Planning the next trip and want it to be EPIC!!

[Bas Tol(B.A.S.Diving)]

Boat sju... I think you have 2 sites mixed up. I have seen you mention diving Carels Vision from shore before in another thread and was wondering how you did that Carels Vision is listed as 'boat dive only' but that doesn't mean it can not be done from shore in this case. However it involves some creativity to get to the water. One way is to use the makeshift pallet ladder the fishermen use to get down the cliffs... not recommended with dive gear! And the other is to go down a steep narrow trail tru the trees/bushes to get to the water. Not the 'typical' shore access as you mention. From your description of a channel and reef cresting close to shore (fore-reef) I am pretty sure you're talking about Candyland. Could be Taylor Maid too... if you drove down a narrow bumpy coral path that forks off the main road right after passing Candyland.
This is a great area to dive. IMO best/healthiest/biggest coral reef on the west side. This nice area roughly stretches from BOPEC terminal to the N/W corner (Wecua Point) Once you get around the corner and move further up north the reef is not that nice anymore because of damage done by Lenny in '98. To me, diving there is like time travel.... back to how the reefs typically looked 20-30 years ago. It is the only stretch of coast line where the fore-reef is still intact.... no entry/exit unless you find a channel to get through that fore-reef. That's unique now. It used to be like that pretty much everywhere.
Candyland is very nice, Taylor Maid is even a little nicer(more spectacular) and keeps getting better until on the corner...going more north from there the reef starts to show more signs of damage.
Between Bopec and Wecua point (where the lighthouse is and the old Rincon garbage dump shoots) there are 5 sites/good entry & exit spots (accessible with truck)... Playa Kruipie, Candyland, Taylor Maid I,II & III and Boka Marli.
Then once you get around the corner there are 4 more...(it's nice diving but far from what it's like before the corner)..Carels Vision, Boka Dreifie(HAM radio station house), Nukove and Playa Frans, where the road ends. Beyond Playa Frans starts the no diving zone until Boka Slagbaai.
All these sites can be connected in different drift dives.. all within diveable distance of each other.
Bas

 

[boat sju]

Bas,

You're right. I have the names of the sites up there confused. I definitely know which one Nukove is: Scuba Shore Diving Site Page for: Nukove of Bonaire North, ABC Islands

I don't remember seeing markers so I assumed we dove Carels Vision. I hadn't read that it was a boat dive only.

 

[Aruba Bobs]

My daughter and I was there for our 2nd dive trip this year and in July, when we found Candyland, Nukove, and the last one, fisherman village, we did not dive anywhere else. You really have to be careful because there are always more waves up there so getting in with the rocks can really be tricky. If you see its rough at Karpata, forget going any farther because it will be worse up there. If your truck breaks down, you are out of luck because we went everday and never seen another truck at all so you might have to spend the night if things go wrong.
Bas is also the Best you can get on out of the way dive excursions.