Monday, September 28, 2009

The Wounded Warriors Receive Their Diving Certifications

As was announced in a prior posting, the island of Bonaire is hosting severely injured members of the U.S. military, while they complete their final open-water dives.

The men, their significant others, and instructors arrived in the early hours of Saturday morning on the Continental Airlines flight from Houston.  Although a bit travel-weary, everyone jumped right into action with their first two open-water training dives.  That evening, everyone still had enough energy to enjoy a pizza party, compliments of Caribbean Travel & Life/Destination Weddings & Honeymoons/Islands/Sport Diver Magazines.

The Bonaire Insider caught up with these fine men on Sunday afternoon while they were lunching at Rum Runners Restaurant located at Captain Don’s Habitat, their host hotel for accommodations and diving, as they were preparing to make their fourth and final dive to complete the PADI Open Water Diver course and HSA certification.  Wives and significant others of three of the men are accompanying them, and the guys and gals were enthusiastic and eager to hit the water.  All we saw were smiling faces both going in and coming out after the dive.  These men, highly trained members of Special Forces groups, took to their dive training like ducks to water.  The buoyancy and skills they exhibited with just basic training illustrate the high degree of accomplishment to which these men are accustomed.  Sunday evening everyone piled in the bus and transferred to Paradise Moon Bar & Restaurant for dinner, provided by Oceanic and AERIS.

This morning, Monday, dawned with rain, as a thunderstorm passed over Bonaire.  However, the group didn’t let the rain put a damper on their activities, as they made off for a boat dive at 11:00 AM.  Tonight they will enjoy a cocktail party at the resort, prior to a BBQ dinner compliments of BonaireTalk.com.  We’ll check back with these folks on Wednesday, as they meet Bonaire’s Lt. Governor Thode.

Enjoying Bonaire’s hospitality are Erik Burmeister, Justin Eldridge, Mario Barragan, Luis and Katherine Morales, Juan Carlos Valentine Rivera and Amy Eileen Thorton, and Christopher Lee Tonsmeire and Elise Margaret Christopher.  View images as they prepare for their final certification dive on the Bonaire Insider Photo Gallery by clicking here. (Source:  Bonaire Insider Reporter)