Trip Report Bonaire and Curacao Trip Report March 18- April 10

[DirtFish]

Thanks for the report @DirtFish

If I get back to Curacao, I will definitely try the Eastpoint diving with Dive Charter Curacao Is Watamula still in good shape? It was the best dive we did in 2010, twice. Love your shot of the Glassy Sweepers in the porthole.

Even with a single backmount, with good gas consumption, you can dive from Bari to Cliff, switch out tanks at Hamlet Oasis, and swim back to Bari. A really beautiful dive and a great way to spend half a day.

Watamula is still one of the top dive sites. Being a drift dive and pretty much boat only access limits it's exposure to dive traffic. Same with the Eastpoint dive sites. Andrew at Dive Charter Curacao was saying that other than the few trips of charter divers the only other people he brings to those reefs are marine biologist.

 

[tkaelin]

Thanks for posting. We love staying and diving westpunt and we always spend a day at cas abou beach. A beach with a bar and dive shop a big plus.

 

[DirtFish]

Thanks for the good trip report.

If the guy wanted a tank to dive solo and he didn't have certification and their insurance requires it why is it a strike against the employee for denying service?

If she had done that in a respectful way no problem and he did have certification. The fact that she was berating him in a totally disrespectful way is what I have a problem with. I would still be in a Bonaire jail if she had done that to me.

 

[NW Dive Dawg]

Great report.... Thanks for taking the time to post! My wife and I are Bonaire vets but have always thought about Curacao.... Your report has us thinking harder about that.. But for this year, we are headed back to Bon for 10 days from April 28 to to May 8.

Couple of questions and a couple of comments....

Which SDI/TDI course did you take? Just curious.

As far as the Bari site access goes, this is one of the main reasons that we by our shore diving package from Buddy's.. Easy swim from there over to Bari....and we love Buddy's breakfast and the no bs self serve tank swap drive through...

As far as Solo diving goes, I just bring my 19cf pony along with a transfill whip.

 

[scubadada]

If she had done that in a respectful way no problem and he did have certification. The fact that she was berating him in a totally disrespectful way is what I have a problem with. I would still be in a Bonaire jail if she had done that to me.

So, I have been solo diving for a long time, since about 2004. I didn't do SDI Solo Diver until 2013.

Here is an hour and a half solo dive from Bari Reef to Lions Dive and back during our last visit.

My RMV was 0.34 cu ft/min my surfacing GF was just 28%

 

[bcaderunr]

If she had done that in a respectful way no problem and he did have certification. The fact that she was berating him in a totally disrespectful way is what I have a problem with. I would still be in a Bonaire jail if she had done that to me.

I have to chime in here as well. I've been a Dive Friends fan as a result of multiple trips to Bonaire prior to our 6-week stay in February. There is an older woman at the Yellow Sub location who I assume is the Manager who has absolutely no people skills whatsoever. Prior to retirement, my wife and I owned a retail establishment with 15 employees and if she had worked for us, she would have been "laid-off" within days. In casual conversation at the eight room place we were staying, at least 2 other couples (total strangers) independently shared similar experiences. Funny how one person with a bad attitude can soil the reputation of what is otherwise a friendly, well-run operation.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Great report.... Thanks for taking the time to post! My wife and I are Bonaire vets but have always thought about Curacao.... Your report has us thinking harder about that.. But for this year, we are headed back to Bon for 10 days from April 28 to to May 8.

We got married on Curacao, dived when not busy with wedding stuff, and then honeymooned on Bonaire, to which we have returned half a dozen times or more--I lost count. I sometimes chime in on the Bonaire vs. Curacao threads with my opinion that Bonaire is better for a week or two dive trip whereas Curacao seems like a great place to live but is not so easy if the goal is dive dive dive. This trip report has me rethinking that, and reminds me that my opinion based on a single trip to Curacao 14 years ago is getting a bit dated. Both islands are great.

 

[RIHappyDiver]

@DirtFish , which unit number did you rent at Marazul, and who did you book it through ( or which organization/website)? We stayed there in January of ’22, and had a great time, but it sounds like the unit you stayed in was better set up for divers.

By the way, I agree completely about the stairs to the bedroom. Since there was no landing at the top I always had an uncomfortable feeling that I was going to fall back down them if the bedroom door was closed, lol.

Also, did you have trouble with the weight restrictions flying between Bonaire and Curaçao?

Thanks for the report!
Erik

 

[DirtFish]

@DirtFish , which unit number did you rent at Marazul, and who did you book it through ( or which organization/website)? We stayed there in January of ’22, and had a great time, but it sounds like the unit you stayed in was better set up for divers.

By the way, I agree completely about the stairs to the bedroom. Since there was no landing at the top I always had an uncomfortable feeling that I was going to fall back down them if the bedroom door was closed, lol.

Also, did you have trouble with the weight restrictions flying between Bonaire and Curaçao?

Thanks for the report!
Erik

We stayed in 5A. I booked 5B for next year only because 5A was already booked for the times we wanted.
I believe we booked through VRBO a year ago.
The weight restrictions, what a pain!
I always carry my backmount regulators, camera, mask, toiletries, meds and sunglasses in my personal carry on (16.3lbs.). My Freedom Plate BCD, wing, sidemount regulators, 12 boltsnaps, 4 t-shirts,1 pair swim trunks, sandals, SMB and spool, wetnotes and 2 Shearwater dive computers in my regular carry on, (34lbs). Sidemount BCD, save a dive kit, two 3mil wetuits, 2 sets fins, spare mask x2, booties for 2, bug spray for 10 and some clothes. large checked bag (49.6lbs). Wife carries pretty much the same as far as carry on bags and weight. We are .3lbs over on my personal carry on and .6 under on the large checked. It took 4 hours at home with a luggage scale to get it to that. Had to leave canister dive lights, extra camera gear and clothes at home.
Divi Divi has weight limits posted on their site. One thing of note is they may not be able to transport large checked bags on the same flight without prior notice, so make sure you let them know ahead of time that you are checking a large bag.