Bonaire first time

[pdive]

Who said anything about knee pads? So go barefoot it is non of my business how YOU dive, but when asked about a location with Ironshore I give my best advise! But if you want to take the covered wagon be my guest! I am suggesting safe practical solutions to the possibility of ruining your expensive dive vacation with hurt hands or feet, but it always boils down to your choice!

Directed toward the greater you, i.e., we, us, them; not you specifically. No need to get worked up. Save all those exclaimation points for when you really need them.

 

[pdive]

Could you donate some money to me? I might need a few more than 4 or 5 kids

AB Car Rental should replace some of those trucks with amphibious cars - problem solved

 

[Papa_Bear]

I never took it personally and I am just passionate not "Worked up"

 

[Waterskier1]

Ok all, I received the official response from Ramon de Leon, Manager-Bonaire National Marine Park. Here is what he said:

Hi Rick:

Gloves are completely forbidden for diving and snorkeling in Bonaire. You
can only use gloves if you have medical condition and only with a written
permit. Please check www.stinapa.org

Click Bonaire National Marine Park and click in "Rules and regulations" in
the left menu.

Best regards.......r

So, all those references to Dive Clubs and Resorts or whatever to say you can use gloves are Wrong. Only if you have a medical condition, and bring justification to the Bonaire National Marine Park to obtain the written permit, may you wear gloves.

Note that he references the same National Marine Park web site I provided earlier.

Whether "we" like it or not, that is the rule.

 

[gypsyjim]

Ok all, I received the official response from Ramon de Leon, Manager-Bonaire National Marine Park. Here is what he said:

Hi Rick:

Gloves are completely forbidden for diving and snorkeling in Bonaire. You
can only use gloves if you have medical condition and only with a written
permit. Please check www.stinapa.org

Click Bonaire National Marine Park and click in "Rules and regulations" in
the left menu.

Best regards.......r

So, all those references to Dive Clubs and Resorts or whatever to say you can use gloves are Wrong. Only if you have a medical condition, and bring justification to the Bonaire National Marine Park to obtain the written permit, may you wear gloves.

Note that he references the same National Marine Park web site I provided earlier.

Whether "we" like it or not, that is the rule.

Which is what we had been told for years.

 

[gypsyjim]

AB Car Rental should replace some of those trucks with amphibious cars - problem solved

Love those things! I was shocked when loading for a dive at Monterey Bay in the mid 80's, when one of them drove down the boat ramp, and motored away across the bay :shocked2: Thought it was a run away accident I was watching, and we would get to help in a recovery!

Looked a bit like a cross between a Corvair and a Rambler, but it's a boat! Too!

 

[ScubaSteve]

Whether "we" like it or not, that is the rule.

What if the glove is worn for fashionable reasons?

Spoiler

Or for thermal proection reasons?

Spoiler

Or for protection against all sorts of things?

Spoiler

 

[jd950]

That's why I switched to Dive Mittens. Seems silly to ban gloves and not mittens, but they make the rules and all I do is follow them! Just like on Cozumel...I had to buy a dive hatchet due that no-knife rule they have there.

:mooner:

 

[Papa_Bear]

That is strange! I have the print out about the exceptions! Well it is there island and whatever they say, but the rules I carry says you can for entries? I need to fax them to the park and see what they say? So why would you stow the gloves if they were banned???? I am more confused than I was before???? Oh well!

 

[Bubbletrubble]

That is strange! I have the print out about the exceptions! Well it is there island and whatever they say, but the rules I carry says you can for entries? I need to fax them to the park and see what they say? So why would you stow the gloves if they were banned???? I am more confused than I was before???? Oh well!

I contacted Ramon de Leon (BNMP Manager) regarding this issue. There was a rule change in 2005. Previously, divers were permitted to wear gloves in the following situations:

• To go up and down mooring chains
• For shore entries/exits
• For wreck dives.

As of 2005, the above exceptions are no longer valid. Now it is stipulated that divers must have a medical reason for wearing the gloves and must present proof of such medical condition in the form of a physician's letter (dated within the last 30 days) to BNMP Headquarters at the beginning of the diver's stay. The diver will then be granted a permit (which apparently the diver must carry with him while diving).

According to Ramon, the reason for the rule change was that the previous exceptions to the "no glove" rule made the rule "impossible to enforce." That's a quote. I'd probably be more willing to accept the new rule if Ramon had reasoned that people were taking advantage of the exceptions and then molesting underwater critters/coral...but he didn't state it in that way. Island logic? Oh, well. Their island, their rules. (On a side note, Bonaire used to have silly rules regarding who had the right of way in its traffic circles. When I was there a couple of years ago, cars entering the traffic circle had the right of way! Fortunately, someone finally realized the idiocy of that traffic law and changed it.)

If you're "lucky" enough to have primary or secondary Raynaud's syndrome (epidemiologically 5-10% of the general population are afflicted) or perhaps some other kind of peripheral vascular disease, then you may have a medical justification for wearing gloves while diving Bonaire. For the rest of us, it makes more sense just to leave the gloves at home.