Klein Bonaire vs East side vs North/South side dive question

[canto2010]

Hey guys,

I will be arriving Bonaire on June 30th and want your opinion on Klein Bonaire boat dives vs shore diving on East side vs North/South side. If you had a choice, how would you plan your trip given these three choices.

I do plan to dive the famous shore dives which I have included below. Please feel free to share your thoughts as I want to maximize my experience in 1 week.

1. 1000 Steps
2. Alice in Wonderland
3. Hilma Hooker
4. Calabas Reef
5 The Salt Pier
6. Angel City
7. The Lake
8. Karpata
9. Tolo
10. Witches Hut:
11. Windsock
12. Buddy Reef
13. Margate Bay
14. Vista Blue
15. Oil Slick
'16. Andrea
17. Cliff:
18. Pink Beach

Thank you!

 

[USC8791]

I’m not sure I entirely understand your question, but will provide comments/opinions. I’m sure you’re aware that the sites you have planned are all on the West coast; North & South. This is where the bulk of the shore diving takes place for most divers. Is this your first trip? If so you may not need to go to Klein or the East coast. Save these for future visits. I cannot comment on Klein, as I’ve never dived there. East coast diving is great, but SHOULD require hiring a guide.

You’ve got a nice list of dives planned. Many people on SB will heartily disagree me, but I highly recommend removing Calabas Reef, Buddy/Bari Reef and Windsock from your dives. I know you can find interesting critters at these sites, but in my opinion, they’re just not pretty sites, and certainly not worth precious bottom time (somewhere, somebody just put out a contract on my life). Maybe try the sites north of BOPEC instead, Candy Land and Taylor Made; awesome topography!

Boat diving vs shore diving is a personal decision. I come to Bonaire strictly to shore dive. I dive where I want, when I want, with just my buddy. Diving on someone else’s schedule with a boat full of strangers isn’t my preference.

Enjoy your trip!

 

[canto2010]

I’m not sure I entirely understand your question, but will provide comments/opinions. I’m sure you’re aware that the sites you have planned are all on the West coast; North & South. This is where the bulk of the shore diving takes place for most divers. Is this your first trip? If so you may not need to go to Klein or the East coast. Save these for future visits. I cannot comment on Klein, as I’ve never dived there. East coast diving is great, but SHOULD require hiring a guide.

You’ve got a nice list of dives planned. Many people on SB will heartily disagree me, but I highly recommend removing Calabas Reef, Buddy/Bari Reef and Windsock from your dives. I know you can find interesting critters at these sites, but in my opinion, they’re just not pretty sites, and certainly not worth precious bottom time (somewhere, somebody just put out a contract on my life). Maybe try the sites north of BOPEC instead, Candy Land and Taylor Made; awesome topography!

Boat diving vs shore diving is a personal decision. I come to Bonaire strictly to shore dive. I dive where I want, when I want, with just my buddy. Diving on someone else’s schedule with a boat full of strangers isn’t my preference.

Enjoy your trip!

Thank you very much for your reply and suggestions. This is my first trip to Bonaire. I do plan to hire a guide for East side diving. After reading blogs, I am certain I will be returning here.

 

[Nivek Llekots]

If you decide to do the East Side, which you should as in my opinion it's the best diving on Bonaire, I would recommend going with "Bonaire East Coast Diving" (Bonaire East Coast Diving - Unforgettable Scuba Dive Vacation Adventure), they run a RIB out of "Lac Bay" and it is so much easier than trying to do the dive from shore, especially if it's rough, and you get dropped right on the reefs !

 

[hilljo88]

Just back from BON, and here are some random comments:
- every shore dive we did was great: lots of life, long bottom times
- no apparent issues with crime or theft from trucks, contrary to earlier reports
- had outstanding dive at WIndsock: easy beach entry, lots of life
- did many dives on Buddy reef, including night dive. Convenient, easy ladder entry and exit, rinse tanks. Live healthy reef and long bottom times.
- some of the other shore dives have steeper slopes making exits a challenge to time wave action
- spoke to a woman who had done east coast dives. She loved them, but said there was quite a bit of surge, some current and dives were done from a zodiac
- Salt Pier was having maintenance done and was closed to divers
- we did a few boat dives at Klein Bon sites. In my opinion, they weren't worth the extra time and expense to get there. Every shore dive we did on BON was better than any of the KB dives.

 

[USC8791]

If you haven’t already, I recommend purchasing Susan Porter’s book Bonaire Shore Diving Made Easy (Bonaire Shore Diving Made Easy & Snorekling, Order the Book). I have over 100 logged dives on Bonaire, but still reference this book when on island.

For your East coast shore dives I recommend Bas Tol as your guide. BAS Diving

 

[drrich2]

Bas Tol of www.basdiving.com does good work, guiding east coast shore diving in Bonaire. I've tried Cai without and later with him, and the difference was night and day - A Whole New Cai. But the combo. of unprotected east coast and the needs of shore diving might make east coast diving more weather dependents, so I suggest contacting Bas and planning to get in an east coast shore dive early in your week (in case weather makes you reschedule early, or blocks you later), then working around that plan for your other dives.

Salt Pier can't be done with a ship in, so if you're down that way and notice the site without one, go ahead and dive it; otherwise when you try it on a schedule, you might not be able to do it.

I haven't tried east coast boat diving to compare.

Group dives by location; Tolo and Karata both commit you to a one-way stretch of highway, and you'll have a long drive around to get back home, so hit those 2 in sequence.

Richard.

 

[tursiops]

A boat is the only way to get to Rappel, which in my opinion is the most beautiful dive on Bonaire.
Jeff Davis Memorial and Country Gardens are also boat-only, to the north.
Something Special is not on your list.
Carl's Hill and Ebo's Special on Klein are worth the boat ride. The latter often has a good-sized Nurse shark resting in one of the caverns up shallow.
If you do Bonaire East Coast Diving, try to go to Turtle City. Amazing.

 

[tkaelin]

On the suggestion re Bonaire East Coast Diving, while they are a wonderful group, I would not recommend it for your first trip and would not recommend it unless you are a strong confident experienced diver. The conditions can be challenging. We were in seas where you lost sight of the boat in between swells and getting on and off the boat can be a challenge. If you are not comfortable with diving in high seas from a small boat you may want to wait on that one. Enjoy your trip.

 

[canto2010]

If you decide to do the East Side, which you should as in my opinion it's the best diving on Bonaire, I would recommend going with "Bonaire East Coast Diving" (Bonaire East Coast Diving - Unforgettable Scuba Dive Vacation Adventure), they run a RIB out of "Lac Bay" and it is so much easier than trying to do the dive from shore, especially if it's rough, and you get dropped right on the reefs !

Great! Thank you!