Greetings,
I´m planning my first visit (with my wife) therefore been reading a lot this forum but almost all post bonaire related are either trip reports or dive site requests.
Basically I would like some help in answering the following questions:
For what´ve read shore diving should suffice my needs, but: If planning to do say, 3 to 4 dives a day, including 1 night one, where and how I´m suposed to refill tanks?? assuming i´m renting them. For 4 dive I guess i should rent 2 pair of tanks and refill after 2 dives, is this correct?
Tanks are not a problem. Most diveops have dozens if not hundreds of them. Pay for unlimited shorediving, then just load up as many as you need for the morning/day etc. We generally had 6 in the truck with us at all times. Most diveops have at least a place to park near their tank location for quick exchanges, Buddy's even has drive thru tank pickup/exchange. There's only one main road on Bonaire so unless you stay away from the water, you can go by your place several times a day. And several of the operators have 2-3 facilities where you can change tanks.
Since no diveop on Bonaire will fill anothers tanks, you can safely leave them in the back of the truck. Most truck rentals have some sort of tank rack in the bed also.
[*]Are the vehicles able to park near the beaches in order t make tank switch less cumbersome? is a 4x4 actually required or a regular car would do?
Most of the south sites you park on the beach - as in 20' from the water if you're the first car there. There's only a few where you're not supposed to cross some sort of tidal thing. Some of the North sites have parking areas acrosss the street with a short path to the water. The only site that's more difficult is 1000Steps as it's 64(I counted them) rock steps down to the water. You should rent a 4x4 if you're planning a drive up into Slagbaai park, otherwise most divers just rent the 2wd 4dr. small pickups that are common there.
[*]Is there a season to dive in Bonaire, my guess is there isn´t but doesn´t hurt to ask
. Is there a high and low season??
Winter/Spring is a litle higher pricewise, the water's going to be 80-82' all year. There's a regatta in the fall and since Kiteboarding has taken off, there's a tournament for that now(not sure when). We were there during Divefest a couple years ago, except for a few crowded restaurants at night you'd never know it.
[*]What about training (certifications): I´m a PADI Rescue diver and my wife is a PADI OW. is it possible to set, for instance, an Advanced OW certication for my wife and I would be in the meantime just enjoying the dive?? or perhaps a Nitrox certificatión for me or both of us? sugestions very welcome. My guess here is that maybe this is a good idea since we would have a Instructor with us in many of the dives at least for 3 to 4 days and then have 1 or 2 "free lance" days for our own in wich we would rent the car. just a thought.
The diving is really simple there. Most sites the reef parallels the shore a short distance out. We're both OW and did all our own dives there, with the exception of the pier dive which is DM escorted. Most DM's are really low key so they're not going to have a problem if you want to follow along. But ask to be sure. On our boat dives, ours mostly just floated along blowing bubbles and pointing out stuff until our air was gone - which is exactly the way we like it.
[*]Are photo equipment available for rent??
Fisheye photo rents gear - they're co-located at Bonaire Dive & Adventure between Sand Dollar and Den Laman Condos. If you're planning to rent photo gear there, I'd reserve it, they don't have a lot of any one thing anywhere on Bonaire. Great dive there also, Bari Reef. It's an official REEF fishcount site and has the most fish species of any divesite in the Caribbean. I think Capt' Don's also has rental gear.
[*]Are there trip available to see large sea animals in general: whales, rays, sharks??
Not gonna see many, Bonaire is all about the small stuff. It's usually big news when someone sees a shark. You will see Turtles and possibly be able to snorkel with Dolphins in the channel from a boat.
[*]In your opinion what dive operators (I know ther are plenty) are the most recommended to plan my stay in Bonaire and to provide us with all of our needs
We've dove with Toucan Divers at the Plaza and Bonaire Dive & Adventure. Both were fine. Toucan has bigger boats. But they're all good, competition drives out the bad ones there. Just get whatever package is offered through your accommodations.
