Bonaire in 4 weeks and I have questions

[Pembina]

In less than 4 weeks I will be diving the beautiful shores of Bonaire. We are staying at the Coral Paradise Resort and doing a few boat dives out of Captain Don's and ALOT of shore diving. I am getting my Nitrox certification next weekend!! (Yea!!) This is our first trip to Bonaire and I have a few questions. I know there are many on this board that has made the trip and I want to tap into their knowledge.

1. Which dives are the "MUST DO" dives? I have bought the book "Diving & Snorkeling in Bonaire" and I have "Bonaire Shore Diving Made Easy" on order, so if I can get some dive site names I can reference them.

2. Are there any "don't waste your time" dives?

3. We plan on buying some groceries to keep expenses down. What are our options for groceries and would it be worth the hassel to bring some food from home (spices, etc.)?

4. What is your favorite spot to eat?

5. Do we need to worry about the stuff left in our rental vechicle while diving?

6. We use full footed fins, are the shore dives accessible in bare feet?

Any other tips and advice will be greatly appreciated!!

I CAN"T WAIT!!!!!!

Thanks in advance,
Pembina

 

[tiggrr]

Hi Pembina!!
My roommate, Phil, and I will be there March 7 thru 15th. What are your dates there??

I heard Oil Slick and 1000 steps are just wrecked and not to bother.
I hate it when people say, "do a search" but, I've been planning our whole trip off of others trip reports. Lots of good info and really helps you plan better.

Have you been to the website Bonaire Talk - The place to discuss everything and anything about Bonaire! A LOT of information there.

We're bringing a ton of food with us too. It is soo worth the hassle as the food there is quite expensive.

Don't leave anything in truck you can't bear to do without. Leave windows in truck open and doors unlocked.

I thought this was a good tip. We're buying 2 liter pops and filling the bottles with water and freezing them. So, when we get out after dive, we have cold water to drink. Also, we'll have an extra not cold to rinse off the salt with.

 

[scubadada]

Pembina,

The majority of shore sites are not readily accessible with bare feet and full foot fins. Do yourself a favor, get some sturdy booties and open heel fins prior to your visit to Bonaire. Many of the entries are reasonaly rugged.

Good diving, Craig

 

[diversteve]

In less than 4 weeks I will be diving the beautiful shores of Bonaire.

1. Which dives are the "MUST DO" dives? I have bought the book "Diving & Snorkeling in Bonaire" and I have "Bonaire Shore Diving Made Easy" on order, so if I can get some dive site names I can reference them.

My short list (mostly north->south):

Rappel (boat dive only)
Karpata (tougher entry)
Witches Hut (boat or shore)
Cliff/LaMachaca (Cap't Don's house reef)
Bari Reef (Sand Dollar condos house reef)
Town Pier (night dive only)
Angel City
Invisibles
Salt Pier (DM escorted only)
Vista Blue (current can be ripping in the PM)

For your boat dives:
Forest (Klein)
Hands Off (Klein)

2. Are there any "don't waste your time" dives?

South Bay was good, not great

3. We plan on buying some groceries to keep expenses down. What are our options for groceries and would it be worth the hassel to bring some food from home (spices, etc.)?

Food is expensive there as it all comes in via container ship. Cultimara market downtown is like a small US grocery store with recognizable brands, there's two warehouse food stores for bulk items.

4. What is your favorite spot to eat?

Donna/Giorgios for pizza
It Rains Fishes for pricey seafood
Casablanca
Rumrunners for the view more than the food.

5. Do we need to worry about the stuff left in our rental vechicle while diving?

Yes, don't leave anything in the truck you don't want taken. Especially at the more remote sites. And as you've likely read, windows down, doors unlocked will save you from having to get the glass replaced. We rented the de-facto Bonaire dive vehicle, a 4door pickup with tank rack, and just stored all our gear loosely in the backseat between divesites. Old clothes, flip-flops, water bottles etc. are generally left alone. If you don't have a small waterproof container, most places in Bonaire are used to wet money. Or buy one of the Witz containers Truck keys, credit card and $20 cash fit nicely.

Once you get your BMP tag after orientation, you'll never need to show a C-Card again so leave it at the condo.

6. We use full footed fins, are the shore dives accessible in bare feet?

Not many. Most start on sharp ironshore and have coral rubble in the surf line. At many of them you step off the ironshore onto coral/coral rubble. Some are entirely ironshore from about 10' to the waterline. And it's really, really sharp due to erosion.

Good treaded boots/open heel fins are always the recommendation. I tried surf-walkers once and have a 4" scar on my leg for my efforts. Most of the resorts have dive docks with good stairs so that would be an option possibly. And there's a very limited number of sites with sandy beach entries. Some of those also have sharp coral just under the surface of the water as you're wading out. Review site pictures here for a good idea of what to expect: Scuba Shore Diving Region: ABC Islands

Any other tips and advice will be greatly appreciated!!

Service on Bonaire can be slow. And they'll never bring your check unless asked - sometimes repeatedly. It's not that they're rude, on the contrary, it's that you're their guest and can stay as long as you want. When you drive by another vehicle and they honk, it means hi, can't stop to talk now.

I'd stay out of downtown if you see a cruise ship in port, that's got to be a zoo now.
Watch out for the donkeys and goats. Especially around the lagoon south of town at night. They hover near the road to get fed. Most are pretty tame.

 

[Pembina]

Hi Pembina!!
My roommate, Phil, and I will be there March 7 thru 15th. What are your dates there??

We arrive via Houston at 6am on the 7th and will also depart on the 15th. Where are you guys staying?

I have been reading numerous threads on Bonaire and have also spent time at BonaireTalk but after awhile everything just gets muddy and I forget what was good and what was bad (although I've taken a few notes). I thought that asking here I could just keep all the info together (I'm kinda lazy at times too).

 

[Pembina]

My short list (mostly north->south):

Rappel (boat dive only)
Karpata (tougher entry)
Witches Hut (boat or shore)
Cliff/LaMachaca (Cap't Don's house reef)
Bari Reef (Sand Dollar condos house reef)
Town Pier (night dive only)Angel City
Invisibles
Salt Pier (DM escorted only)
Vista Blue (current can be ripping in the PM)

Thanks, I am starting a list. One question though, why is Salt Pier a DM escoted dive only?? It shows it as a novice dive in the book.

Good treaded boots/open heel fins are always the recommendation. I tried surf-walkers once and have a 4" scar on my leg for my efforts. Most of the resorts have dive docks with good stairs so that would be an option possibly. And there's a very limited number of sites with sandy beach entries. Some of those also have sharp coral just under the surface of the water as you're wading out. Review site pictures here for a good idea of what to expect: Scuba Shore Diving Region: ABC Islands

I am really gonna hate giving up my Cressi fins. :depressed: I thought about taking a pair of crocs to wear down to the water but I am guessing from your reply that the trek through the water isn't so good either.

Thanks for the link... I've not visited that site before.

 

[diversteve]

One question though, why is Salt Pier a DM escoted dive only?? It shows it as a novice dive in the book.

Post 9/11 International Port Security regulations.

 

[a878bob]

Not just any boots, but the toughest you can find, with tennis shoe bottoms and good support, you will spend alot of time in your boots, the walking/entries can be rough, even then you have to be careful, I see somebody in a cast/crutches every trip from falling, I wear Seasoft, whatever you get make sure to break them in before you go.

You should only have things in your truck that you don't care about, when in the water, styrofoam cooler with water/gatorade, hotel towel, dive shop cylinders, sunscreen, cheap sunglasses, maybe your dive bag.

Cultimara, Warehouse, More or Less, Progresso are the easiest to find, and you can get just about anything between them.

Salt Pier and Town Pier are guided for security reasons. Salt Pier is/was a great dive(? post Omar) but the last I read diving has been suspended there.

There are alot of great places to eat, but I like the red beans and rice at CoCoView. Go to Bonairetalk for the latest and greatest.

Favorite places: Karpata to the north but the water has to be calm. Windsock is an easy entry and great for a night dive. Invisibles is always good, Hilma Hooker, but go with alot of bottom time, it's deep. Bachelors Beach is also easy entry.

I would skip the boat dives. Nothing to see you can't find from the shore.

Hope you have a great trip, Bonaire is my favorite, going back soon myself.

 

[DiveMaven]

Actually, Salt Pier is closed for diving currently due to damage from Omar....but they're still docking ships and loading salt, so figure that one out. I haven't heard the condition of Town Pier, but we did it last summer as a daytime dive and it was FABULOUS! We had the entire pier to ourselves (3 divers) and spent 90 minutes exploring. After having done that dive, there's no way I'd want to do it at night with a bunch of divers churning up the bottom. It's a close quarter dive that requires excellent buoyancy control, and it wouldn't take many divers IMO to spoil the site.

I haven't heard that 1000 steps is too damaged, but did hear that the entry at Ol' Blue is completely washed out, Oil Slick Leap was completely destroyed in the shallows, and Andrea II was hit hard as well.

 

[Martha]

Thanks, I am starting a list. One question though, why is Salt Pier a DM escoted dive only?? It shows it as a novice dive in the book.



I am really gonna hate giving up my Cressi fins. :depressed: I thought about taking a pair of crocs to wear down to the water but I am guessing from your reply that the trek through the water isn't so good either.

The Salt Pier is a DM escorted dive due to security issues. The DM has to get permission for you to dive there and it does cost extra to do this dive. Last I heard, the Salt Pier was closed to divers due to damage from Omar causing stability issues. You'll need to check with your dive shop about the current status.

You will definitely need hard sole shoes in the water. I guess you could wear your crocs in, switch to your fins, & then somehow attach the crocs on you while you dive, so you can switch back to exit.