deco_martini
Contributor
I'm still working on "Bonaire Shore Diving Made Stupid, Rev. 2", here is a trip report while I finish it.
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In previous trips, we tried different accommodations.
Trip1: we slummed it at a base budget off-shore fly-by-night operation
Trip2/3: we stayed in nice rooms at Den Laman on the shore
This trip we went a different route, we stayed at a Sand Dollar condominium we got a good deal on. Since the condo wasn't per person, we saved money by staying there, getting a dive package from BDA (the onsite at Den Laman and next door to Sand dollar), and getting a truck from Poppy. If you don't mind doing alacarte, this might work for you.
The bad:
1. LED super lumen flood cannon lights may scare aware all night life before you ever get in the water on your night dive. Try to go to less popular night dive spots or time your dive around the "cannonistas" if you have them diving on your house reef.
2. The reef next to the Hilma is developing algae issues. I used to like diving that site for the reef vs the wreck.
The good/cool/awesome:
1. the bad list was short
2. Conditions were great for diving the unmarked areas past vista blue. Unlike the sweet dreams/vista blue area, you have a soft-coral swimout vs a sandy bottom swim. Please don't go here though. I liked seeing brittle/soft corals in good shape. Saw a black/white crinoid out here too.
3. "Between 2 Buns" is open for lunch by the Chat & Browse in that key "Laman/Buddy/Don" diving area. Go there. Order sandwiches. Be happy. We ate there every day. Honestly, they should sell a 60 bucks all week meal plan or something. Get em in with that, then they buy 4 dollar pieces of pie and coffees too. The owner actually came out and thanked us for stopping by every day as we ate our steak and cheese sammiches before leaving to go catch our flight back.
4. Dive Master night at Bistro de Paris. 8 dollar burger plate. Good times. We had written the Bistro off our restaurant list but Chef makes a good burger and got us back.
5. Salt Pier. A good dive. I'm afraid it might get overdove. So don't go there. The key to salt pier is timing. You can go there and get a lousy dive.
6. Saw more staghorn coral this trip. Saw less lionfish.
7. Ate at the Island KFC for the first time. After years of hating on this, we decided to lighten up and do it ourselves. If was ... okay. It was a fun lark. Everyone loves the Colonel's gravy.
Great trip, can't wait for the next one.
------------------------
In previous trips, we tried different accommodations.
Trip1: we slummed it at a base budget off-shore fly-by-night operation
Trip2/3: we stayed in nice rooms at Den Laman on the shore
This trip we went a different route, we stayed at a Sand Dollar condominium we got a good deal on. Since the condo wasn't per person, we saved money by staying there, getting a dive package from BDA (the onsite at Den Laman and next door to Sand dollar), and getting a truck from Poppy. If you don't mind doing alacarte, this might work for you.
The bad:
1. LED super lumen flood cannon lights may scare aware all night life before you ever get in the water on your night dive. Try to go to less popular night dive spots or time your dive around the "cannonistas" if you have them diving on your house reef.
2. The reef next to the Hilma is developing algae issues. I used to like diving that site for the reef vs the wreck.
The good/cool/awesome:
1. the bad list was short
2. Conditions were great for diving the unmarked areas past vista blue. Unlike the sweet dreams/vista blue area, you have a soft-coral swimout vs a sandy bottom swim. Please don't go here though. I liked seeing brittle/soft corals in good shape. Saw a black/white crinoid out here too.
3. "Between 2 Buns" is open for lunch by the Chat & Browse in that key "Laman/Buddy/Don" diving area. Go there. Order sandwiches. Be happy. We ate there every day. Honestly, they should sell a 60 bucks all week meal plan or something. Get em in with that, then they buy 4 dollar pieces of pie and coffees too. The owner actually came out and thanked us for stopping by every day as we ate our steak and cheese sammiches before leaving to go catch our flight back.
4. Dive Master night at Bistro de Paris. 8 dollar burger plate. Good times. We had written the Bistro off our restaurant list but Chef makes a good burger and got us back.
5. Salt Pier. A good dive. I'm afraid it might get overdove. So don't go there. The key to salt pier is timing. You can go there and get a lousy dive.
6. Saw more staghorn coral this trip. Saw less lionfish.
7. Ate at the Island KFC for the first time. After years of hating on this, we decided to lighten up and do it ourselves. If was ... okay. It was a fun lark. Everyone loves the Colonel's gravy.
Great trip, can't wait for the next one.