Archuendro Finies is a native of Bonaire; and that right there says a quite a lot about him. Naturally, he loves the water. Bonaire is surrounded by lots of it, all of it clear, warm and inviting. He loves sports, most of them, of course, having to do with water: swimming, diving, snorkeling and windsurfing. But, being that he is from Bonaire, he plays soccer, too. He’s also good-natured, another inherent Bonairean trait.
Endro, as he’s known around Divi, started working at Flamingo Beach Resort last December as an intern with the dive operation. He quickly progressed from trainee to dive master to dive instructor. “Endro is an example of many youngsters on the island. He has tremendous enthusiasm and passion for his work,” said dive operations manager Serge De Groote. When he’s not at Divi, you will find him at Sorobon at Lac Bay, on the opposite side of the island with many other windsurfing aficionados.
Sorobon provides an ideal combination of wind, water, sand and sun for windsurfing and the bay’s shape creates wind zones that make this the perfect practice ground for novices to champions. Many tourists consider a trip over to Lac Bay part of a Bonaire vacation. You’ll catch Endro gliding effortlessly across. He’s good.
It’s no surprise that he says windsurfing is his idea of a great time. He’ll occasionally mix it up with cave snorkeling. Exploring the “lost world of Bonaire” helps him de-stress. And, of course, he dives, always packing his ELF. That’s a device for shooting lionfish, which are known reef eaters and also inflict a very nasty sting on humans. (He can tell you.) When he’s underwater enjoying Bonaire’s reefs, he’s working to protect them.
Endro says that what is important to him now is hitting all the goals he has put in front of him. So, don’t be surprised to find him walking the grounds one day in the not too distant future – not in a wetsuit, but with a pin on his shirt that says,“Archuendro Finies, Assistant Manager, Divi Flamingo Beach Resort.”
If he can add something to Flamingo Beach Resort, he would add more activities. Cave snorkeling anyone? Let us know! We’ve got the perfect guide.
