I shot this Monday afternoon.
You can click on it to make it bigger.
Here's a slightly different angle. It might help you identify the problem.
I suspect that people who've actually been to Bonaire will have an easier time with this.
Tuesday, October 26, 2004
What's Wrong with this Picture?
Something is wrong and it has been wrong since last Thursday.
I shot this Monday afternoon.
You can click on it to make it bigger.
Here's a slightly different angle. It might help you identify the problem.
I suspect that people who've actually been to Bonaire will have an easier time with this.
I shot this Monday afternoon.
You can click on it to make it bigger.
Here's a slightly different angle. It might help you identify the problem.
I suspect that people who've actually been to Bonaire will have an easier time with this.
Monday, October 18, 2004
Awana Action on Bonaire
We just had our third week of Awana action here on Bonaire. We didn't get started as early in as usual this year because we were preoccupied with all the special TWR activities in August.
Word is starting to get out as kids tell their friends and the numbers are growing. It's great to see the happy faces of returning clubbers, and we're glad to see new kids as well. This is an effective outreach into the community because only a few of the kids are from our church.
Friday was funny hat and hair night, always a favorite. Even new kids came dressed up with funny hats and hair, so the clubbers are communicating well.
The leaders got involved too. You can see photos of lots more kids as well as some of the leaders looking funny on my club photo web site. Pix of Sandra and me are are in there too.
Since there are fewer kids right now, they get a great workout during game time. There isn't as much waiting around for one's turn to come up to play.
It's also easier to give the kids more personal attention during handbook time, because the leaders to kids ratio is high. We have a bunch of new leaders this year, many of them from Dennis and Luca's Bonaire Youth Outreach Foundation youth ministry.
The other big news this year is that the Sparkies are back. We've only had Awana for third through sixth graders the last few years, but with our new pool of leaders, we've been able to include the younger kids again. I've got Sparks pix on the club photo site too.
Word is starting to get out as kids tell their friends and the numbers are growing. It's great to see the happy faces of returning clubbers, and we're glad to see new kids as well. This is an effective outreach into the community because only a few of the kids are from our church.
Friday was funny hat and hair night, always a favorite. Even new kids came dressed up with funny hats and hair, so the clubbers are communicating well.
The leaders got involved too. You can see photos of lots more kids as well as some of the leaders looking funny on my club photo web site. Pix of Sandra and me are are in there too.
Since there are fewer kids right now, they get a great workout during game time. There isn't as much waiting around for one's turn to come up to play.
It's also easier to give the kids more personal attention during handbook time, because the leaders to kids ratio is high. We have a bunch of new leaders this year, many of them from Dennis and Luca's Bonaire Youth Outreach Foundation youth ministry.
The other big news this year is that the Sparkies are back. We've only had Awana for third through sixth graders the last few years, but with our new pool of leaders, we've been able to include the younger kids again. I've got Sparks pix on the club photo site too.
Saturday, October 16, 2004
Green Flash
The sky was really clear today and it was a little windier than usual. Good sunburn weather.
That's why I do my bike rides first thing in the morning. Down at the south end, the sea was an incredible blue today.
So at 6pm, we jumped in the car and headed north about a half mile to see if we could see the green flash when the sun set. The sun set about 6:14 and there was a nice green flash. I snapped a picture with my camera and Celestron C90 telescope. I flipped the image vertically, because it is upside down in the telescope. I also cropped it and then sharpened it, but didn't mess with it in any other way. This is exactly how it looked in the LDC panel on the camera.
You can tell the sky was very clear because there is even some blue at the edges of the sun's image. Usually the blue wavelengths are filtered out by the atmosphere. Often the greens are too, but the sky today was nice and clear.
You can click on the picture to make it bigger.
A google search on "green flash" turns up lots of hits. Here is a brief explanation on a NASA web page. Here is a very rigorous treatment of the physics involved. And here are a zillion green flash links.
That's why I do my bike rides first thing in the morning. Down at the south end, the sea was an incredible blue today.
So at 6pm, we jumped in the car and headed north about a half mile to see if we could see the green flash when the sun set. The sun set about 6:14 and there was a nice green flash. I snapped a picture with my camera and Celestron C90 telescope. I flipped the image vertically, because it is upside down in the telescope. I also cropped it and then sharpened it, but didn't mess with it in any other way. This is exactly how it looked in the LDC panel on the camera.
You can tell the sky was very clear because there is even some blue at the edges of the sun's image. Usually the blue wavelengths are filtered out by the atmosphere. Often the greens are too, but the sky today was nice and clear.
You can click on the picture to make it bigger.
A google search on "green flash" turns up lots of hits. Here is a brief explanation on a NASA web page. Here is a very rigorous treatment of the physics involved. And here are a zillion green flash links.
Wednesday, October 13, 2004
Regatta and Hurricane Ivan update
I followed the yachts (that were racing around the whole island) as far as the Spelonk Lighthouse, which is probably easternmost point on Bonaire. In this picture you can see a yacht on the right side, as well as the lighthouse and one light spot on the shoreline where the waves from hurricane Ivan broke off some of the rock. The fossil coral reef that makes up most of Bonaire gets grey from exposure to the sun, but when a piece is broken off, it looks limestone white for a while.
You can click on the picture to make it bigger. It's a fairly large file.
If you've spent any time on Bonaire's rough east side, you've probably wondered about the big boulders that litter the plateau by the shore. The standard explanation for these automobile and small truck size rocks is that they were broken off of the coastline by hurricanes in the distant past. I've semi-believed this, but was a little skeptical, since hurricanes aren't exactly a common occurrence here, which makes the theory a little difficult to test.
Yes, you can click on this picture to see the boulders bigger.
Well, I'm a believer now, because Ivan did break off some pretty large boulders and kick them a hundred yards or more inland. The fresh ones can be identified by the white coloring.
Here's a view from on top of the lighthouse, showing some of the new boulders, in the foreground, and some of the old ones in the rear. The first couple hundreds yards of land, in from the sea looked freshly scoured. I think the water really washed up here quite strongly.
Click the picture to see the rocks bigger.
The final picture (below) is from the EXTRA newspaper (Sep. 10 issue) and shows just how powerful the waves must have been. The top of the lighthouse is way high and those waves are right there. And the water was definitely washing way inland.
You can click this picture too.
I had other things on my mind that day when Ivan was approaching Bonaire, and rightly so, but I will forever be kicking myself that I didn't get out to see this!
You can click on the picture to make it bigger. It's a fairly large file.
If you've spent any time on Bonaire's rough east side, you've probably wondered about the big boulders that litter the plateau by the shore. The standard explanation for these automobile and small truck size rocks is that they were broken off of the coastline by hurricanes in the distant past. I've semi-believed this, but was a little skeptical, since hurricanes aren't exactly a common occurrence here, which makes the theory a little difficult to test.
Yes, you can click on this picture to see the boulders bigger.
Well, I'm a believer now, because Ivan did break off some pretty large boulders and kick them a hundred yards or more inland. The fresh ones can be identified by the white coloring.
Here's a view from on top of the lighthouse, showing some of the new boulders, in the foreground, and some of the old ones in the rear. The first couple hundreds yards of land, in from the sea looked freshly scoured. I think the water really washed up here quite strongly.
Click the picture to see the rocks bigger.
The final picture (below) is from the EXTRA newspaper (Sep. 10 issue) and shows just how powerful the waves must have been. The top of the lighthouse is way high and those waves are right there. And the water was definitely washing way inland.
You can click this picture too.
I had other things on my mind that day when Ivan was approaching Bonaire, and rightly so, but I will forever be kicking myself that I didn't get out to see this!
Wednesday, October 06, 2004
Women of Hope on the Air in Papiamentu
Trans World Radio's ministry initiative by women, for women, continues to move forward. Project Hanna's newest edition of it's radio program, Women of Hope, had it's debut here on Bonaire on Tuesday. We're hoping that this program will also be aired on our sister islands of Curacao and Aruba in the near future.
Here is a screen shot of the automation system showing when the first Women Of Hope program in Papiamentu aired. That blobby yellow arrow is pointing to the program. If you click the picture, it will get bigger and you should be able to read the screen.
Kelly Thorp baked a cake, Bob blew up balloons and we had a surprise party/celebration for Maggie Fuller, who, along with a team of Antillean women, is producing the program. Maggie was in on the birth of the original Women of Hope pilot programs while she was serving with TWR on the island of Guam.
Yes, that is Barb and Chuck Roswell standing there with Sandra. They sure picked the right morning to stop by the office to say "hi."
Here is a screen shot of the automation system showing when the first Women Of Hope program in Papiamentu aired. That blobby yellow arrow is pointing to the program. If you click the picture, it will get bigger and you should be able to read the screen.
Kelly Thorp baked a cake, Bob blew up balloons and we had a surprise party/celebration for Maggie Fuller, who, along with a team of Antillean women, is producing the program. Maggie was in on the birth of the original Women of Hope pilot programs while she was serving with TWR on the island of Guam.
Yes, that is Barb and Chuck Roswell standing there with Sandra. They sure picked the right morning to stop by the office to say "hi."
Tuesday, October 05, 2004
Sailboat pix on Club Photo
I've posted a bunch of pictures of the yachts racing around the south end of Bonaire on my Club Photo site.
Some pictures are just of the boats for those who are into boats etc. Other pix have Bonaire landmarks in the foreground and may be of more general interest.
You can click on the thumbnails to see the pictures bigger and then click on the bigger pictures to see them full size, 1024x768 in this case.
You can vote for your favorite picture in the comments section of this blog. (I'll probably cull some of the pix from the club photo album eventually.)
Some pictures are just of the boats for those who are into boats etc. Other pix have Bonaire landmarks in the foreground and may be of more general interest.
You can click on the thumbnails to see the pictures bigger and then click on the bigger pictures to see them full size, 1024x768 in this case.
You can vote for your favorite picture in the comments section of this blog. (I'll probably cull some of the pix from the club photo album eventually.)
Weather Wimps
Yep, we weather wimps notice the slightest change in the usually perfect climatic conditions here on Bonaire.
I woke up this morning and thought, "it's freezing!" Check out the temp. graph from the weather archives of the Bonaire Webcams weather station.
Click the graph to make it bigger and easier to read.
Actually a cold and clammy morning is a nice change for us. Although I'm glad I'm not going to be doing any sailing this morning.
By the way, if you check out the Bonaire Webcams this week, you might just see lots of sailboats out on the water. Mid morning or early afternoon should be good times to check, on Tue., Thur. or Fri.
I woke up this morning and thought, "it's freezing!" Check out the temp. graph from the weather archives of the Bonaire Webcams weather station.
Click the graph to make it bigger and easier to read.
Actually a cold and clammy morning is a nice change for us. Although I'm glad I'm not going to be doing any sailing this morning.
By the way, if you check out the Bonaire Webcams this week, you might just see lots of sailboats out on the water. Mid morning or early afternoon should be good times to check, on Tue., Thur. or Fri.
Monday, October 04, 2004
Bonaire Sailing Regatta.
The annual Sailing Regatta is in full swing. It helps bring lots of people to Bonaire during the Fall slow season. Bonaire is small enough that an event like this impacts everyone.
On Monday, the yachts race around the entire island. It pretty much takes all day.
Click on the pictures to see them bigger and to count the birds.
It looked like great sailing weather to me, with a nice breeze and pretty calm seas.
I'll put more boat pictures on my club photo site when I get a chance.
On Monday, the yachts race around the entire island. It pretty much takes all day.
Click on the pictures to see them bigger and to count the birds.
It looked like great sailing weather to me, with a nice breeze and pretty calm seas.
I'll put more boat pictures on my club photo site when I get a chance.
Sunday, October 03, 2004
Sky Happenings
I'm sorry I've been sort of blog impaired lately. I think I needed time to recover from all the excitement this past summer.
Regatta Week begins today, so things will be hopping on Bonaire.
Venus (upper right) and the star Regulus were very close at in the sky this morning at 6 am. They'll be even closer around noon, but someone in the Pacific will get to see that. By tomorrow, Regulus (lower left) will be above Venus.
Regulus is easier to see if you click the picture to make it bigger.
There will be a total eclipse of the moon later this month. It happens around 11pm here in the East, so the jury is out on whether I'll be awake to see it. :)
Regatta Week begins today, so things will be hopping on Bonaire.
Venus (upper right) and the star Regulus were very close at in the sky this morning at 6 am. They'll be even closer around noon, but someone in the Pacific will get to see that. By tomorrow, Regulus (lower left) will be above Venus.
Regulus is easier to see if you click the picture to make it bigger.
There will be a total eclipse of the moon later this month. It happens around 11pm here in the East, so the jury is out on whether I'll be awake to see it. :)
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