Trying to avoid a cattle d(r)ive

[Nuub]

Sorry I haven't replied here yet! I've been over at bonairetalk as suggested and am in the process of reading all the posts. OK - just all the trip reports and most of the others. Hours and hours of fun!

Thanks for all the information. I'll be following a lot of the recommendations (nitros cert, hard soled boots etc.) for sure. We'll go with a dive/drive/doze resort. And a few boat dives to keep my sister happy and the effort very low. Prolly Buddys. and a hire a guide for a shore dive and tips of doing it w/o a DM (might do that a few times). Naturalist dive (we'll look for Jerry) for sure. Night dive early in the trip. And I did want to do the northern 3 tank boat trip. And as much shore diving as nerves, conditions and computer permit.

You guys are a godsend! Thanks again. I will post a trip report for sure. Hopefully with good pics too.

[The reason I didn't want to get into groups bigger than 6 was a bad experience - out on one of my first warm water dives, others were more experienced (or more aggressive) in our dive group of seven+; it became a competition to keep up with the DM and see everything he pointed out. Both me and my GF gave up after a while and just hung back and followed the group. Folks were just crowding the critters and I nearly had my mask kicked completely off by a guy finning hard to pass me to see a flying gunard. The best part of that dive was when I went back a little early (I'm an air hog) with a guide. It was really cool & relaxed, and we saw some critters, heard dolphins and saw Huge eagle ray which the others missed.]

 

[diversteve]

Two things I forgot for shore diving by yourselves:

Look for small piles of coral rubble on-shore. Often other divers have done that to mark the best entry points.

At some sites spend a minute or two walking the shore line. Sometimes the best entry is not where you park. What you want to look for is a sand channel that comes up onshore breaking the ironshore - often they're sandy out to deeper water. Since the water is generally clear, you can often see any submerged coral/ironshore and go around it. Here's an example but as new shore divers this is one to save for a later trip - it's an "advanced" dive. Just the best illustration I've found. 10' to either side of the divers it's a lot rougher entry - I've sat on those same rocks while gearing up. Shore Diving Site Picture for: Vista Blue of Bonaire South, ABC Islands

Also you can see site entry pics for many sites here: Scuba Shore Diving Region: ABC Islands There are exceptions but generally the northern entries tend to be a little more difficult, usually over rocks/shelves or other obstructions. Besides Buddy's house dive, the Windsock site is one of the easiest entries - you may want to start there. It's near the end of the airport.

This map lists all the advanced dives. Basically they're the Slagbaai Park sites north and the Hooker wreck and everything south of White Slave. http://www.infobonaire.com/divemap.html If you want to dive a wreck, LaMachaca off Habitat is an easy one. I wouldn't save it for a special dive though - it's a small pleasure craft or something - about 20' long max.

+2 for Jerry. We were waiting for other divers when he started his Orientation so I sat in for part of it. I learned more from him in a few minutes than I had during our whole orientation at Toucan. My buddy did the REEF count there with another naturalist (since moved on) and he counted 185 species in one dive. They carry a slate and fish cards on the dive so you can record what you find. I think they found more life in 20' off the dock then they did dropping down the wall. There's often squid in that area also - we saw them twice there.

 

[Doctorfish]

Nuub, great plan. The house reefs at Buddy dive and Habitat are outstanding with little current, easy access and tanks right at the docks. The house reefs there are outstanding night dives as well and you will be familiar with the topography from your day dives. The boat dive ops at Buddy and Habitat are both very good and in fact, that is the only way to get to the dive sites on Klein, many of which are good. Once you are on Bonaire for a few days, it is worthwhile to venture further afield shore diving by truck, but for new divers, the house reefs and boat dives should keep you well entertained for a while. As metioned, you will not find a 1:4 ratio but if you are on a boat dive and there is a crowd scene, just turn around and go the other way ( assuming no current ). As long you are back on the boat at the designated time, it's cool.

 

[Damselfish]

One thing about groups on dive boats in general - some people will be on a boat because they like the convenience or want to get to sites that they can't easily do from shore, not because they want a guide. I've seen plenty of times where most people go off on their own, so even on a larger boat there might be very few people actually diving with the DM. Or if they do mostly go along with the group for some reason it's often a very loose group and people won't be on top of each other - lots of other people don't want that either. So ask questions, but you may be worrying about a problem that won't happen as often as you might think.

 

[Ray and Pam]

Right, the boat diving isn't like boat diving other places. Do what you want just be back in sight of the boat after about an hour. We got lazy and boat diving and the house reef at Capt Dons is all we do. We don't rent a truck anymore and that money pays for the boat diving.
Anyone gonna tell them about the surprise waiting for them on their first night dives?

 

[Gunrock]

Lots of good tips, here is my two cents:
1. Boat diving: I enjoyed my boat dives. Only way you are going to see the sites off of Klein Bonaire, and the DMs knew those sites well and were adept at finding cool things that I did not see on my own, e.g. seahorses. A word of caution: do familiarize yourself with the dive areas in general. Boat diving is worth it if they take you to places that are either only accessible by boat, like KB, or for sites that have difficult shore entries. Our boat capt tried to take us to one site where we could see people snorkeling from shore -- we let him know that was NOT what we were paying him for.
2. You mentioned signaling devices...I concur the diving in Bonaire is about as easy as it gets, but divers should be prepared for the unexpected. To me that means carrying at least a whistle and safety sausage on 100% of dives.

 

[Nuub]

seahorses are on my dive bucket list.

Again, thanks for all the great info. I think I've spent over 60 hours reading here and on bonairetalk in the last two weeks. It's a wonder I get any work done. Looking forward to seeing some tarpon at night; and fully expect to still lose it when one sneaks up on me.
Thanks for Tons of shorediving tips plus looking for the pile-o-rocks and infobonaire shore photos - yet more hours to be spent online! Am planning on the whistle and sausage and cell phone in-a-case. Can't wait for August!

 

[SayNo2Snow]

If you can put the cell phone in a baggie (one of those small snack size) inside your case. I never trust cases for things that absolutely should not get wet. Or carry is at a spare cell phone just for that purpose, with you main cell phone tucked in a dry location somewhere