Bonaire...avg depth?

[JackSpearo]

we are relatively new divers going to Bonaire in August. we have seen all the beautiful reef pictures online of Bonaire...amazing! are most of these pictures in relatively shallow water? less than 40 fsw? or are a lot of the dives deeper? we're sorta nervous about diving more than 50ish feet....

thanks

Jack

 

[El Orans]

No problem.

You can have a great time on Bonaire in less than 50 feet.

 

[Cecil]

The short answer is any depth you want. The wall generally starts at 30' or so but can go quite deep. There is also plenty to see up in the flats that can vary from 30' to zero. It really is very easy diving for beginners.

ps. You will be a much better diver when you pack to go home.

 

[tvictory]

You could conceivably keep it to 50-60 fsw or less if that was your aim. In many places on the west side of the island, on the dives accessible from shore, the reef starts in about 30' and slopes gradually down to about 120'. You can swim along the "wall" at whatever depth you like. A common tactic is to descend to your planned deepest depth, swim in the chosen direction, then turn around, gradually ascending to a shallower depth for the return leg. Even if you're doing mostly follow-the-leader boat dives, I doubt if you'll ever feel pressured (sorry) to dive deeper than your comfort level.

 

[txdano]

Most of our dives usually end up being around 50-60 fsw, with a return leg of between 40-45 fsw. Obviously to dive the Hooker you are going to want to be comfortable diving much deeper. Like mentioned above, some of the best things we have ever seen have been up on the flats or right at the "shoulder" around 30ft where the coral drops off. Have fun and dive the profile you want, you will not be disappointed.

 

[reefdiva]

Jack, Bonaire is a great spot for "relatively new divers". Navigation is super easy and there is so much to see at all depths. We usually spend most of our dive at forty feet or above and sometimes at the very end of the dive we are in only 5 feet of water and still looking at the critters! When we were new divers in Bonaire we were given some very good advice ... swim to the marker, take a heading for shore,drop down , note your depth and the mooring (cement block, barrels) and then swim left or right. At many sites there is usually little or no current but it is always a good idea to check that for making your start decision. Turn at half of your air, swim back to the marker and then turn towards shore. You will be doing a safety stop all along the way! As you gain more confidence you will adapt and find what works for you. A great resource for choosing sites and learning about them in Bonaire Shore Diving Made Easy (www.bsdme.info). There is so much to see at all depths that you will love Bonaire!

 

[johnny_bravo]

The short answer is any depth you want. The wall generally starts at 30' or so but can go quite deep. There is also plenty to see up in the flats that can vary from 30' to zero. It really is very easy diving for beginners.

ps. You will be a much better diver when you pack to go home.

I agree with both these points. There's not much to see deep anyways I checked...most of the interesting critters are even shallower than 20'. I found a baby octopus on my safety stop once in one of the coral heads.

Cheers.

-J.-

 

[DeputyDan]

My favorite Bonaire dives are down around Alice in Wonderland at 30 to 45 feet. Soooooooo much to see So little nitrox.....

 

[CLEAR BLUE]

We were there in November.....I am a new diver also . There is plenty to see at all depths. Alice in Wonderland, North Belnam, Bachelor's Beach....all easy sites to start with.

 

[rsdancey]

Turn at half of your air, swim back to the marker and then turn towards shore.

If you use half your gas going out, and half your gas coming back, what will you breathe on your way into shore?

A little more attention to gas planning would go a long way here. Sure, in an out of air emergency you could do a controlled emergency ascent; but that could ruin your whole vacation. You'll be diving in places you've never seen, in conditions you don't know. Anything could (and will) happen. Don't let a minor issue like a sudden mild current that slows your return leg and makes you work harder than expected ruin your trip.

If you're not comfortable with a more detailed gas management plan, a good rule of thumb would be to turn the dive at 2/3rds of your starting gas. 1/3 out, 1/3 back, and 1/3 for emergencies. That's overkill -- but it is just a rule of thumb and very conservative.

Ryan