History

Many diners visit the restaurant and enjoy its culinary offerings, outstanding service and appreciate its architecture, unaware of the history of the actual building. As the building is more than 100 years old, allow us to enlighten you with a historical account of the "Kas di Pa Kachi Craane and Ma Seshi Craane-Graavenhorst".

"Kas di Pa Kachi Craane i Ma Seshi Craane ­Gravenhorst" is a house situated on the waterfront of Playa Pabou. This archeterchtural style is what Frans Booi calls "Kas di Kaha" (Box Model). The structure consists of three rooves ­ a hipped roof ­ with dormers around it. The peaks of the rooves are usually decorated with figures or statues. These houses were built by merchants, owners of plantations or owners of sailing vessels/schooners or seamen and were constructed at the end of the 19th century, beginning of the 20th century.
Various houses of this same architectural stye can be found in this area.
The Herrera family home in the Kaya Prense Marie, or the house that was previously ownded by the Gerharts family (also previously "E Wowo" disco).
There is also the one storey house ofòs Hart, now Maduro Travel, in the Kaya Grandi. Another house situated in the Kaya Grandi, now Atlantis and Passangrahan, was previously owned by the Debrot family. Moving towards the direction of the Kas di Regatta, there is a house in this same style belonging to Els Craane, who contructed boats and tall ships (schooners).
The Hart, Herrera and Gerharts families were merchants and owners of plantations.

Kachi Craane¹s given name is Jan Nicolaas Erasmus Craane (1879-1974) and was a seaman on a schooner. Kachi built more than 80 boats and tall ships in the yard of this house under the tamarind tree with the help of Johanse "Jonchi Pushi" Craane. The children of Kachi Craane and Ma Seshi Craane-Gravenhorst who grew up in the house were also well known. Idi Snijders, Buchi Craane ­ became a well known captain at the harbour on the island of St. Maarten, Caridad "Shon Da" married Julio Abraham and are the parents of the well known local politicians Lorensio Antonio "Toon" Abraham and Johan Evert "Jopi" Abraham. Ma Seshi was a decendant of the Bennebroek Gravenhorst family who was the Head of State of the Netherlands Antilles and Jan Hendrik Waters Gravenhorst who was the Govenor of Bonaire (1881 ­ 1885).

The building bearing Kachi¹s name was first owned by the Debrot family and here is where the poet, politician, professor and writer Nicholaas "Cola" Debrot (1902 ­ 1981) was born. The Debrot family also owned Slagbaai and during his visits to the area, Cola was given the nickname "chubatu di Slagbaai" (the ramgoat of Slagbaai). He was greatly influenced by Lourens "Louchi" San Jocobo of Rincon in his writting. He penned the famous book:
"Mijn Zuster de Negerin". Cola Debrot was the first Antillean to become the Head of State of the Netherlands Antilles.

The building was purchased in 1999 by Joep van der Ligt and Ed Vuist and completely renovated to start operating the restaurant ­ It Rains Fishes. As the current owners of the building (Kas di Pa Kachi Craane) and surrounding property we have also made renovations and additions to the outside of the building, however we have maintained the original structure of the house as we have the deepest respect for the history of Bonaire.

Click to view us building the new "Fishes"

Open daily from 5pm till late. Closed on Sundays

Phone: +599 717 8780
mailto: info@itrainsfishesbonaire.com