world’s best places to learn how to windsurf! With onshore steady trades and shallow crystal clear water, beginners will revel in this wonderful learning environment. Kids start young there, sometimes still in diapers! It’s common to see multi-generations of families on the shore cheering little ones on as they sail back and forth in the shallows. This island has boasted many world champions that began the sport very young, and now tourists from around the globe are flocking to Bonaire to learn to windsurf. Caribbean Wind and Sun Vacations and Jibe City have teamed up to
offer Kids Summer Camps that run July and August at lovely and calm Lac Bai. The 3day camps are affordably priced, and there is a plethora of affordable accommodations from budget cottages to oceanfront condos, and summer is low season! Parents can also take advantage of this perfect windsurf spot for lessons or maybe learn to kite board, too! And snorkeling on Bonaire is out of this world for all ages. Book your family summer windsurf vacation through Ann Phelan at: ann@bonairecaribbean.com or via: www.bonairecaribbean.com
Voyage to the bottom of the sea (without getting wet!) Imagine for a moment, you are presented with the opportunity to explore another world full of undiscovered new life. On the island of Curacao, that unique opportunity truly exists with Substation Curacao. Launching out of the Curacao Sea Aquarium Park, a bucket list experience awaits you. They offer you citizen science insight, into the world which only a handful of individuals have seen, down to a maximum depth of 1000ft (300m).
“It can be difficult to describe the underwater world from 300-1,000ft (100-300m), as habitats can be as varied as anything you could see on land.” says Dr. Carole Baldwin, Smithsonian Institute’s Deep Reef Observation Project (DROP) leader.The Curasub, a 5-person submersible custom built by Nutyco Research in Vancouver, Canada, has aided Smithsonian scientists in recently discovering and describing 14 new fish species so far! And tourists can ride in the same amazing underwater vehicle! Coral reefs represent some of the most diverse ecosystems in the world, and deeper reefs that exist past the recreational scuba diving depths are underexplored globally. Join the exciting journey and see