shore diving advice for boat diver?

My buddy and I have been diving exclusively from boats for some time now. We're comfortable with boat entries, exits, and donning, doffing and stowing gear on a boat, etc. But the last shore dive I did was during my Open Water class over ten years ago, when I lived in a city that actually had shore diving. My buddy and I are soon heading for a dive trip to Bonaire, where we will be almost exclusively shore diving.

My question is: Can you think of anything that you recommend that we, as moderately experienced boat divers but relative shore diving novices, do prior to getting in the water? Things that we might have learned in OW class but not had to think about much because we've always dived from a boat? Things to go over with one's buddy? Extra things to include in the buddy check before entry? Obviously, we don't have a divemaster telling us to "be back in an hour," so we need to take more responsibility for planning our dives. But what things do you think might not occur to us to go over or to do, given that we're not used to shore diving?

Any shore diving tips in general? It seems straightforward enough: Wade out, don the fins, swim out to the marker buoy if there is one and take a compass reading to shore, descend, and take off along the reef.

I found a relevant thread posted on the Bonaire branch, but it was really focused on Bonaire. I have plenty of information on what I need for Bonaire diving. But here, I'd like to ask more generally about "shore diving for boat divers" (or should that be "Shore Diving for Dummies"?) and see what people have to say.

I dove lake Lanier a few times this past summer from shore after doing mostly boat dives but having a good compass reading in and out was a big help, of course vis was pretty bad on the decent so you couldnt see much until you got to about 40' but I fealt more disoriented than any earlier dives (however they were all in blue water)

You probably wont have to worry about spending extra time cleaning the Georgia Clay off your gear in Bonaire though....

Since you are making the question more generic then there are several things that come to mind depending on where you are that aren't involved in boat diving.

Navigating is one. You have to actually find the dive structure. Most/many shore dives don't have buoys marking the spot.

Surf entries may be required depending on location. Hiking/obstacles may be involved in other entries. Slippery rocks in shallow water that could cause you to fall with not enough water to support you but perhaps enough to drown you.

Those are a few off the top of my head.

Remember to rinse the saltwater off your gear off pronto, as the shore doesn't generally have a freshwater rinse bucket like a boat generally will.

Hi Lorenzoid,

99.9% of my dives (ever) are shore dives. Each shore dive location may require slightly different strategies, but here are a few general statements:

1.) Navigation! Brush up on your compass navigation skills and natural navigation skills if these are at all rusty....the only reason I say this is that depending on the dive op, many recreational boat dives are planned and "led" by DM's, thus nav skills (and planning skills) can get rusty... on most shore dives, you plan and lead your own dive.

2.) Proper booties for the terrain. If you are entering over broken coral or sharp rocks, you'll need thicker booties. Sometimes gloves are also a good idea for climbing in an out of the water if the terrain is really rough.

3.) Get a site briefing if possible. Most shore dives are DIY affairs. If this is the case where you plan to dive, and you are diving in a new location, try to get a briefing on the dive site from the local LDS or local divers. They can alert you to possible strong currents and tides, best place to enter/exit if there is surf, how long a surface swim there is, etc.

4.) Dive flag. Will you be towing a dive flag/float for the whole dive, or anchoring it, or going "naked" (no flag)?

5.) Gas planning. Make sure to leave enough gas to return to the entry point.... in most places it is easier and far more pleasant to swim underwater than on the surface. In some places, a long surface swim caused by poor gas planning (or navigation error) can be outright dangerous due to surface conditions (waves, current, boat traffic, etc.).

6.) Have fun!

Best wishes.

Shore Dives!!

The Horror!

OK,
Seriously:
I have not been to Bonaire.
I have just read about it a lot, so I am not too sure of the concerns or things that you might need to equip yourself with.
I do know this about shore diving, you need a compass.
You need a plan (Ok, no kidding, you always need a plan when you dive, even if it is we have no plan, we are wandering, this is amazingly enough a plan!).
Try as best you can on this board or other sources to preplan the dives as best you can. Have an idea as to possible depths, and time limits and constraints from fatigue and whatnot.
I think there is just a wealth of good info on Bonaire beach dives on this board.
Good Luck!
I envy you, I was hoping to go there this past Spring, but this silly recession ate my paycheck.
I am just hoarding my cash for now.
Please do make a post on this thread, when you get back and offer up some suggestions as to what went wrong, and what went well.
I am certain that before you leave folks wil weigh in on this thread you started.

Chug

Find a good spot to gear up. Best would be to get the car/truck close to shore and sit your tank on/in the trunk for donning. Or a suitable flat rock that makes it easy to sit and gear up. Watch for sand in either 2nd stage, even if it means a longer walk to shore while geared up.

Navigation in Bonaire will generally mean keeping the reef on your right for the "outward" part of your dive, and keeping it on your left for the return. Or vice-versa, depending on the current. Sure, bring a compass, but you won't need it--the shore is to the east. Use the soft corals to clue you in to which way the current is flowing, because it will often be so minimal as to not be obvious. Start your dive into the current and note landmarks that will help you to surface at your entry point. (Depending on the site, this may be more a matter of convenience than necessity--you don't want to have to hike back to your truck in full scuba gear.)

emergency plans - how to get ems

Some good tips above. I've been to Bonaire several times. Here's my input:

- Someone mentioned booties ... make sure yours have good soles! Soft-soled booties are great on a boat, but Bonaire doesn't have sandy beaches ... it's got rocks and dead coral. Soft-soled booties are a pain (literally) to get into and out of the water in. Make sure yours have a rigid sole.

- Bring a jug of fresh water along ... preferably one for each diver.

- Compass navigation ... you'll want to establish the compass heading of "out" and "in" prior to every dive. Some of the sites, particularly on the south part of the island, can have a rather flat, shallow bottom till you get to the reef. Knowing which way is in will keep you from second-guessing yourself once you get off the reef and have to head back to shore.

- Surface swimming ... since you'll be using AL80's, on some sites (again, mostly on the south side) the reef will be out far enough that you'll want to surface swim for a bit before dropping down. On those sites, make sure to look back toward shore and pay attention to what the entry looks like. If you should come back in a bit up or down from the parking area, it'll help you figure out which way you have to go to get back to your point of entry.

- Parking ... all of the sites identified on the map are marked with a yellow rock, with the name of the site painted on it. Parking at these sites will be obvious. Pull in, gear up, don't lock your car, and don't bring or leave anything valuable in it. I got in the habit of bringing my license, credit card, and a bit of cash in a zip-lock baggie and keeping them in a pocket in my swim trunks inside my wetsuit (where they can't fall out). Use a pair of cheap sunglasses that aren't worth stealing, and don't leave anything like a camera in the car.

- Fin-up/buddy checks ... unless there's surf, which isn't that common at most sites in Bonaire, don't try walking into the water with your fins on ... most dive sites the bottom is irregular and it's easier to walk in holding your fins and put them on once you're waist-deep. That's also a great place to do your buddy checks (don't forget bubble checks ... rental tanks are notorious for valve leaks which you should at least be aware of).

Most dive sites in Bonaire are very easy to navigate, as the reef is quite close to shore and runs parallel to shore. Some in the south are less so because they're "double-reefs" that fork away from each other at some point. Pay attention to landmarks on your way out, check your compass heading every time you note something you want to see on the way back in, and note your elapsed time between one landmark and the next one. That'll help you build a little "map" in your head so that on the way back in you can follow it right back to your entry. On some sites, it's very simple, on others (like Angel City) it's less so because of the double reef.

Pay attention to your air supply. Keep half plus reserves for getting back. Remember ... in an emergency you can always come to the surface, but there won't be a boat to come pick you up. You will have a lot more fun reserving enough air to come back underwater than you will slogging a long surface swim back to your entry.

Have fun ... Bonaire's one of my favorite vacation dive spots.

Oh ... and dinner at the Rib Factory is highly recommended ... if, like me, you're a serious carnivore ...

.... Bob (Grateful Diver)