Between dives?

[Hintermann]

This might seem like a silly question to some of you Bonaire regulars but please bear in mind that this is my first trip there and although very experienced, my mind is attuned to liveaboard diving. I have always been slightly uncomfortable with land-based diving but thinking about the special considerations for Bonaire, there are more things to worry about.

So, I have booked a package with VIP Divers and will have a truck. I have understood that nothing should be left behind in the truck while out diving, which should be left unlocked with the windows down. I have already had good advice from you lot about how to secure keys etc during diving.

My question now is, with 4 dives per day ( 3 day dives and a night dive) planned (except on the day I go to the East Coast for 2 dives), will I have time to return to Blachi Koko Apartments to change batteries, swim trunks etc after each day dive? I only need about 15 minutes to do all that but it will mean driving back after each day dive. I am not sure what distances and driving conditions are like in Bonaire but it will be convenient if I can get back after each dive.

On the East Coast Day I'll go prepared for 2 pre-lunch dives which I have booked with Bonaire East Coast Divers. I am not doing an afternoon dive that day but just a night dive back with VIP at a 'normal' site.

 

[darook]

Bonaire is not very large so all of the sites between Karpata and Red Slave are easily within in surface interval's drive time of one another. I don't generally change swim trunks between dives, or even all day for that matter and can get a full day out of my dive light batteries so never needed to go back for those things. Usually, we do two dives while maybe grabbing a soda between them at a shop or food truck down south and just chill out and enjoy the sun and warmth. At lunch, is when you may want to go back to the apartment and freshen up the swim suit and batteries.

 

[Hintermann]

Thanks. As a matter of fact, the 2900 mAh batteries that I use for my strobes easily last 4 dives; but the camera battery and the one for video light need changing every 2 dives. I suppose I could do 2 dives with the same swimming trunk but I dislike the feel of wet clothes on dry land.

As I said, when one gets used to the Eat-Sleep-Dive-Relax routine of a liveaboard, one forgets the mundane necessities that do matter in land based diving.

 

[caribean-ted]

I dive using a light nylon bathing suit type speedo shorts. Not the bikini style for those smirking LOL
They dry quick and are comfortable for walking around. Mine have pockets so I can carry my key with me.
Just a thought.
Also I dive with a go pro camera and 2 2000 watt sola lights. these are only good for one dive then need charging.
I find it frustrating having to run to the room to charge my lights after every dive. The camera I have an extra battery. The lights are more difficult as they need to plug in to charge. Too expensive to replace or buy an extra set.
My dilemma.

 

[wwguy]

Sometimes one can over-think the simple things too.

Bring an extra pair of dry shorts or "swimming trunks", a towel, and cheap flip flops or sandals with you in the truck. After the dive simply towel off, change into the dry shorts, and slip into your comfy flip flops.

For optimal comfort bring some re-purposed clear soda or juice bottles filled with fresh water. Let them soak up solar warmth in the truck bed while you dive. Pour fresh water over your head and any other desired body parts after the dive and before you towel off and change back into your dry Clark Kent clothing. I also like to save some fresh water to pour over my camera housing post-dive. Ask VIP or your accommodation host if you can borrow and return some empty water bottles. Many people on the island save them just for this purpose.

It'll all make perfect sense the first time you watch the VIP guys do it.

Most dive sites are remote and traffic is minimal, so all you need for a discreet changing experience is the truck between you and anyone nearby. It modesty is still a concern you can use this time-tested technique that surfers and divers have been using for decades:

[video=youtube;lG-p9M5FBWw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lG-p9M5FBWw[/video]

---------- Post added December 26th, 2014 at 06:34 AM ----------

I dive using a light nylon bathing suit type speedo shorts. Not the bikini style for those smirking LOL

I wear the traditional Speedo suit, but I'm not proud of it and I do my best to hide it! I don the dry Speedo under my "swimming trunks" at the villa, then slip the outer trunks off right before donning my wet suit. I don't like the way traditional trunks bunch up under my wetsuit and going commando is awkward when diving with friend's wives etc. After the dive I rinse, slip off the Speedo using the towel change technique, and slip into my dry trunks. I wring the Speedo out and lay it out to dry and it's usually almost dry again before the next dive.

I'm going to look into a suit similar to that what you describe. I've seen them and like the compromise of style, comfort, and utility.

 

[tursiops]

Someone once told me, "If you can't see your own Speedo, no one else wants to either."

 

[gbf]

For optimal comfort bring some re-purposed clear soda or juice bottles filled with fresh water. Let them soak up solar warmth in the truck bed while you dive. Pour fresh water over your head and any other desired body parts after the dive and before you towel off and change back into your dry Clark Kent clothing. I also like to save some fresh water to pour over my camera housing post-dive. Ask VIP or your accommodation host if you can borrow and return some empty water bottles. Many people on the island save them just for this purpose.

I guess the dive-sherpa-fairy must hang around where we stay. Many days those rinse bottles full of water just magically appear in the back of our truck.:biggrin:

I think those long, compression-type shorts are called "jammers"...

 

[drrich2]

I drop by the room after 2 dives.

A few of the far northern sites require you to enter a 1 way road and commit to a long round trip home; Karpata and Tolo are amongst these, and the 2 I recommend doing, Tolo then Karpata, and be mindful a neighborhood can have the name in addition to a dive site, so trying to understand from roadside signs can be tricky on these.

Remember that in Bonaire shore diving there are no scheduled dive times. You can do what you want when you want, long as you don't aim to do it on a boat. But driving back & forth to/from the room after every dive is going to get old, and the gain doesn't equal the hassle.

I get up in the morning, head out around 9 - 10 a.m., do 2 dives (maybe up north; Karpata, Tolo, Oil Slick Leap, 1,000 Steps, Andrea I & II), come back, take a quick shower & rinse my trunks & dive shirt to prevent stench, eat lunch, change tanks, head out for 2 more dives (likely down south), then maybe do a night dive after supper on the house reef.

Everybody's got their own work flow.

Richard.

 

[Hintermann]

I get up in the morning, head out around 9 - 10 a.m., do 2 dives (maybe up north; Karpata, Tolo, Oil Slick Leap, 1,000 Steps, Andrea I & II), come back, take a quick shower & rinse my trunks & dive shirt to prevent stench, eat lunch, change tanks, head out for 2 more dives (likely down south), then maybe do a night dive after supper on the house reef.

OK, that sound's about right. My plan is to do 4 dives in the day, including the night dive, to which Bas has agreed. 1 or maybe 2 of those 5 night dives will be UV.

I guess I'll pan to do the 2 morning dives in one go with the same apparel, then take a break for cleaning-up, change & a quick lunch following by another 2-dive stint of a late afternoon and a night dive. On the day I go to the east coast, I'll omit the afternoon dive.

 

[redacted]

While I usually do 4 dives per day, my wife prefers only 3. We usually do 2-tank morning dives either at the more northern sites (Tolo and/or Karpata) that require a longer return trip through Rincon or at the more southern site south of White Slave. We have found these to be healthier sites than the more central ones. We usually only do a 30 to 45 minute SI between the morning dives and rarely see more than 50% loading on the lead tissue compartment. Then back to base for cleanup, lunch, new tanks and rest. We do afternoon and/or night dives at the more central sites usually separated by dinner.

Seas are often a bit rougher at the more northern or southern sites so talk to the locals before going out to decide which way to go. It is fairly rare that it can not be managed but my wife/buddy is put off by rough entries and exits. If you head south and it is bad, it is easy to come back to one of the more central sites. Once you commit to Tolo or Karpata, you will need to make the drive through Rincon to come back so it is good to take a critical look at the seas before you enter the one-way section.