Bound for Bonaire in February

[gasgirl]

Greetings to all from British Columbia, Canada!

In preparation for our trip to Bonaire, I stumbled across your discussion board. I am very impressed with the information shared by more experienced divers as well as the way it is conveyed. So, having never before posted a thread to any discussion board ever, I felt this was a good place to start.

I just filled out my diving profile. To elaborate, my DH and I have been actively diving again for the last couple of years after a very long hiatus (careers, children,etc.). We enjoy mostly warm water diving but we have done some coldwater diving (after discovering drysuits in our Adavance Open Water course!).

We will be getting our Nitrox certification in Bonaire. I am a little confused as they offer 2 courses: a 1 hr Intro to Nitrox course as well as the PADI Enriched Air Specialty. We signed up for the latter because we want to be able to dive Nitrox not just on this trip. Do dive shops require a Nitrox C-card to get Nitrox fills? Or is it like drysuit rentals (we don't have a Drysuit C-card because it was a part of our AOW) Will we get a C-card, and if yes, do we need to bring a passport photo (the dive shop has not requested us to do this)? Finally, how are we supposed to pass the 50 question exam if we don't get the crew pack until the day of the course? Any threads on basic Nitrox info we can read ahead of time?

BTW, I've always wondered about those Intro to Scuba courses. Once you've done a Resort Course, do you get a C-card to do Resort Dives on other trips as well?

I'm really not as neurotic as this post sounds (OK, maybe just a little), but I do like to be prepared.

Thanks in advance.

 

[jepuskar]

Hi, first off...welcome to Scubaboard! This is a very informative place to be!

Let me answer some of your questions....

Good choice on the PADI Enriched Air course! All responsible dive operators require a Nitrox card to obtain Nitrox fills, in Bonaire it is no different.

Why not obtain the PADI Enriched Air manual and even the video now? You can read the book, do the knowledge reviews, learn how to analyze a tank and even take the exam before you arrive in Bonaire. Ask your Local Dive Shop (LDS) about this, PADI does have a referral program. When you get to Bonaire, you can then make the 2 nitrox dives with an intructor, you'll obtain your temporary nitrox card and will be able to use nitrox.

If you like to be prepared, I would really consider the above. This also free you and your buddy up for more diving and less classroom/studying time!

By the way, Bonaire is awesome! You will not be dissappointed.

Jason

 

[Matt the Aquaman]

Hey there gasgirl, welcome to Scuba Board! and safe diving :butnhome:

Click here to greet a new member! :happywave
No experience needed and it feels great!​

 

[gasgirl]

Hi, first off...welcome to Scubaboard! This is a very informative place to be!

Let me answer some of your questions....

Good choice on the PADI Enriched Air course! All responsible dive operators require a Nitrox card to obtain Nitrox fills, in Bonaire it is no different.

Why not obtain the PADI Enriched Air manual and even the video now? You can read the book, do the knowledge reviews, learn how to analyze a tank and even take the exam before you arrive in Bonaire. Ask your Local Dive Shop (LDS) about this, PADI does have a referral program. When you get to Bonaire, you can then make the 2 nitrox dives with an intructor, you'll obtain your temporary nitrox card and will be able to use nitrox.

If you like to be prepared, I would really consider the above. This also free you and your buddy up for more diving and less classroom/studying time!

By the way, Bonaire is awesome! You will not be dissappointed.

Jason

Hi, Jason

Thanks for the suggestion. We will talk to our LDS tomorrow. I'm not sure if the Bonaire dive shop has a referral Nitrox program but it's worth asking (they usually take several days to respond).

It sounds like you've been to Bonaire before. We were planning on doing mostly shore dives. Are there any personal favourite dive sites you would recommend (and why?). Would you do any boat diving in Bonaire? We were in Cayman Brac in November and the boat dives were just plain silly... the dive sites they went to were easily accessible by shore. Fortunately, we were diving a la carte, and we stuck to shore diving, but I felt sorry for the folks who had a pre-paid dive package.

Cheers.

 

[SubMariner]

Hi, Jason

Thanks for the suggestion. We will talk to our LDS tomorrow. I'm not sure if the Bonaire dive shop has a referral Nitrox program but it's worth asking (they usually take several days to respond).

Hello fellow Canuck! :moose:

The Instructor you do your Nitrox program knowledge development with will give you the referal paperwork. You then take that paperwork to the dive shop in Bonaire. They do your open water dives with you & give you your temp certification card. It's as easy as that!

It sounds like you've been to Bonaire before. We were planning on doing mostly shore dives. Are there any personal favourite dive sites you would recommend (and why?). Would you do any boat diving in Bonaire?

Bonaire is all about shore diving. You drive around the island until you see a yellow rock. That is a dive site. The entries can be very easy (a sandy beach like Bahelor's Beach or Windsock) or a little more difficult (Karpata, Oil Slick Leap). You decide which ones you can handle & dive 'em.

Boat diving is available to Klein Bonaire. Never done it myself, although we might try it during our trip in Feb. But the other 7 times we've been to Bonaire, we've had a great time just going in from shore.

You should check out the Greater Caribbean & Bahamas forum: http://www.scubaboard.com/forumdisplay.php?f=23 where there are multiple threads on Bonaire. Just do a search & you'll be amply rewarded.

Take care, eh?!

 

[gasgirl]

Hello Gasgirl,
welcome (Scub)aBoard! :balloon
I can recommend: Oil Slick Leap, Karpata, Front Porch (underwater webcam at Eden Beach), Hilma Hooker, Red Slave, from La Dania's Leap to Karpata (requires some logistics), Town- and Salt pier.
While you're at it, have a look at our Greater Caribbean & Bahamas forum for more info.

Laurens

Laurens,

Thanks... we'll definitely check it out and hopefully have some good pictures to post when we get back.

I'm assuming most of the sites are reef dives in the 30-60 ft range. Are any of the dive sites in Bonaire like the Cayman walls? I must admit I find gazing out to the deep blue breathtaking. If not, no biggie, there's always lots of new things to see.

Ciao for now.

 

[jepuskar]

Submariner did say..."The Instructor you do your Nitrox program knowledge development with will give you the referal paperwork. You then take that paperwork to the dive shop in Bonaire. They do your open water dives with you & give you your temp certification card. It's as easy as that!"

This is exactly what I was going to say.

Bonaire doesn't really have wall diving...there is Small Wall just north of Captain Don's and there is a wall or two over on Klein Bonaire, but that is about it.

You could do some boat diving over to Klein Bonaire...the topology is slightly different and the dive sites tend to be a little nicer...but dont think its a necessity. For your first trip, I would recommend it..just to see for yourself.

I like the southern dive sites the most in Bonaire...with the exception being Karpata in the North. My buddy and I usually conduct these dives in a one way direction, with one of us walking back to the car at the end of the dive. You can enter and exit just about anywhere on the south part of the island so this is convenient.

Navigation is easy as the reef always runs parallel to the shore.

 

[RICHinNC]

Where have you decided to stay??

Yes you will need a C card for Nitrox. And, I agree, get the cert here dont wait and waste time there. Most dives are not really deep. One is the Helma Hooker. Worse case its I think around 103. Most dives....the good stuff....is about 25 to 45 ft.

You will enjoy Bonaire...and if you havent made reservations yet....try
www.goldenreefinn.com
rich

 

[wscdive]

I found that in a lot of the sites you could easily rech 100 feet. As far as navigation here is trick I used when diving with my sons who seem to manufacture air when diving (we didnt do any dives under an hour) so we covered alot of ground. When we entered I would leave a partially inflated surface sausage with a 2lb weight on it (small one about 30") at a certain depth(usually around 20'). When I thought I was close I would simply work up to 20' and look for the sausage. For three days the kids didn't know i was doing it and though I was a genius!!! Then they spotted me dropping it off one dive and I was busted. but it works well.
Also dont leave anything of value in the car, they get robbed alot.

 

[Ain'tDeadYet]

i just returned from bonaire last week... and i am already planning my next trip there. it was everything and everything. what a remarkable place.
one site to recommend in addition to those on everybody else's list: Carl's Hill off Klein Bonaire. Terrific wall dive, absolutely vertical for maybe 100ft, gets down to 150? feet on a pretty sharp pitch, so the Blue is unmatched. (I know what you mean about that.) Lots of cool macro stuff to see on the wall, bristleworms and cleaner shrimp and super sponges & corals. Fantastic fish also, just like the rest of Bonaire, ho hum.

The Hilma Hooker is a hoot, and the genesis of many bad jokes about "penetrating the Hooker." My advice: get your Nitrox card first, you'll definitely want to make this an EANx dive. Lots to see, you'll need extra bottom time.

Boat vs. shore: a boat dive every once in a while is nice, just for not having to hump your tanks over slippery rocks on the way in and out. I stayed at Captn Don's & got 6 boat dives with my package, and enjoyed every one. The dive sites off Klein Bonaire are all worth a look if you have the time & cash.
Last tip: the best dives I had on Bonaire were in 20 feet of water, just playing around the edge of the reef shelf, around 4:30 in the afternoon just as the sun was going down. Everything was coming out to feed: morays and hawksbill turtles and nervous little yellowhead jawfish dancing outside their holes in the sand. A pink and gold sunset seen from 15 ft deep is about as pretty a thing as i ever hope to see in this lifetime.
have a wonderful time.
ADY