I'm 72 and I find I'm usually not too tired most days going for 2 shore dives in the morning and coming back to the apartment for lunch and a nap. Then an easy afternoon dive on the house reef (I now stay at Hamlet Oasis - dive shop on site and the HR is Cliff). Maybe another nap, dinner and finally a night dive on the house reef to swim with the tarpon. Early in the trip I might even get five dives a day in, but that's really pushing it.
I tend to stick with 2 morning dives a day that I drive to but having a walk-in dive site makes it easy for impromptu dives. I mix in some snorkling (much less tiring without tanks) and tend to pick easier entries. Sometimes I'll drive to an afternoon dive.
For making entries easier when there is surge: Watch the waves and count. Usually there will be a pattern of increasing wave height with several much smaller waves following the largest. Once you figure out the pattern you wait for the largest and then enter as it's receeding. Quickly go out far enough to float (chest high) and put your fins on. Note: fairly hard soled boots are a must.
For the best sandwich ever try Between Two Buns. Other than that I can't recommend places to eat. I used to stay at Coco Palm Garden and now stay at Hamlet Oasis (inexpensive apartments with full kitchen) and cook for myself.
Soon as you get there buy a couple of 1 or 2 liter bottles of water. Remove the top drink a little and put the rest in the freezer. Bring it along and you will have ice water to drink after each dive. A 2 liter usually lasts me for the day.
Get Bonaire Shore Diving Made Easy (
http://www.infobonaire.com/bsdme/) or Dive Guide Boanire (Dive Friends Bonaire shops on island) and look it over to decide what sites you most want to dive. I would recommend Yellow Submarine and Tori's Reef as having the easiest entry/exit and Angel City for the double reef and angel fish. Invisibles was the site I most enjoyed to the south (BTW dive south early before the wind picks up - makes entries much easier). Mid island I loved Cliff (use the stone wall for entry and the pipe to navigate - the mini-wall is to the left). To the north Tolo was my favorite. For the easiest entry/exit ever, park at the fuel pier (Windsock across from the airport you will see the iron pier - park just to the north). Sand entry and pier colums for support when putting fins on.It's the only place where I regularly see a bluespotted coronetfish.
One final tip. Unless you are a total wreckhead I'd skip Hilma Hooker. It was a total yawn for me. I want to see fish, more fish, and more fish and watch them interact.
Here are some links to give you an idea what it's like:
I don't think you have to get up at the crack of dawn for the southern dives. It's just better to head there for your morning dives rather than waiting till late noonish or the afternoon.
One thing I forgot. If you want to dive Red Slave or Red Beryl it's best to do them when there is little wind. Here's a link to an excellent source of wind forcast:
Windguru - Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba - Lac Cai
The line to look at is Wind Speed (knots).
It's true that it's best to leave the windows down and nothing valuable inside the truck while diving. But I think that can be said for pretty much anywhere these days. I've had stuff stolen at Lake George, NY while diving.
Finally (boy I'm long winded) it's a good habit when entering a shop or before asking a question to greet with Bon Dia (good morning) Bon Tarde (good afternoon) or Bon Noche (good evening/night). It's curteous and people react favorably. In the USVI shopowners often won't even acknowledge you if you don't first say hello, how are you or good morning. By greeting Bonairians in their own manner it tells them you are trying to meet them half way.
