Ben van Oort, PE2KV is currently active from Bonaire Island, IOTA SA-006, as PJ4KY.
He is working on HF Bands.
Recent DX Spots PJ4KY
QSL via M0URX.
Bonaire Island
Caribbean Netherlands
The northernmost point of the South American continental shelf, Bonaire Island (or Bonaire) belongs to the Leeward Islands, part of the Lesser Antilles archipelago. The island is located in the southern part of the Caribbean Sea, very close to the continent—only 80 kilometers from the coast of Venezuela. This picturesque tropical land is part of the Netherlands, as are the two small neighboring islands of Aruba and Curaçao, located west of Bonaire.
All these distant southern lands were discovered by Spanish conquistadors in the 16th century, but after the first visit of European conquerors to the island, the indigenous population began to decline rapidly: some of the Indians were taken to other territories, and many died from diseases. In the 17th century, the island was conquered by the Dutch, but it was not until the end of the following century, the 18th century, that the Netherlands officially proclaimed Bonaire as its territory.
Salt mines of Bonaire
The small island has an area of 294 square kilometers and a native population of about 17,000. The economic activities of modern islanders are limited to tourism, agriculture, and fishing. In addition, salt has long been extracted from the pure seawater of the coastal lagoons; this industry has been around for more than 350 years. To extract the dry sediment, seawater is pumped into special pits, where it gradually evaporates in the sun, and the salt crystals that fall out are collected and stored. The snow-white salt mounds rising on the low shores of the island are an unchanging and distinctive feature of the local landscape. The salt is exported, and salt production companies remain an important part of the local economy.
Bonaire is good air
It is easy to figure out that “bon aire” means “good air” in French. In fact, the cleanest atmosphere, luxurious beaches, and exceptionally clear sea water are the main values and attractions of this Caribbean island. Divers note that underwater visibility near the coastline of Bonaire sometimes reaches 50 meters. This is why avid fans of various water sports come here: divers, surfers, yachtsmen, and ordinary tourists who simply dream of a peaceful vacation on the shores of the blue bay, magnificent sea bathing, and a southern tan.
But it is not only the spacious beaches and the enchanting underwater world, which is literally teeming with numerous representatives of marine fauna, that are worthy of travelers' attention. The colorful landscapes of the hilly land are no less beautiful than the azure sea. Mountain biking and hiking trails through the tropical savannah, overgrown with giant cacti and other exotic plants, are popular here. The island's climate is tropical maritime, slightly arid, with prevailing northeast trade winds. The island of Bonaire, located in the west of the Lesser Antilles, is virtually unaffected by the devastating hurricanes that are common in these latitudes. The air temperature remains almost unchanged throughout the year and is approximately +27 degrees Celsius.
“The pink flamingo – child of the sunset”
A favorite pilgrimage site for visitors is Washington-Slagbaai National Park. Here, in addition to giant cacti, travelers can see iguanas, small mammals, and many amazing birds, including colonies of real pink flamingos. The poetic image of this extraordinarily beautiful and graceful bird suddenly becomes a wonderful reality for tourists on the island of Bonaire. Scientists believe that flamingos are the oldest birds on our planet, and although they have many enemies, these long-legged, elegant beauties are well adapted to life in the wild. They settle on shallow sea coasts or near lifeless salt lakes, often in conditions where other animals cannot survive.
The concentrated salty or alkaline brine of small reservoirs becomes a natural barrier to predators that could seriously threaten this species. The pink flamingos themselves have extremely thick skin on their legs, which serves as good protection against corrosive salts. The birds can stand knee-deep in fairly aggressive solutions for long periods of time without any harm to themselves. On Bonaire, large nesting colonies of these beautiful birds can also be seen in the Pekelmeer nature reserve. The population of these heat-loving pink birds here is the largest in the entire Caribbean region.
Unfortunately, human economic activity and uncontrolled poaching have significantly affected the total number of flamingos worldwide, and they are now listed in the International Red Book. These rare birds live in large families, sometimes numbering several thousand individuals. From a distance, the numerous pink flocks present a magnificent picture, resembling a blazing sunset.
An island you want to return to
The serene blue Caribbean Sea, mild climate, and more affordable tourist services compared to the fashionable resorts of Aruba attract many vacationers to Bonaire. The island attracts scuba diving enthusiasts and creators of magical underwater photos, fans of exciting hiking trips, athletes, botanists, naturalists, and ornithologists, as well as all lovers of luxurious beach vacations, clean air, and bright southern sun. They say that those who have already visited Bonaire dream of returning here.
