Trip Report Bonaire Trip Report (Dec 1 - 15, 2018)

[DiveFans]

My dive buddy husband and I enjoyed our annual dive trip to Bonaire again this year, doing 2-tank boat dives each morning with the Div'Ocean dive op (I've had a hip replacement and don't feel confident with shore dives anymore).

Div'Ocean takes out a max of 6 divers on their boat, so the dives are relaxing and fun, with personalized service. Our tanks and gear were on the boat each morning, including my smaller 63 tanks. As in past years, Kevin and shop owner Peter were excellent guides, who pointed out unusual small stuff, knew where the Sea Horses and Frog Fish hung out and kept a lookout for Reef Squid (my favorites because they are so curious about divers). The boat captain welcomes suggestions for dive sites each day and provides oranges, raisin buns and water during surface intervals.

I know many of you are shore divers but if you'd like to do some boat dives to sites yo can't reach, Div'Ocean is a great option for small group diving. They also offer DPV (scooter) dives and provide various types of instruction. Of course the shop has dunk tanks, hangers to dry your gear in the shade and they'll stow it overnight in their shop if you'd like.

We stay at an apartment at Caribbean Court, which is in the same complex as Div'Ocean, so it's a short stroll to the dive boat each AM. We rent through Breezy Bonaire, which has several great apartments there.

We went to a few new (at least to us !) places for dinner this trip. Doner Station had great platters and sandwiches on their special bread or wraps - tasty food at reasonable prices with casual outdoor seating. We also tried Beaches at Windsock, a great casual place on the water with a fun bar, lots of loungers and casual seating, and also dining tables. There's a ladder down to the water for snorkeling also. They had a diverse menu, including various seafood, along with different types of burgers for my husband and veggie pasta for me. They also have some special food nights (BBQ, Mexican, etc). Reasonable prices too. We ate at both Doner Station and Windsock at the Beach twice.

http://www.divoceanbonaire.com/en/

Home • breezy bonaire vacation rentals

 

[peeweediver]

Thanks for the report. Always nice to read.

 

[drrich2]

My dive buddy husband and I enjoyed our annual dive trip to Bonaire again this year, doing 2-tank boat dives each morning with the Div'Ocean dive op (I've had a hip replacement and don't feel confident with shore dives anymore).

Glad you had a good time. I love and miss the Bonaire diving. That said, I'm curious about what lead you back to Bonaire when shore diving was off the table. I'm not disputing that Bonaire diving is good or that boat diving there can be rewarding. Just curious in that once you restrict a given trip to boat diving, a range of other Caribbean destinations (and the Florida Keys) become highly competitive, some with what some would find to be a more attractive topside scene (e.g.: sandy beaches).

I love Bonaire, but for strictly boat diving...might go somewhere else. Just curious as to what factors persuaded you guys.

Richard.

 

[DiveFans]

Hi Richard, Well, one factor is the 4 hour nonstop flight from Newark, which is just an hour from home (pricey but makes the trip SO easy with less risk of lost luggage). We also like the warm water, super easy, long shallow dives, the dive guides who are very knowledgeable re:fish identification and the small # divers on the boat (hate to be in a gaggle of divers all trying to look at a Sea Horse). I also have sporadic problems climbing up ladders with my small tank, and the crew at Div'Ocean are happy to lift my tank & BC up for me when needed.

We've done a lot of diving elsewhere over the past 20 years (Keys, Coz, Grand & LIttle Cayman, Belize, Dominica, USVI, West End of Curacao, Big Island, Anguilla etc), sometimes using small boats, but this seems to be the best option for us now. But I'm open to suggestions !! One more issue - my husband is a Mosquito Magnet - so I don't think Roatan is a good idea :-(

Thanks for checking in !

 

[tkaelin]

Just to chime in, boat diving in Bon has many pluses. They are short, they are cheap, you can do them as two tank or one, they can be easier and faster than shore, you can get to sites you can't get to by shore and some of the best sites on the island can be done and some only be done by boat. Love doing both on Bon.

 

[scubadada]

Hi @DiveFans

You may want to consider staying at Sand Dollar or Den Laman. Dive Friends is located between the two resorts. Dive Friends boats leave the pier each morning for a two tanker. They have a few afternoon one tankers during the week. The pier is tremendously easy access to one of the best shore dives on the island, Bari Reef.

 

[DiveFans]

Hi @DiveFans

You may want to consider staying at Sand Dollar or Den Laman. Dive Friends is located between the two resorts. Dive Friends boats leave the pier each morning for a two tanker. They have a few afternoon one tankers during the week. The pier is tremendously easy access to one of the best shore dives on the island, Bari Reef.

 

[DiveFans]

Thanks but we LOVE the Div’Ocean dive op with the small group of divers, personalized service and great staff ! And our apt is spacious, breezy and just a few steps from the boat .

 

[Jersey]

Just to chime in, boat diving in Bon has many pluses. They are short, they are cheap, you can do them as two tank or one, they can be easier and faster than shore, you can get to sites you can't get to by shore and some of the best sites on the island can be done and some only be done by boat. Love doing both on Bon.

Thanks for the trip report DiveFans! Agree w/ tkaelin. Some days I just wanna fall off the back of the boat. We've made lots of friends over the years on the boats & now plan our trips to be on island at the same time. I know Team B&B will look for lionfish to spear & Mr. H will find the small critters & signal me over for photo's. We try to be FILO - first in last out - to max out our dive. Plus the guides know where the good stuff may be at the site - like Ms. T taking us to see a rejuvenated coral stand, Ms. D taking us up into the shallow nursery area of a site and finding all kind of un-usual suspects and Mr. M taking us to an overhang/mini-cave and finding a large sleeping nurse shark with the tiniest spotted drum cleaning its mouth. While I love going off w/ just my buddy, I also like the comraderies that develop on the boat. And I like hearing people's stories, everyone has them!