Boat dives in Bonaire?

[reefdiva]

Yep. Boat dives are only necessary for Klein (little) Bonaire.

We did Rappel as a one way dive (exiting at Karpata). You just need to have one guy drive the car there.

Are you sure you didn't do La Dania to Karpata? I believe that Rappel is south of the Andreas ....

 

[El Orans]

Oops. My bad. I blame jet lag. :blush:

 

[spectrum]

We are going to Bonaire in June for the first time. The big draw for us is the indepence of the beach dives.
My question; Is a boat dive or two worth it? Our goals are mainly photo based.
Any thoughts?
Thanks,
E

As first timers I'd play it by ear. There is no real need to set foot on a boat if like us you like shore diving.

I would not let a boat schedule cost you a single dive and as mentioned make sure that it will be taking you someplace you can't just drive to.

The Hilma Hooker was an easy shore dive. The drop off was nearby and when it came into view I was at first confused. I couldn't make sense of the 2nd reef I was looking at until I realized I was looking right at THE SHIP!

Have a great time!

Pete

 

[BDSC]

A dive or 2 is OK but IMO, esp for your first trip, they are not necessary. With the exception of Klein Bonaire and a few others you can do all the other dives from shore. With over 80 marked and more unmarked sites there are a lot of spots to explore. If your carrying a camera and are like me, I tend to hang around one spot for a long time or like to stay down until my gas is gone so boat dives don't make sence.
You can pick them up alacart at most places so I would suggest you not include them in your dive package. You can always change your mind if you decide you do want to add a few.

I totally agree with Herman. I just returned from Bonaire a few weeks ago. It was my
6th or 7th trip and I have done a total of two boat dives in all of those trips. Both of those were to Klein Bonaire. Like Herman said, you can pick up a boat dive here and there if you decide to. I didn't do one until my 4th trip. There are so many places to dive the first few trips and for the most part, can easily be reach from shore. Just don't prepay for them.

BDSC

 

[Ann Marie]

We do the Hilma Hooker (just does not sound right "doing the hooker ) without a surface swim. I just set a compass heading for the center buoy and head out underwater. We always have plenty of gas remaining but on air we come really close to deco while on the weck. The return underwater gives up a long deco/safety stop.

In Southern California if you are shore diving, you are surface swimming. There are always posts on here that say how far the Hilma Hooker is from shore. They always make me smile. Shore diving here usually means surface swimming out to the site, diving the reef and reserving enough to do the swim in underwater. Makes a nice long easy safety stop as we swim in towards shore. (One of my favorite sites is about 300-400 yrds off shore. )

 

[scuba e]

In Southern California if you are shore diving, you are surface swimming. There are always posts on here that say how far the Hilma Hooker is from shore. They always make me smile. Shore diving here usually means surface swimming out to the site, diving the reef and reserving enough to do the swim in underwater. Makes a nice long easy safety stop as we swim in towards shore. (One of my favorite sites is about 300-400 yrds off shore. )

Nice to have some local comparison to relate to. I have always marveled at the concern shown for conditions in many "Exotic" sites.

Thanks to all for the insight. It has made a difference.

E

 

[gert7to3]

Klein Bonaire is worth a boat trip or two, but the freedom of shore diving is just so much better. Not having to get ready on someone else's schedule; be back in an hour and stay with the group nonsense.

I surface swam out to the Hooker. Took my compass bearings with a submerged return. The return trips to shore are so nice. Just creeping back over the sand and small coral heads until you run out of ocean and stand up.

This can spoil you though. My first Lake Michigan dive after Bonaire wasn't an OOA situation. However, it's just better to not be looking for some wreck's marker buoy rope, at 45 ft, with only 500 psi. in one's tank.