And the "Best Wife in the world" award goes to...

[yodelhawk]

And the "Best Wife in the world" award goes to...MINE!!!!
Two days ago... At our weekly "have a beer after the work week" get together, my wife casually asked me: You don't have anything going on on the first week of June, do you?
Why no honey, I don't, I reply after consulting my calender, all the time wondering what slave labor project she had in mind for me!!!
Good... I booked you and your buddy Jeff on a dive trip to Bonaire.
:shocked2:... Huh??? What??? When??? Why??? Are you for real??? Just like that???
After a while of disbelief and questioning, turns out she did just that. I think she was feeling a little guilty about some of the photography trips she was taking and thought it was my time to go. How and why she came up with Bonaire, I have no idea but after doing some research, I think she did great!
So... A big thanks to my lovely, generous, awesome, kind wife! Oh, did I mention she is "hot" too?
If any of you who read this want to give some advise or suggestions about diving/staying in Bonaire, please feel free to do so... All help is greatly appreciated.
Have a great day... I know I will!
(I'm going to Bonaire, I'm going to Bonaire... NA NA NA NA NA NAAAA!)

 

[diversteve]

She did good, it's probably the best shorediving within 12 hrs. of the U.S. Something like 80+ dive sites to choose from. It's the #1 shore dive location in the Caribbean and regularly wins the Top 10 Scubadiving readers polls.

Bring good treaded boots is probably the #1 suggestion - the entries are often over ironshore/coral rubble so can be a little tricky. There's often a sand channel with easier access nearby. Divers have also piled up coral rubble indicating entry points but these may change over time.

My list of must dives:
North of town
Rappel - boat dive only.
Karpata
Bari Reef
Cliff/La Machaca

South of town
Angel City
Invisibles
Salt Pier

Maybe book 1-2 boat dives to Klein Bonaire just offshore:
Hands Off
Forest
Jerry's Reef

The Hooker wreck is also popular - haven't done it. Some dive operators do it via boat but you can also swim out from shore.

You'll be warned but don't leave anything in the truck you don't want to lose. There's a minor theft problem at some of the outlying dive sites. At many you may be the only divers there and there's no facilities once you leave the resort sites in town. Actually it's not a bad idea to dive several resorts first to get your bearings. Cliff/LaMachaca is accessed of Capt' Don's Habitat and Bari Reef is between Sand Dollar and Den Laman Condos. But all the waterfront properties have some sort of dive off their property.

Navigation is a breeze as the reef parallels the shoreline. At times we've used the truck to mark the entry point if it's a break in the ironshore - you're lower once in the water so it's harder to spot.

A couple of good websites:

Info Bonaire - The Bonaire Information Site - The Most Current and Up-To-Date Information - all things Bonaire
Scuba Shore Diving Region: ABC Islands has info w/pictures on about 50 of the sites. Check out the entry picture for each site for examples of what to expect.

It's a desert island (cactus etc.) and the first week of June it should be hot and dry. I was there then also. We froze water bottles and left them in the truck - by the 2nd dive it's mostly cold water. Electricity is 127V 50HZ so things with motors may run a little hot. Our dual voltage (most are) laptop/camera battery chargers worked fine. Gotta love a Dutch Caribbean island where the U.S. Dollar is now the official currency.

 

[boat sju]

Another suggestion: Take some powdered Gatorade with you.

 

[drrich2]

If any of you who read this want to give some advise or suggestions about diving/staying in Bonaire, please feel free to do so... All help is greatly appreciated.

Did she book you just a flight, or a dive package at a resort? I ask because if you're trying to figure out where to stay, we can talk Buddy Dive, The Plaza, Dive Hut, etc... If not, we can skip it.

Richard.

 

[Craig66]

Pretty cool wife although mine and Radhals wives are pretty cool as well. We have had annual man cations for the last couple of years -a week to go diving. Very very cool. Last year was Coz and this year Bonaire in May. it is most of our diving for the year and so we really max out without having to worry about getting back to the hotel to an irate non diving wife.

 

[koozemani]

My bday present one year was a box full of tour books with directions to pick where I wanted to go diving. My Christmas present the week earlier were ow classes for us.

 

[yodelhawk]

Did she book you just a flight, or a dive package at a resort? I ask because if you're trying to figure out where to stay, we can talk Buddy Dive, The Plaza, Dive Hut, etc... If not, we can skip it.

Richard.

She had booked that as well. I guess we are staying in Divi Flamingo Beach resort. From what I Have seen, looks like a very cool place!

 

[lionfish-eater]

Down the road from the divi is bruce bokars carib-inn. I can highly recommend his shop. If there are any openings on his boat you won't be dissapointed. He also is very knowledgable with equipment repair and has a well stocked dive shop. I start each day with their boat dive, usually Klein, then we shore dive the rest of the day. Ok night dive in front of the divi.

 

[diversteve]

She had booked that as well. I guess we are staying in Divi Flamingo Beach resort. From what I Have seen, looks like a very cool place!

Nice thing about the Divi is you can walk to the bars/restaurants downtown from there. It's about the only place that you reasonably can. And they have the only casino. The Calabas Reef dive site is just offshore.

 

[chauncy19]

agree with lionfish-eater Carib Inn does some great boat dives and is an all around great place. not crazy about the dive out front(or is it out back) but otherwise highly regarded place. almost always stop by his shop. did do a lot of boat dives with them when i stayed at the blachi koko a couple of years ago.