Bonaire Boat Dives??????

[mbb97fxdwg]

HI Divers,
Going to Bonaire for first time in 7/06. With all the great shore diving should we prepay for boat dives??? I hate to book them and find out the shore diving could fill my entire week. thx always!!!!!
Mike B.

 

[Dave Zimmerly]

True, shore diving is great, but you do need a boat to go to Klein Bonaire (24 dive sites).

Check it out: http://www.infobonaire.com/divemap.html

Hopefully be there in February.

 

[Drewpy]

There are a few nice sites only accessible by boat...but the shore diving is almost endless! I would not prepay....maybe one or two to Klein thats all-you can always sign up when you get there.

Have fun! You will love Bonaire!

 

[TheRedHead]

I prepaid for 6 boat dives and only used 2. The shore diving is too easy, everything is on your schedule, your plan. I loved it. Only downside is I'm suffering post-Bonaire Depression.

 

[Goose75]

I went in August and we decded not to prepay. Getting a boat dive there is easy to arrange and you will have the benifit of changing your schedule based on what you want to see. We ended up doing only one boat dive. It was a great dive but we decided not to do another because we could get more dives if we shore dived and you will run out of time before you run out of dive sites.

If you decide to dive the town pier and salt works, they have to be scheduled in advance. We didn't try to schedule until the second day and shipping traffic prevented it.

 

[louis]

I have been to bonaire for both diving and windsurfing several times. The boats that take you out have to "park" at pre placed buouys (spelling?) as the area is protected marine park and I was amazed my first time to note that most were within distance of a shore dive. Plus there are many many many dive operations so it will be easy to pick up a boat trip if you want to. Be sure to drive up to Washington Park one day. Its an all day trip but well worth it.

 

[herman]

We always DROP the dives from our packages. It saves us around $100. We usually stay at Buddy Dive, there all you have to do to add a boat dive is to sign up on the list at the dock. It's added to your dive shop bill. Seems like the cost was $25. A few dollars more than the 6 package but we never do more than 1 or 2 anyway so in the end we come out ahead. If you change your mind, you can always just add the package back after you arrive.

 

[Jetwrench]

Drop the boat dives and shore dive. Then pick and choose boat dives that will take you to Klein or other sites you can't drive to like Rapel. Just make sure you DO make it over to Klein because it has some of the best diving you will see on Bonaire. IMO

Jet

 

[Damselfish]

check your place, lots of times there it's not more expensive to add dives later rather than paying a package in advance, or not much. Plus boat dives in Bonaire are cheaper than most places anyway. I suppose the only possible catch could be if boats someplace were full at a real busy time, people with prepaid packages would likely get preference, but I have no idea if that is ever a problem anywhere.

 

[mjh]

Personally I found the great thing about Bonaire was shore diving and often having the dive site to ourselves. It spoiled us to the point we did not have as much fun on our boat dives and having to deal with the bubble train. The only dive we would prepay would be to dive with Larry’s Wildside, diving the windy side of the island. Here is a link to our slide show and trip report. You will have a great time.

http://www.photodex.com/sharing/viewshow.html?fl=2307605&alb=0

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=97803&highlight=bonaire+a+la+carte