Packing for Bonaire - question

[donnad]

leaving in 10 days now!!!! divemaven, i know you're about to go!!! have a great time!! my question is.........i know that being a marine park, you dive with no gloves. the pkg we have includes 4 boat dives........i doubt i'll need the gloves for those either, right? probably won't have serious currents and need to ascend holding a line that might have fire coral on it, etc.??? i like to be prepared and bring the accessories that are nice to have, but on the other hand, i don't like to bring a bunch of stuff i won't need. at the moment, i've decided to bring my safety sausage for those boat dives, because i consider that a standard item you should have on you when boat diving and better safe than sorry, pun intended let me know your thoughts on that as well, and any other items you wish you had brought, and wish you had left behind. thx!!!

 

[laurelgsc]

All diving is done in the marine park so leave your gloves at home. I always have my SMB just in case. You never know when you might have to get someone's attention. Have fun. I leave July 11 for 2 weeks. Bonaire is awesome!

 

[El Orans]

Trust me, no gloves are needed.

 

[DiveScoop]

You won't need gloves, but if you have a camera, you're GOLDEN!

 

[DeputyDan]

Even if you use a line you don't need gloves.

Just pull your wetsuit sleve down over your hand and hold the line through the suit.

This is SOP in Roatan!

Don't worry abvout leaving something at home - Bonaire has stores and ATM machines.

 

[chauncy19]

donnad,Don't know who you are doing the boat dives with. However I would recomend you do Reppel, La Dania Leap and or some Klien dives with those boat dives. Really liked La Dania's Leap, only real wall dive that I know of on Bonaire. Looking forward to doing it again soon.

 

[herman]

I really don't see the need for a SMB on Bonaire. All boats dives are only done a hundered yards or less from shore and all dives are done on a reef drop off near shore so there is never a time you are more than an easy swim into shore if you really can't get back to the boat. On Boniare swimming to shore is always an option unlike other places where you can be miles from anything.

 

[donnad]

awesome. thx everyone. getting excited!!!

 

[rakayaker]

I'd like to agree with everyone above. We just got back from a week there and the dive ops are pretty clear - no gloves allowed - but you don't need them anyway. There are lot's of fireworms (very cool to see so much life there) and fire coral but just be careful and should have no problem. Also except in the most southern sites (vista blue, white slave) we encountered no current to worry about - even at white slave we rode the flow and walked back to our car along the beach.

Definately use your boat dives for Klein or Rappel, LaDonia. Also fyi we found the double reef dives and the northern dives to have the best topography, but pretty much everydive had something of interest. Make sure you do the Hilma Hooker - BIG wreck!

Have fun!

 

[gypsyjim]

Camera, swim suit, basic gear and one extra change of clothes so you can wash and air dry set you're in today. Bout all you need for Bonaire! IMO

Enjoy!

32 days and counting (every minute!) for us!