Back from Bonaire

[Boat Chick]

Fred,

Thanks for the report. I am heading to Bonaire the last week of February. You mentioned you were in Bonaire last year as well. How did the reefs compare to last year, accounting for Omar this past October? I would hate to think some of my favorite sites are covered over in sand...

I just got back on Sunday. This was my tenth trip, and the dive sites to the South faired pretty good with Omar. The three sites that took the biggest hits were Oil Slick, Old Blue (Tolo), and Andrea II.

The entrance to Old Blue...is gone....and I mean gone. Below is a picture, and all of the sand has been washed away. The arrows are where the sand used to be. I would not have recognized the site if it weren't for the parking area. After much surveying, we decided there wasn't really any good entrance area, so headed to Karpata....no damage there, pristine reef.

The most disappointing was Oil Slick. One word - heartbreaking...and I mean sickening. The shallows is nothing but rubble. Just to the left of the ladder is a pile of rocks...half the cliff fell down. There is nothing until about 35 feet maybe, and it is pretty much destroyed....lots of dead coral below 35 feet. Also, there is a step missing from the ladder, so if you are short like me, you better have a good buddy to help give you a hump to get up to the top. The second pic below is the area of the HUGE rubble pile to the left of the ladder.

We didn't go to Andrea II, as we were told it is nothing but sand...and I just could not bear to see that....

All in all, I was surprised that there wasn't more damage. We dove Yellow Submarine and that was actually pretty good. I doubt you'd be disappointed with most of the sites. Bari is looking a bit ragged though, I think the last ten years has given the ole' girl a rough ride...

 

[seaducer]

The most disappointing was Oil Slick. One word - heartbreaking...and I mean sickening. The shallows is nothing but rubble.

We didn't go to Andrea II, as we were told it is nothing but sand...and I just could not bear to see that....

All in all, I was surprised that there wasn't more damage. We dove Yellow Submarine and that was actually pretty good. I doubt you'd be disappointed with most of the sites. Bari is looking a bit ragged though, I think the last ten years has given the ole' girl a rough ride...

OUCH. :depressed: Oil Slick and Andrea II are two of my all time favorite dives. That really stinks. I am happy to hear the southern sites made out ok, and I enjoy Yellow Submarine as well. I suppose this trip may be about finding new favorites...

 

[dschmidt]

My wife and I are going to Bonaire the first week of March with another couple. Our first trip. We're staying at the Divi Flamingo Resort. Anyone with experience at Divi?

 

[LookMaNoBrains]

I've only been to Bonaire twice (last Feb & July) and will go back in 18 days (not that i'm counting). Anyway, we stayed @ Buddy's the first time & Sand Dollar (right next to Buddy's the second) and we're at Sand Dollar again this trip. Virtually every evening however, i'm at Divi's because they've got a tiny (and i mean tiny) casino with the worst group of Blackjack players you've ever seen and it's great entertainment if you don't take assume the other players are going to play "correctly." Anyway, Divi's very clean, the staff is professional and friendly. The bar prices are on the slightly higher side. I haven't seen the rooms, nor have i dived with them.
Buddy's & Sand Dollar are virtually interchangable. Buddy's is a shade better, but also a shade more expensive. However, the one, HUGE advantage of Sand Dollar is that if you have a package deal with a rental car, you pick up your car when you arrive at the airport and go straight to the resort. Also, when you leave the island (through a veil of tears), you drive to the airport yourself and leave your car there. Buddy's picks you up and drops you off, but, you're with everyone else who's arrived at the same time and you're on their schedule; whether you want to be or not. Lastly, Buddy's breakfast is definitely better than Sand Dollars, but if you're in Bonaire for the food, you may want to consider Paris for the diving.

 

[Boat Chick]

OUCH. :depressed: Oil Slick and Andrea II are two of my all time favorite dives. That really stinks. I am happy to hear the southern sites made out ok, and I enjoy Yellow Submarine as well. I suppose this trip may be about finding new favorites...

Alice in Wonderland, Angel City, The Lake, all very good. North, the best was the Cliff and Karpata (of the one's we dove). We wanted to dive Something Special, and entered at Playa Leche, however, the current had a different plan for us so we headed South toward Yellow Submarine.

 

[del_mo]

I'm headed there Feb 7th. What were the water temps? Also did you get over to the wild side? If so how was it? Thanks

I did the wild side with Bart from Wannadive. Took notes on how to do the dive without a guide the next time.

It was truly a sensory-overload dive. 21 spotted eagle rays (in three groups), turtles, schools of tarpon.

Here's a ditty I filmed of the dive:

YouTube - Bonaire's Wild Side

 

[stortecky]

I did the wild side with Bart from Wannadive. Took notes on how to do the dive without a guide the next time.

It was truly a sensory-overload dive. 21 spotted eagle rays (in three groups), turtles, schools of tarpon.

Here's a ditty I filmed of the dive:

YouTube - Bonaire's Wild Side

Are you able to dive the wild side with out a boat. Any feed back about diving them would be great.

Thanks

 

[reefdiva]

You can dive the east side without a boat but hiring a guide is a really good idea as the sites are very different and the current can be strong.

 

[del_mo]

I didn't do the dive until the end of the week. That was a mistake because I didn't have time to return and do the dive again.

This dive is different from any other dive on Bonaire in the sense that you start off in relatively low visability - maybe 10 feet or so. If you don't know what to look for underwater you can easily miss your marks. True, you can surface, but it may be too late by then because the currents can be anywhere from mild to strong.

Hire someone or go with someone who knows the dive. It's your best chance of having a great and safe dive.

 

[seaducer]

Are you able to dive the wild side with out a boat. Any feed back about diving them would be great.

Thanks

As reefdiva posted it is possible to dive the East Coast without a boat, however a guide really is a must unless you know the site well. Bonairetalk will help to put you in touch with a DM that can take you there, or you can check with the resort you booked with.

My first year in Bonaire I dove Lac Cai channel with a guy names Bas. Sorry I do not have the contact info for him anymore, (you can reach him on Bonaire Talk though but the dive was awesome. We saw a lot of turtles, some really big ones too. Most of the rest of the dive was about what you get on the other side, but with more current and some different things to see. The potential to see bigger animals is greater on the East coast than it is on the West also.

It is certainly in my opinion a dive worth doing, but again, you need a guide since the currents can literally trap you outside the channel if you do not know how to get in.

There are other sites that are diveable without a boat in the East, however the conditions were too poor for us to get wet and so we had to scratch them.

It really is hit or miss, many of the days it is just too rough to shore dive there. But if you get a guide and pick a good day, I am sure you will remember the dive for a long time to come!