1st timer-dive site recos

[rddvet]

My wife and I leave for Bonaire in a week. I've gone through all the threads on dive sites and ordered that new book with all of the great dive site photos and routes (can't remember the name). It's so much information, it's almost too much. At this point we're thinking rather than planning on where to go, we're just going to drive and whenever we see a dive site that looks interesting, we go for it (with the book as our guide). At the same time a small list of must-sees would be nice (I'm happier when I have a plan).

A couple of specifics: we're cave divers and rarely dive saltwater. We are newer rebreather divers and Bonaire sounded like the perfect place to get lots of dives in to build hours. We will likely be doing 90 minute - 2 hour dives. Easy access would be nice since we'll be dealing with a little bit more equipment than a single tank diver. Giant stride entries are fine, but not having to climb out steep areas is nicer. It would make my wife's trip to see any octopus, her favorite ocean dweller.

Any secrets to navigation that will have us popping up right where we parked. It seems pretty easy since it's just a right or left on the reefs and a reverse heading to the one you went out on. But are there usually some pretty obvious, memorable features to come back to that help find your actual exit point. Or does the reef all start looking the same. Silly questions, but we generally either are following lines in a cave or diving reefs we know very well already.

 

[dmaziuk]

I think about the only planning rule is that when you go North, the road becomes one way and you have to make a big loop to drive back. So people typically go for 2(+) dives North of town and lunch in Rincon.

Pink beach is about the easiest entry on the South side. Parking lot just South of Den Laman looks OK (from Sand Dollar pier) and takes you to the Front Porch wreck with very distinctive piles of construction rubbish for navigation. (Edit) Sand Dollar has a pier and beach and ladders, and Den Laman shares that pier and has a beach too: if you're staying in either of those places, you'll have easy entries and easy nav: it's sand with construction junk to the South, reef to the North of the pier, and then there's Buddy boats parked further North... and that's how far we typically get on a single AL80

 

[rddvet]

I think about the only planning rule is that when you go North, the road becomes one way and you have to make a big loop to drive back. So people typically go for 2(+) dives North of town and lunch in Rincon.

Pink beach is about the easiest entry on the South side. Parking lot just South of Den Laman looks OK (from Sand Dollar pier) and takes you to the Front Porch wreck with very distinctive piles of construction rubbish for navigation. (Edit) Sand Dollar has a pier and beach and ladders, and Den Laman shares that pier and has a beach too: if you're staying in either of those places, you'll have easy entries and easy nav: it's sand with construction junk to the South, reef to the North of the pier, and then there's Buddy boats parked further North... and that's how far we typically get on a single AL80

You’re talking about in Washington park or does it become a long one way before entering the park? We plan to skip diving Washington park this trip since it takes a lot more time. We figure there’s so much to see elsewhere, we can do it next trip. Though maybe some will say that’s a mistake.

 

[Trailboss123]

You’re talking about in Washington park or does it become a long one way before entering the park? We plan to skip diving Washington park this trip since it takes a lot more time. We figure there’s so much to see elsewhere, we can do it next trip. Though maybe some will say that’s a mistake.

Dive site at 1,000 Steps is the last one where you can turn around and head back south toward town. Once past 1,000 Steps, the road is one way toward Karpata and then you must continue and loop back through Rincon and back toward town. This is all outside the national park and if this is your first trip to Bonaire, I would definitely skip the trip into the national park and the diving there. You will have plenty to keep you occupied and interested. Have fun.

 

[Soloist]

Any secrets to navigation that will have us popping up right where we parked. It seems pretty easy since it's just a right or left on the reefs and a reverse heading to the one you went out on. But are there usually some pretty obvious, memorable features to come back to that help find your actual exit point. Or does the reef all start looking the same. Silly questions, but we generally either are following lines in a cave or diving reefs we know very well already.

We get below the surface as quickly as possible and swim over the sand to the reef per a predetermined compass heading. Then suspend one of these little buoys from a 2 pound weight near the edge of the reef. We removed all but 5 feet of the cave line from the buoy for convenience and consistency. Simply attach the buoy to the weight at the reef an let it unfurl. We typically put cave line and a boltsnap on the weight so we can clip it to our harness for the swim out and back. For deep night dives we attach a water activated dive beacon to the float. Quick, easy and effective!

 

[Trailboss123]

We get below the surface as quickly as possible and swim over the sand to the reef per a predetermined compass heading. Then suspend one of these little buoys from a 2 pound weight near the edge of the reef. We removed all but 5 feet of the cave line from the buoy for convenience and consistency. Simply attach the buoy to the weight at the reef an let it unfurl. We typically put cave line and a boltsnap on the weight so we can clip it to our harness for the swim out and back. For deep night dives we attach a water activated dive beacon to the float. Quick, easy and effective!

View attachment 524338

That dive beacon is awesome. Was nice to have that as a reference coming back on that Something Special night dive we did.

 

[rddvet]

Dive site at 1,000 Steps is the last one where you can turn around and head back south toward town. Once past 1,000 Steps, the road is one way toward Karpata and then you must continue and loop back through Rincon and back toward town. This is all outside the national park and if this is your first trip to Bonaire, I would definitely skip the trip into the national park and the diving there. You will have plenty to keep you occupied and interested. Have fun.

Thata very helpful

We get below the surface as quickly as possible and swim over the sand to the reef per a predetermined compass heading. Then suspend one of these little buoys from a 2 pound weight near the edge of the reef. We removed all but 5 feet of the cave line from the buoy for convenience and consistency. Simply attach the buoy to the weight at the reef an let it unfurl. We typically put cave line and a boltsnap on the weight so we can clip it to our harness for the swim out and back. For deep night dives we attach a water activated dive beacon to the float. Quick, easy and effective!

View attachment 524338

Thats an awesome idea. They don’t frown upon its use? I guess if its not on the reef who cares. Where you find it?

 

[Soloist]

Thats an awesome idea. They don’t frown upon its use? I guess if its not on the reef who cares. Where you find it?

Piranha Dive, but you can use anything that floats consistently and is easy to spot.

Marker Buoy Small , Piranha Dive Shop |

 

[herman]

Navigating Bonaire is easy if you follow this simple method.
1. Take a compass reading from shore. I set my bezel to the single mark (1mark =going, 2 marks=return)
2. Drop down fairly quickly and follow your compass reading, add a little fudge factor for current.
3. At a depth of 25ft place your buoy (I just pick a odd coral head). Remember you can't easily see the string so keep the buoy itself at your chosen depth. If it's high above your head, it's easy to miss. NOTE THE EXACT DEPTH!
4. Proceed on to the reef, it will drop quickly at around 35 ft but is easy to follow. Note current and head up current.
5 At your turn time, note the time you have traveled. On your way back, at about 1/2 of your out time, move back up to the exact depth you set your buoy. Don't be tempted to stretch this time as current will fool you and make you pass your buoy.
6 Start watching for your buoy while keeping at it's depth.
7. When you find your buoy, turn to your return compass heading and go, remembering to add a little fudge factor for current. While in the shallows, keep your eyes open. Squid, octos and turtles are common there.

 

[hroark2112]

Whatever you do, do not tie anything to any coral or sponges.

Navigation on Bonaire is too easy. When you think you're about back, pop your head up and look around. Also many sites have a mooring buoy that you can use for a navigation point.