Dive sites I will always do again, dive site I will not do again.

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

rayaa3

Contributor
Messages
169
Reaction score
134
Location
Oklahoma
# of dives
200 - 499
Came back from a wonderful week in Bonaire, our 3rd trip.

We dove rented tanks from Dive Friends. On recommendation from the DFB shop near our condo (hamlet oasis) we visited the DFB at Delfins resort (a very snazzy looking place) which is basically just north of lighthouse point.

We ended up visiting it twice, that's a great dive. It's bit of a kick out, and you do need to make sure you start your dive into the current - but it was beautiful. Eagle ray on the first visit, turtle on the second. Some fighting scorpion fish...and countless other little things.


Dives I won't do again. Just to try something different - we did the shore dive off the Divi resort just south of the cruise ship. The first half of the dive was fine. It was an mid morning/lunch time dive. On the 2nd half of the dive the cruise ship started up her engines. That went from 'hmm, that's loud' to 30 minutes later when we were finally back to our entry point on the wall - much closer to the cruise ship where it was maddening. My ears actually rang for a few minutes after exiting the water.

The dive was visibly pretty (they all are though) but that noise...never again...maybe as a night dive when the ships are gone.

FYI - if you do want to try that dive: If you are visiting divi (not staying there) you have to send one person to the front entrance of resort - to open the back gate from the inside - the other person drives around to park near the back gate.

Tried something special for the first time, it was pretty nice. The parking situation was a bit suspect. While we were there came across someone who seemed to be sticking his head in open truck windows (better than breaking closed ones I suppose).

Not so many turtles this trip as we saw in September. In sept we saw them every dive. This time we saw 3 across the week. I'm convinced they are there it's just a matter of luck :) We get focused on looking deep in the reef for critters, I think we might miss them above us.

already want to go back.
 
Thanks @rayaslin any other "will" or "won't" sites on Bonaire?
 
Will:
Oil Slick Leap
Salt Pier
Tolo
Karpata
Windsock, if for nothing else lunch on the beach after
 
the ones that arew+4 listed above are certainly on my will list:

our top 5 - in no particular order - these are the dives we would't leave the island without doing...
Karpata, Delphins, Oil Slick, Salt Pier, Alice in Wonderland

Most of the others fall under the 'great dives' but I'm willing to give up in order to visit another site.

That's bonaire, you can pick from the great dives or really great dives.
 
Thanks @rayaslin any other "will" or "won't" sites on Bonaire?
In addition to what @arew+4 recommended

Will:
The Lake
Candyland (not on the maps)
Nukove
Pink Beach
Red Beryl
Vista Blue
Red Slave (conditions permitting)

Won't:
Hilma Hooker (controversial, I know!) - just doesn't do anything for me. I am not into wrecks for wrecks sake. I need a compelling reason. Some historical significance or amazing coral growth and/or fish life. The Hooker meets none of my criteria. It is a Bonaire check off dive in my opinion. One and done. It is to Bonaire what the Kittiwake is to Grand Cayman. Again- just my opinion and preference.
 
Do many times again

Weber’s Joy
Salt Pier
Invisibles
Bari
Cliff
Karpata
 
I think that the only dive that I have done that I will probably not do again is Salt Pier. It's just too sad to see what humans can do to a reef system, I just don't have any desire to dive in a junk yard.
 
Try the hooker reef instead of the wreck much better
Not me and another reason I don't dive Hilma Hooker. The adjacent reef is devoid of life, compared to so many other places on the island. Not like I haven't given it many chances either.
 
We had a similar cruise ship experience but it was on either Windsock or Bachelor’s. A ship left shortly after we started the dive, so it was a distant rumble followed by a deafening rumble followed by another distant rumble. Finally, it cleared our area. If I go back I will definitely do the dive again, I’ll just check cruise schedules first.

Erik
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

Back
Top Bottom