Bonaire Bound

[Gail Currie]

Heading to Bonaire 5/23 for what I believe is about our 13th or 14th year. Been reading a lot on Bonaire Talk and here and it seems that there are no longer restrictions for diving at Salt Pier? Other than if there is a ship in of course! Used to be you had to pay a local dive shop or D.M. and go with them. Hope this has changed as we have no been able to dive this site for several years.

 

[redacted]

Heading to Bonaire 5/23 for what I believe is about our 13th or 14th year. Been reading a lot on Bonaire Talk and here and it seems that there are no longer restrictions for diving at Salt Pier? Other than if there is a ship in of course! Used to be you had to pay a local dive shop or D.M. and go with them. Hope this has changed as we have no been able to dive this site for several years.

Buddy Dive claims it is restricted access and is still trying to sell guided dives. Every time we drove by last week there were a number of divers' trucks parked there on the north side. We dove the south side, parking just south of the building with no problem. We saw no signs at the site restricting such access.

 

[mbs]

Any construction going on at the pier? Last year we missed out diving the pier because they were working on the pier and there was a guard posted. I assume after 5-ish they were done for the day, but that would have cut into our dinner time DM's still taking people there, but it certainly appears to fine on your own. We are back on island in 3 days!

 

[uncfnp]

Dove it two years ago on our own no problems. Saw several divers there last trip (March) as well. Not sure it is "sanctioned" but it is certainly doable.

 

[diverjen]

Hi Gail,

We are coming at the same time - maybe we will see you at the Salt Pier!

 

[tursiops]

Here is my understanding: it is officially closed to casual divers, due to the US restrictions on places where ships dock that go to the US. So diving there officially requires harbormaster approval, passport numbers, local guide, etc. This is the Buddy Dive position. However, Cargill (who owns the pier) doesn't care so long as no ship is there loading, the harbormaster has no way to enforce the regulation and thinks it is silly anyway, and the BMP says it is not their rules so isn't going to enforce it either. So, in principle, diving there puts you in jeopardy. But that jeopardy seems to come with no risk, because I'm unaware of any example of enforcement. Just don't do it when a ship is in, then Cargill enforces.

 

[jimbeeler]

Heading to Bonaire 5/23 for what I believe is about our 13th or 14th year. Been reading a lot on Bonaire Talk and here and it seems that there are no longer restrictions for diving at Salt Pier? Other than if there is a ship in of course! Used to be you had to pay a local dive shop or D.M. and go with them. Hope this has changed as we have no been able to dive this site for several years.

OK... You and DiverJen need to write a detailed trip report when you get back so I'll know where to go when I get there the first of next month.

Jim

 

[NW Dive Dawg]

We are here right now and have been for the past 10 days. No restrictions at all (other than a salt ship inbound or at dock) that we saw..... so we just implemented a "don't ask, don't tell, play dumb" policy. On Sunday the 11th, there was a Holland Class offshore Royal Dutch Navy vessel moored just south of the salt pier...

I can also report that there has been something going on with the vis at the far south sites for the past several days. On Saturday, the 10th, we were just staging at Red Slave and noticed that the water was an unusual green color... talked to two divers exiting the dive said don't bother...vis less than 10ft.. (which actually ain'/t that bad where we come from)...

Also spoke with Hans and Fredrick at East Coast divers and they actually had shut down their operation over the weekend after aborting Thursdays dives due to 5ft of vis... whatever it is seems to be sticking mostly to the south for now.


We are staying at a villa right at the Andreas and I'm headed out in a few minutes and will report back on the vis and water temps a bit later... Here's a couple pics of the Dutch ship at Salt Pier.

 

[T.C.]

Heading to Bonaire 5/23 for what I believe is about our 13th or 14th year. Been reading a lot on Bonaire Talk and here and it seems that there are no longer restrictions for diving at Salt Pier? Other than if there is a ship in of course! Used to be you had to pay a local dive shop or D.M. and go with them. Hope this has changed as we have no been able to dive this site for several years.

Dove there for 1:47 last year. No restrictions, no need to pay anything for diving there. Just don't dive when a ship is moored.

Wonderful site!

 

[NW Dive Dawg]

We are staying at a villa right at the Andreas and I'm headed out in a few minutes and will report back on the vis and water temps a bit later...

79F and about 50 to 60ft vis..