Getting to Bonaire from FL

[Trailboss123]

We've been traveling to Bonaire with a fair level or regularity over the past 10 years. Seems like routes from Miami to Bonaire are at a critical point just now.
Any intel on what's going on is welcome, as well as reasonable ways to still make the trek.
Last May, we flew Miami-Atlanta-Bonaire. Not bad; however, that route seems to be dwindling too.
Just now thinking about Miami-Curaçao, and then island hop with a local carrier.
Input and suggestions welcome.
Thank you,
Ricardo

You can fly from MIA to Bonaire with United and arrive same day. There is a 6:30am flight out of Miami to Houston with a layover and then on to BON arriving at 6:30pm. You then have a choice of returning the following Saturday via Newark to MIA or depart on Sunday and return back through Houston. Both flights also get you home the same day.

 

[Ricardo V.]

Trailboss123,
Thank you for the info. I'll look into it. It's just baffling to me that Miami, gateway to Central, South America and the Caribbean, does not have a direct flight to Bonaire.

We had several options not too long ago. Hopefully, some airline will fill in the void.

In May, we got there through Atlanta. It's weird looking out the window and flying over your home and thinking..... in just 6 more hours, we will be fling right back over our place and still have almost 3 hrs to go before getting there.

In any case, I'll be looking into it this evening.
Thank you,

Ricardo

 

[Trailboss123]

Trailboss123,
Thank you for the info. I'll look into it. It's just baffling to me that Miami, gateway to Central, South America and the Caribbean, does not have a direct flight to Bonaire.

We had several options not too long ago. Hopefully, some airline will fill in the void.

In May, we got there through Atlanta. It's weird looking out the window and flying over your home and thinking..... in just 6 more hours, we will be fling right back over our place and still have almost 3 hrs to go before getting there.

In any case, I'll be looking into it this evening.
Thank you,

Ricardo

Totally concur! Really strange that Miami doesn't have direct flights. Kills me that we have so few places in the Caribbean that we can get to in the same day from Los Angeles also. It is mystifying. Can't get to Cozumel without an overnight layover in Houston, can't get to Grand Cayman in the same day either. Fortunately, I can get to Bonaire same day and will be there in just a couple weeks.

 

[Ricardo V.]

Trailboss123,
Bonaire is truly great. Not sure of your plans, nor of your dive preferences, but if I may.... there is a proven dive guide on Bonaire, his name is Bas Tol. We have gone diving with him on the wild side, east coast. He has taken us on some exceptional nigh dives in Lac Caí too.
BAS Diving
Just want to share that tip with you.
Enjoy your trip.
Ricardo

 

[Trailboss123]

Trailboss123,
Bonaire is truly great. Not sure of your plans, nor of your dive preferences, but if I may.... there is a proven dive guide on Bonaire, his name is Bas Tol. We have gone diving with him on the wild side, east coast. He has taken us on some exceptional nigh dives in Lac Caí too.
BAS Diving
Just want to share that tip with you.
Enjoy your trip.
Ricardo

Thanks Ricardo-- I know Bas-- He is the best! Will definitely be getting my East Coast dive fix while there. Going with a couple of buddies-- Our annual "Bro trip" - They have never been to Bonaire, so I am excited to show them around. We are staying in a waterfront villa adjacent to Dive Friends Hamlet Oasis and will have The Cliff as our front porch dive site for the week.

 

[Ricardo V.]

Awesome. Great for night dives and of course, to replenish tanks. I generally load up spares in the truck and tap them after dinner, and use fresh tanks from the shop as the day goes on. Dive friends closes at 5pm, and would then resort to the truck bed for our stash. We would have plenty of gas and the reef to ourselves.
That little reef is nice. Lots of night activity. The sand area where the smaller 4" pipe tapers off the rock pier is a great place to spot octopus. We saw several of them around 10pm to midnight.
Staff at Dive friends mentioned a frogfish that lives on a chain. Small guy... out in the day, hides at night. He may still be around. He sits on a big chain near the water plant operation. From the rock pier, follow the 4" pipe down to about 42', hang a right - (North) and cruise along till you get to a giant chain.... it's maybe 150' at most. Can't miss it. You will see some metal fittings, a 12" elbow and valve, a few grates, metal fittings and parts, you'll see a couple of tires, with coral growth. When you get to the chain, look around the 40-45' depth and the frogfish hopefully is still be there.

 

[Ricardo V.]

Don't go pass the chain. The plant operates intake pumps and it's not safe to go yonder.

 

[tursiops]

View attachment 420578 Awesome. Great for night dives and of course, to replenish tanks. I generally load up spares in the truck and tap them after dinner, and use fresh tanks from the shop as the day goes on. Dive friends closes at 5pm, and would then resort to the truck bed for our stash. We would have plenty of gas and the reef to ourselves.
That little reef is nice. Lots of night activity. The sand area where the smaller 4" pipe tapers off the rock pier is a great place to spot octopus. We saw several of them around 10pm to midnight.
Staff at Dive friends mentioned a frogfish that lives on a chain. Small guy... out in the day, hides at night. He may still be around. He sits on a big chain near the water plant operation. From the rock pier, follow the 4" pipe down to about 42', hang a right - (North) and cruise along till you get to a giant chain.... it's maybe 150' at most. Can't miss it. You will see some metal fittings, a 12" elbow and valve, a few grates, metal fittings and parts, you'll see a couple of tires, with coral growth. When you get to the chain, look around the 40-45' depth and the frogfish hopefully is still be there.

I'm sorry to see detailed critter-finding info like this on the public internet.

 

[Trailboss123]

I'm sorry to see detailed critter-finding info like this on the public internet.

Why is that?

 

[tursiops]

Why is that?

Best practice is not to tell where a small, fragile, mostly stationary critter is, unless you know the dive skills of the diver you are talking to. Plenty of examples of poor divers trashing frogfish and seahorse animals and sites in Bonaire just to "take a look" or to "get a picture." Doesn't matter their motivation. So the worst possible practice is to announce the location details in an open post on the internet.Hey, you asked.