Hurricane Matthew is approaching and supposed to hit us tomorrow. The truck in front of us swerves over to the side of the road, just off Bonaire’s Bachelor Beach, near Lighthouse Point. “Fins” shouted as our dive buddies pile out of the truck to take a closer look.
We run to the edge of the water as nearby snorkelers are seeing the show of a lifetime 100 yards off the beach. Those lucky people were in the right place at the right time. We stand, green with envy in our half-on wetsuits and no time available to swim out and catch the show.
Opportunity, Missed
The fins fade into the sun’s reflection as it lowers in the west, creating a liquid light show like no other. What a lucky day for us as well. We pack up the truck once again and head to our next dive site down the coast.
Move On to the Twilight Dive.
A diver points at his ear at 50 foot below the surface asking “did you hear that?”. No, shakes the head of the other divers in the group. We continue on, looking at beautiful Elephant Ear sponges in our lights, which barely keep up with the sun’s setting into a blue oasis.
A squeak
Did I just hear a squeak? I move my head around and hear the squeak of my regulator’s mouthpiece on my teeth. Likely, that’s all I heard.
Another Squeak
But I hear it again, but it wasn’t my regulator.
Dolphins? Could they have made it this far?
I swim out into the blue, trying to maintain buoyancy at 48 feet and breathe quietly. I push aside the ear flaps on my hood and motion to my buddy “did you hear that?”. No. Maybe I’m imagining things.
Clicks.
Squeaks and clicks. I definitely hear both and they are getting louder as I swim farther out. My buddies are still on the reef as the first group of dolphins passes by about 40 feet below. In a mad rush, we’re now all out in the blue watching groups of dolphins swim by. 4, maybe 6. Now 8, then 1 straggler hanging off at maybe 20 feet. A group of 7 more swim by and we think the show might be over.
Two come in for a closer look at the divers and make this dive one we will never forget.
Dolphins.
Wild Dolphins, swimming by in seconds, but making an eternity of memories for a handful of divers.
We check our air after the last group passes. Yes, we all burned a little more than we thought.
I recall swimming on with the dive counting the minutes until we returned topside to gush about our find. Truly an amazing day in Wonderland, and truly a great day to be Alice.
