And your top five Bonaire shore dive site would be(insert drum roll)......
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Do at least on east coast dive from shore. Check www.basdiving.com!! Cai is great as a day dive but you can also do it as a nightdive and by far the best night dive on the island!
OP
morecowbells
Contributor
We just got back from a wonderful week of diving in Bonaire. Thanks to everyone who provided useful tips and opinions of their favorite dive sites. We stayed at Bonaire Seaside Apartments which we booked through VRBO. Unit 101 suited our needs perfectly. Next door was Dive Friends Yellow Submarine. We booked the unlimited Nitrox shore diving package from them. Tanks were consistently filled above 3000 psi. Everyone in the shop was friendly and eager to provided any information. We did a dive with on the East side with Bas. First dive was at Cai. At first the surge was strong and the visibility less than optimal. We arrived to a sandy patch were were were surrounded by at least a hundred tarpon. It was so cool to kneel on the sand and watch them effortlessly drift by. Once we approached the reef wall, visibility vastly improved. The coral and marine life were wonderful. We saw a nurse shark, huge green moray, turtle and much more. Returning to shore yielded more surge, but it was manageable. As we were leaving, we saw other divers arrive to the area. While Cai is a milder dive on the East side, I still cannot imagine doing this without a guide.
We decided to pass on a boat dive because I am a wuss who suffers seasickness. Instead of exposing other divers to my 50 shades of green, we stuck with shore dives. I followed everybody's advise about wearing thick soled boots, hooking my fins on bcd, and leaving nothing of value in the car. Nobody was interested in taking my 'Frankie Says Relax' T-shirt or my cheapie rubber flip flops. Water temps ranged between 76-78 degrees. My 5 mm wetsuit worked well for me. My husband was comfortable in his 3 mm. My favorite dives(in no particular order are):
- Margate Bay. Entrance was a bit of a pain with some navigating around stone, but manageable. Large schools of fish with the occasional grouper, jack, eels and colorful, mature filefish.
-The Invisibles. Amazing fish life. Saw several spotted Moray Eels. Large pairs of angelfish and good sized porcupine fish.
-The Cliff. I love the dive shop at Hamlet Oasis. Friendly, helpful staff with a nice shaded area to set up and table for chilling out afterwards. A combination of wall and soft coral bottom. Occasional tarpon, green moray, goldentail eel and scorpionfish. Saw the largest barracuda ever! Did this dive a couple of times.
- Salt Pier. Large schools of grunts and other marine life. Everything seemed to be twos. Saw 2 spotted morays within 2 feet of each other. Also spotted two sharp tail eels and two small barracuda. Easy dive at minimal depth. It provided the opportunity to swim under and around a structure without the need to penetrate a wreck.
-Karpata. Dramatic landscape with healthy coral. Other divers saw a spotted eagle ray, it seemed to elude us. No eels but saw a turtle, groupers, tarpon and high hats.
The Lake. Spotted some flounder, flamingo tongues, garden eels, large schools of blue tangs, golden tail morays and a chain moray. We headed south and swam around the Hilma Hooker.
La Machaca. One one dive alone we spotted three spotted moray eels. We came across two large octopus gardens/graveyards with numerous shells scattered around some rocks and coral. Unfortunately, we never saw one. Large schools of blue chromas and tangs.
Overall a wonderful trip. I felt that the marine life was more abundant with some larger varieties in Bonaire than Curacao. However navigating the entry and exits in Curacao were less challenging.
We decided to pass on a boat dive because I am a wuss who suffers seasickness. Instead of exposing other divers to my 50 shades of green, we stuck with shore dives. I followed everybody's advise about wearing thick soled boots, hooking my fins on bcd, and leaving nothing of value in the car. Nobody was interested in taking my 'Frankie Says Relax' T-shirt or my cheapie rubber flip flops. Water temps ranged between 76-78 degrees. My 5 mm wetsuit worked well for me. My husband was comfortable in his 3 mm. My favorite dives(in no particular order are):
- Margate Bay. Entrance was a bit of a pain with some navigating around stone, but manageable. Large schools of fish with the occasional grouper, jack, eels and colorful, mature filefish.
-The Invisibles. Amazing fish life. Saw several spotted Moray Eels. Large pairs of angelfish and good sized porcupine fish.
-The Cliff. I love the dive shop at Hamlet Oasis. Friendly, helpful staff with a nice shaded area to set up and table for chilling out afterwards. A combination of wall and soft coral bottom. Occasional tarpon, green moray, goldentail eel and scorpionfish. Saw the largest barracuda ever! Did this dive a couple of times.
- Salt Pier. Large schools of grunts and other marine life. Everything seemed to be twos. Saw 2 spotted morays within 2 feet of each other. Also spotted two sharp tail eels and two small barracuda. Easy dive at minimal depth. It provided the opportunity to swim under and around a structure without the need to penetrate a wreck.
-Karpata. Dramatic landscape with healthy coral. Other divers saw a spotted eagle ray, it seemed to elude us. No eels but saw a turtle, groupers, tarpon and high hats.
The Lake. Spotted some flounder, flamingo tongues, garden eels, large schools of blue tangs, golden tail morays and a chain moray. We headed south and swam around the Hilma Hooker.
La Machaca. One one dive alone we spotted three spotted moray eels. We came across two large octopus gardens/graveyards with numerous shells scattered around some rocks and coral. Unfortunately, we never saw one. Large schools of blue chromas and tangs.
Overall a wonderful trip. I felt that the marine life was more abundant with some larger varieties in Bonaire than Curacao. However navigating the entry and exits in Curacao were less challenging.
Just returned from Bonaire on Saturday. Man I love it there! Couple of my favorites:
Karpata - just a great dive overall. The soft corals on the top of the reef are packed with life.
Capt Don's House Reef (La Machaca) - probably the best macro life picture taking site on the island IMO (and in the O of many folks I've talked to down there)
Salt Pier - was pretty nice, large schools of fish hiding under there during the day, but not at night. Saw a ton of eels and a few octopus in the rubble. Don't know if I'd go out of my way to do it again though.
Candy Land - This and the other north side dives (Playa Funchi) are great as well.
Rappel - the top of the reef is always a treat with all the soft corals and fans waving in the surf.
If you really want a treat contact East Coast Diving - Diving Bonaire on the wildside, Dive bonaire eastcoast and see the big 5. - and do a two tank morning dive with them. It's a bit more advanced diving from a 12 man zodiac purpose built for diving. You head out from the marina near Jibe City and do two drift dives. They stage everything in the marina to make it as easy as possible when you're out on the water. Back roll entry in waves, once everyone is in you drop down and drift along. At the prescribed PSI you kick out away from the reef for a safety stop and get picked up. Getting on the boat is super easy as they remove the center section of one of the inflatable tubes and drop a ladder in. Our first dive we saw ~8 turtles, eagle rays, big green morays, southern stingray. The second dive we dropped in south of tarpon hole and drifted south, saw 29 turtles, more eagle rays, HUGE sea fans and other soft corals. Two of the best dives I've done on Bonaire, without question.
I really like a lot of the Klien sites as well, Nearest Point, Mi Dushi, Knife, Rock Pile, Capt Don's - nice chill wall dives with a lot of fun stuff in the sand on the way back. So, don't thumb your nose at boat dives!!
We also did an outstanding florescent night dive with Flow Bonaire adventures - http://www.flowbonaire.com/#/fluo-night-diving/ - using special florescent lights and yellow filters for your mask you get out and see how certain critters floresce under this light. Unlike anything else you'll ever do - it was a great experience. Also did the cave tour / snorkel with them - another awesome non-diving event that I would for sure do again. Flow is in the same building as BonPhoto just north of the entrance to Capt. Don's and Buddy Dive.
Karpata - just a great dive overall. The soft corals on the top of the reef are packed with life.
Capt Don's House Reef (La Machaca) - probably the best macro life picture taking site on the island IMO (and in the O of many folks I've talked to down there)
Salt Pier - was pretty nice, large schools of fish hiding under there during the day, but not at night. Saw a ton of eels and a few octopus in the rubble. Don't know if I'd go out of my way to do it again though.
Candy Land - This and the other north side dives (Playa Funchi) are great as well.
Rappel - the top of the reef is always a treat with all the soft corals and fans waving in the surf.
If you really want a treat contact East Coast Diving - Diving Bonaire on the wildside, Dive bonaire eastcoast and see the big 5. - and do a two tank morning dive with them. It's a bit more advanced diving from a 12 man zodiac purpose built for diving. You head out from the marina near Jibe City and do two drift dives. They stage everything in the marina to make it as easy as possible when you're out on the water. Back roll entry in waves, once everyone is in you drop down and drift along. At the prescribed PSI you kick out away from the reef for a safety stop and get picked up. Getting on the boat is super easy as they remove the center section of one of the inflatable tubes and drop a ladder in. Our first dive we saw ~8 turtles, eagle rays, big green morays, southern stingray. The second dive we dropped in south of tarpon hole and drifted south, saw 29 turtles, more eagle rays, HUGE sea fans and other soft corals. Two of the best dives I've done on Bonaire, without question.
I really like a lot of the Klien sites as well, Nearest Point, Mi Dushi, Knife, Rock Pile, Capt Don's - nice chill wall dives with a lot of fun stuff in the sand on the way back. So, don't thumb your nose at boat dives!!
We also did an outstanding florescent night dive with Flow Bonaire adventures - http://www.flowbonaire.com/#/fluo-night-diving/ - using special florescent lights and yellow filters for your mask you get out and see how certain critters floresce under this light. Unlike anything else you'll ever do - it was a great experience. Also did the cave tour / snorkel with them - another awesome non-diving event that I would for sure do again. Flow is in the same building as BonPhoto just north of the entrance to Capt. Don's and Buddy Dive.
Diver DennisP
Registered
Here's a link to a thread we started a while back asking the same question. quite a few responses to check out.
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/abc-islands/268513-what-cant-miss-dive-sites-bonaire.html
Personally I enjoyed the northern sites the most. Karpata was my favorite, we swam south to start the dive.
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/abc-islands/268513-what-cant-miss-dive-sites-bonaire.html
Personally I enjoyed the northern sites the most. Karpata was my favorite, we swam south to start the dive.
boat sju
Contributor
I suggest even a little further north - Carals Vision/Nukove. There was a shark up at Jeff Davis so that's one of my favorite sites too. Also the elbow of the double reef down south - I think its either Angel City or Invisibles but I can't remember for sure.
WetLens
Contributor
First, we definitely need more cow bells...
I questioned the same thing about boat dives on my last trip (6 boat dives were included in the package). It was made worthwhile by diving sites not accessible by shore - including Klein Bonaire. Most of the sites visited at Klein were same-ole/same-ole except Mi Dushi. That was definitely worth the effort.
Also dove Small Wall from a boat. While the dive was just okay, it was the only place we saw a frogfish on this trip. Also did a drift from 18 Palms to Windsock - a nice change of pace, so to speak.
Top five list would include: Mi Dushi, Karpata, Tori's Reef, Salt Pier, and Hilma Hooker.
I questioned the same thing about boat dives on my last trip (6 boat dives were included in the package). It was made worthwhile by diving sites not accessible by shore - including Klein Bonaire. Most of the sites visited at Klein were same-ole/same-ole except Mi Dushi. That was definitely worth the effort.
Also dove Small Wall from a boat. While the dive was just okay, it was the only place we saw a frogfish on this trip. Also did a drift from 18 Palms to Windsock - a nice change of pace, so to speak.
Top five list would include: Mi Dushi, Karpata, Tori's Reef, Salt Pier, and Hilma Hooker.
Byte Me, I just looked up this link you provided and I am trying to figure out if its worth it or not... I am truly put off by their 50 min from splash to back on board... The maximum dive time is 50 minutes including safety stop... I have been wanting to dive the east side but is it really worth the 120.00 for two tanks when I am already diving for free??? I can understand why they try and keep divers from staying under for an hour and a half but I guess the 50 minutes is maybe more in my head...
Thanks, lee
Lee, that 50 minute thing wasn't my experience with them at all. It was entirely PSI based, when someone in the group reached the target PSI we kicked out from the reef a way, did a safety stop, ascended and waited on the surface for the zodiac. In our group, as people began to get lower on air they either floated up the reef a bit to get shallower or followed the group from 10-20 feet above to save on air a bit.
I'd have to check my logs but both dives were at or over an hour just off the top of my head.
Understand the concern though, been on boats before (mainly in Coz for whatever reason) where they're hard asses about being back on the boat in 45 minutes. I quickly stop using places like that and it's always one of my first questions when talking to a new place.
Update: I checked my log, I got 56 minutes with a max depth of 81' - that's pretty much where we leveled off and drifted on the first dive. The 2nd I got 65 minutes at max depth of 59'.
I'd have to check my logs but both dives were at or over an hour just off the top of my head.
Understand the concern though, been on boats before (mainly in Coz for whatever reason) where they're hard asses about being back on the boat in 45 minutes. I quickly stop using places like that and it's always one of my first questions when talking to a new place.
Update: I checked my log, I got 56 minutes with a max depth of 81' - that's pretty much where we leveled off and drifted on the first dive. The 2nd I got 65 minutes at max depth of 59'.
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