Bonaire boat diving necessary? advised ?

[gbf]

That's the best thing about Bonaire:

You can do what you want, when you want.

If it's a group on a boat then there it is.

If it solo at daybreak, then go.

If you want to fool around for 2 hours in 15 ft, well then, nothing is holding you back.

I get a large charge out of having a beer and burger at jibe city, then snorkelling for the rest of the day in Lac Bay - but that might not be for anyone else.

 

[Mossman]

Didn't mean to be argumentative. Just disagreed with your phrasing which implied a group trip to Bonaire is necessarily "greater" than a non-group trip. Group trips can be fun, to be sure, especially when everyone is boat diving anyhow - you know everyone on the boat and, as you pointed out, you can often direct where the boat goes. My first Bonaire trip was a group trip which suited me fine since I was traveling solo. Now that I have a dedicated dive/travel buddy, however, I prefer driving off to a site where it's often just the two of us in the water. Bonaire is somewhat unique in being able to offer that experience as an easy alternative to boat and/or group diving and that's definitely something I appreciate about Bonaire.

 

[diverrex]

IMHO boat diving often gets an unfair bad rap on Bonaire. Granted the ease, freedom and low cost of shore diving is what makes Bonaire great, but there are some nice sites out at Klein. Plus the right quide can be a lot of help in finding stuff. I know some people who have done 20-25 shore dives during a week at Bonaire but never saw a frogfish. We did 6 boat dives last June and the DM's found us 5 frogfish, we never did find any on our own while shore diving. To me that right there makes adding in some boat dives worthwhile.

And east coast diving from the boat is definitely different than the west coast sites.

 

[gypsyjim]

This last June was the first time in @5 yrs we have done a boat dive. There is just so much great shore diving available, and we can dive as much as we want, where we want, w/o having to adapt to the whims of a boat crew, or other divers on the boat. This year we did book the new 3 tank trip north to Washington Park, just for the experience.

On next June's upcoming DNY/SB group trip we do have 6 tanks of boat diving included, so I think I will skip over to Klien Bonaire, which can't be reached by car, being a separate island. I haven't been there in at least 5 years. Maybe a 3 tank Park trip again next June, too, as long as the boat dives are part of our package. (I certainly would not pay extra, to boat dive, when Bonaire shore diving is included, and SO great!)
The rest of the time I will be shore diving, when and where I want to, and on no one else's schedule!

 

[gypsyjim]

And east coast diving from the boat is definitely different than the west coast sites.

The east coast can be dived from shore, and I have the scars to prove it.
The east side is really best dived from boat, as the entry and exit for shore diving is NOT for the feint of heart!

 

[BDSC]

When I dive from a boat off Bonaire, I don't get in as much bottom time as when I stick with the shore dives. Boat dives include a great deal more wasted time. I no longer include boat dives when I go to Bonaire.

I'm right there with Walter on this one. I think I have done 5 boat dives in 9 trips to Bonaire and all were to go over to Klein. I never book the boat dives in advance because they are cheap enough to add on once you get there. To maximize your bottom time, skip the boat dives, grab some tanks, and do your own thing. Most of the folks I know that have booked boat dives in advance either don't use them all or use them because they have already paid for them and feel like they would have wasted their money if they don't take them. Those same people never book the boat dives on their second trip.

 

[Bas Noij]

The east coast can be dived from shore, and I have the scars to prove it.
The east side is really best dived from boat, as the entry and exit for shore diving is NOT for the feint of heart!

Not necessarily true. Yes, the East Coast should be taken seriously and can definitely be treacherous but with the right guide you can have a blast. A good guide will judge your skill level and the conditions of the day and plan accordingly. Like on the west side there is advantages of diving East side from the boat and there is advantages of diving it from the shore. Both are great and both are very different.

 

[DiverVince]

I know some people who have done 20-25 shore dives during a week at Bonaire but never saw a frogfish. We did 6 boat dives ilast June and the DM's found us 5 frogfish,

Yea Rex, that would be me!
But, then again, imagine how exhilarating it feels to find a frogfish completely on your own.
Last trip I did find one while snorkeling off of Bellevue, but I really don't credit it as "a find" since he was previously swimming on the bottom before he stopped and then disappeared. Since I wasn't wearing scuba, could not get down to investigate further.

All in all, we primarily do shore diving. But it's always nice to get out on a boat for some diving at Klein or some of the far northern sites. Have also made several dives out at Cai from shore which were interesting.

 

[SEVADiver]

gypsyjim, you mentioned that you took the new 3-dive Washington Park trip (I'm assuming that is the one at Buddy's). We are going in March and have been debating whether or not to sign up for that trip. What was your experience? Someone posted a pretty negative review of that trip on Trip Advisor, but those are pretty unreliable.

 

[gypsyjim]

gypsyjim, you mentioned that you took the new 3-dive Washington Park trip (I'm assuming that is the one at Buddy's). We are going in March and have been debating whether or not to sign up for that trip. What was your experience? Someone posted a pretty negative review of that trip on Trip Advisor, but those are pretty unreliable.

Yes, we did the 3 tank trip with Buddy Dive. First boat dives I have done on Bonaire in @5 years.

We enjoyed the 3 dives, but none of them were all that different from the rest of the shore dives we did that week. Just fun to go further north, and visit sites that I don't get to because I avoid the one way drive threw the park that is involved in shore diving them. This way, I was back at the Plaza in the afternoon, and diving again, rather than still driving back by road.

People have been said to be seeing larger marine life, than at the more accessible more southern sites, but that was not our experience. One site, which I can't recall the name of right now (and don't have logs accessible @ work) was really neat topography, with ridges and cuts that were fun to hunt.

I will probably do a return trip with the DNY group when we go this coming June because none of the others have been here before, and we have 6 tanks of boat diving included in the package. To me it's either Klien or the Park, if I am going on a boat. I do (edit) NOT (how did I miss that earlier?) like like being in a herd, which is why Bonaire shore diving is my favorite!