A storm approaches

While I had my head underwater, G took this photo of an approaching storm. I was oblivious to it, until, suddenly, rain began pelting us. Bonaire has the sharpest, needle-like rain I've ever felt. We've been caught out in it before, a few years ago. This time, G was onshore (as were several others) with no shelter at all. He covered up with his Princess beach towel.

I continued to snorkel, totally unconcerned, and, frankly, enjoying the protection the water offered from that sharp rain, until I finally lifted my face from the water. The surface, which had just before been calm, was swelling and pushing me around. I looked back toward Bonaire and couldn't see a thing. In fact, I couldn't even see the beach. So I finally gave up and swam in

By the time the water taxi returned, the rain had stopped and the sun came back out. Everything we had with us was drenched, which, for the most part was not an issue, as we had just been in the water. But our beach towels were saturated, and we had nothing to dry off with, a particular hardship with glasses and sunglasses. Our towels must have weighed 10 pounds each. We returned right away to the ship and took long, hot showers and dressed for dinner.

Our cabin tonight looks like a laundry, with snorkel gear and wet clothes everywear. We had to lay all our money out on washcloths on the vanity to dry. It looked like we were counterfeiters.

But what a great day it was. This is the best snorkeling of the cruise, and it is among the best in this part of the world. I was thrilled.