1st Trip to Bonaire in July!

[Lorenzoid]

. . .
Not trying to change your mind or argue but wanted to share my perspective on this particular trip in which half of my dives may be boat dives.

Happy Diving, TK

I WILL get around to doing some boat dives during one of these Bonaire trips someday, I swear I will. My wife and I say that to ourselves every trip. Even the first trip, when we stayed at Buddy Dive, and they had the easy chalkboard method for signing up for a boat dive the day before ... but we somehow never got around to it.

Last trip (sixth?), we finally devoted a day to dives in Washington Slagbaai Park, and a day to East Side diving with Bas Tol. We felt the park diving wasn’t worth the hassle—a lot of rough roads for relatively little time in the water. Fun, but just not the best use of our limited time (we go for “just” a week at a time). But we loved the East side experience. Like a totally different environment. Next trip, I fear we’re going to spend another precious day on the east side and STILL not get around to a boat dive. So many options. Bonaire really does have something for almost every diver’s taste.

 

[lexvil]

As already stated, if you’ve paid for boat dives go on the boat dives but if they are extra and you have a truck then why be on someone else’s schedule? I know many infrequent divers like some sort of planing and organized plan but the beauty of Bonaire is the ease of diving as much as you want, wherever you see a yellow rock you can dive. It’s not as easy to find good dive sites on Curaçao but it’s not hard and the topside activities are more abundant. Get a truck and explore.

 

[NDL_Diver]

Do you know if Dive Friends does a night boat dive. I like a good night dive, but shore diving night dive and cleanup is a bit of a pain.

 

[lexvil]

Do you know if Dive Friends does a night boat dive. I like a good night dive, but shore diving night dive and cleanup is a bit of a pain.

Dive friends facility at sand dollar has good lighting and the rinse tanks are right there.

 

[Doctorfish]

There is nothing easier than rolling off a boat unless it is rolling off a dock at a house reef. Both have merit as does shore diving. Having been in July, and it's hot. I would strongly advocate boat and housereef as compared to just baking on shore while gearing up, treading over ironshore, having stuff stolen from the truck, etc. I personally do a mix of boat, housereef and shore dives when on island and enjoy all 3. Some of the previous posters who look down their noses at boat divers on Bonaire are just dive snobs.

 

[Trailboss123]

wherever you see a yellow rock you can dive

Yes! -- and there are also plenty of places where you don't see a yellow rock that you can pull over, park and dive on Bonaire.

 

[gbf]

I personally do a mix of boat, housereef and shore dives when on island and enjoy all 3.

This whole boat/housereef/shore dive discussion is a "different strokes for different folks" kind of thing.

When I was young I sought out more difficult, off-the-beaten-path sites. It appealed to my sense of adventure and desire for "exploration".

I'm a bit (well, maybe a lot) older now, and comfort/ease/safety appeals to me more, so that is what I do. If it looks too rough I go somewhere else. If I'm a bit tired or my knees a little creaky I might fall in off the dock. Or sip an umbrella drink in a hammock.

I haven't started with the boats yet, but anticipate that I will not too far in the future.

that's one of the most wonderful things about Bonaire and a major thing that brings us back, over and over - you can do whatever suits you best. (And the food. And the beer. And the good folks. and the sunsets...)