The Bonaire Lifetime Achievement Award
On August 22, 2011 Carl was awarded this honor, the third person and first man to receive it. This is a distinction which one can feel throughout one’s visit is conferred by everyone on the island.
Carl, accompanied by his son Paul, webmaster Patricia Shannahan, Leslie Leaney of the Historical Diving Society and Paul’s lady Sarah spent a week on beautiful Bonaire. Accompanied by Stephanie Worth of Adams Public Relations in New York and a small group of journalists who were also avid divers. The group toured the island, visited various businesses and tourist properties. On three of the evenings, the group enjoyed Carl’s presentations on photography, sharks and travel.
A highlight of the week was having Captain Don Stewart join the award ceremony. Captain Don, now 85, regaled the crowd with tales from Carl’s three years collaborating on the early moves to enshrine conservation in Bonaire’s development plans.
The ceremony featured a welcome by Ms. Lillian de Geus representing the Deputy who was indisposed, and the award was presented by Ms. Lara Chirino, the Director of Tourism. The Actual statuette was in a piece of lost luggage, so Ms. Chirino actually presented the beautiful crystal sculpture to Carl at the DEMA Trade Show in Orlando this November.
Presentation at the DEMA Trade Show |
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Flamigo Gal, Leslie Leaney, Journel of the History of Diving Publisher, Lara Chirino, Director of Tourism, Carl F. Roessler - Recieptient of Life Time Achievement Award from Bonaire, Artist Wyland and Gekco.
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Flamigo Gal andCarl F. Roessler, Recieptient of Life Time Achievement Award from Bonaire.
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Leslie Leaney, Journel of the History of Diving Publisher, Lara Chirino, Director of Tourism andCarl F. Roessler - Recieptient of Life Time Achievement Award from Bonaire.
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Flamigo Gal andCarl F. Roessler, Recieptient of Life Time Achievement Award from Bonaire. |
Flamigo Gal, Lara Chirino, Director of Tourism, Carl F. Roessler - Recieptient of Life Time Achievement Award from Bonaire and Gekco. |
Flamigo Gal, Carl F. Roessler, Recieptient of Life Time Achievement Award from Bonaire, Lara Chirino, Director of Tourism and Gekco.
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Peering into the Wayback machine
During 1969-72, Carl and his family escorted dive groups sent by Dewey Bergman’s See & Sea Travel, and learned photography along the way. The film is old and tired, but the memories will never fade. They included 101 dives on the famed Windjammer wreck. |
The Making of ‘Windjammer Lost’ 1971
In 1971, Bob Hollis of Oceanic USA and John Clark came to Bonaire to make a film on the Windjammer wreck. Captain Don’s compressors were kept working overtime as 312 tanks were consumed.
The wreck’s port side is 140 feet deep and out from the reef, the bowsprit is at 170 feet, and the deep crow’s nest is 240 feet deep and far out from the reef wall. It was serious deep diving day after day (and sometimes at night).
The stories of the events on the expedition are classics, mostly about how not to dive. However—the wreck was a temptress, and we all fell for her. |
