Bonaire in July???

[cruzbound]

Hi all,

We have been to Bonaire once and my husband loved it so we might try to make another trip back. We were there the first week of May and there were some good tradewinds going which made it difficult to walk in and out of the water (on the rocky shore dives). I fell a couple of times trying to get out and then with all the dive equipment (tank, weights, etc.) on, I could not get myself back up and the waves would just push me. So to say the least, this has made me a bit timid of shore diving again.

I get the week of July 4th off from work and was wondering about the winds at this time - can someone give me some input? Are the winds around all summer long?

Thanks for the help.

cruzbound

 

[Ironborn]

I was on Bonaire this past 4th of July week, and the winds and other aspects of the weather were fine. If there was any significant wind, I did not notice it, nor did it impact my diving. It was quite hot, of course, but I have the temperature tolerance of a polar bear and spent most of my time underwater anyway. Check out my trip report for more details.

 

[cruzbound]

Thanks Ironborn. I figured it would be hot. I do not see a link for your trip report in your response. Can you add the link so I can take a read?

 

[Doctorfish]

There are still trade winds in July maybe 10 knots on average but shore entries usually not difficult on the west. You might consider some easy entry sites like Pink Beach, Salt
pier, or most of the resort house reefs. It is hot but as long as you are near or in the water, tolerable.

 

[Ironborn]

Thanks Ironborn. I figured it would be hot. I do not see a link for your trip report in your response. Can you add the link so I can take a read?

Gladly. Here is a link to my trip report.

 

[Ray and Pam]

On exiting, try taking your BC and fins off and float them back in to shore with you.
Learned this after floundering around in the surge on my back like an unended turtle.

 

[gert7to3]

Ray,
Don't you end up having to carry your BC in your hands to exit the water?
Whatever you do, don't swim in then expect to come up off your knees or have to do a push up, to stand.
Returning, I always stop just at the point where I touch bottom and remove my fins there, where I am able to stand upright. Then float in to where I can walk/climb out. Stinpa may not like this, but make a pvc pipe walking stick, which you could just stick in the sand a little ways out when you start, might help with entry and exit. Crab walking sideways can be more stable. It permits you to feel ahead with your leading foot; transfer your weight out onto it; then repeat the process. Buddy walking can also help if there is surf. Try not to look down at the water around your feet and legs, you can get vertigo.

 

[Kharon]

If the surge is bad there are places with a very easy entry that you can use. The good ones that I know, north to south, are: Cliff has a wall that you can use for support when walking in or out. At the north end of Windsock there is the fuel pier. I use the north side, walk over the sand and use one of the pillars for support to put my fins on. Yellow Submarine, in town has a sandy beach. Parking may be tight but usually not too bad. Tori's reef has a sandy channel. Park on the south side, gear up, use the rocks for balance/support to climb down. Once in the chanel it's easy to put on or take off your fins.

All these sites are good dives - at least for me. I also use WindGuru (Windguru) to check the wind when I'm there. Low wind days I hit Red Slave and Red Beryl to avoid current. Breazy days I get to the southern sites (Alice, Invisibles, Angel) in the morning and hit northern sites (Tolo) in the afternoon. Really windy days (I've only run into a few) I hit the easy entry dives.

Salt Pier looks easy, but I just never was too interested in diving there. Last year I decided I should try it. I geared up to dive there I was chased off by a worker saying that a ship was coming. I took my gear off and dove Tori's instead. The ship still was off in the distance when I surfaced after Tori's. I was a bit iffed at being chased off but glad after the dive at Tori's. Saw a spotted eagle ray on the sand really close. This December I'll try Salt Pier again.

 

[scubaNYC16]

I was there the same week a few years ago and going back same time this summer. Weather was great and not too windy. There's many sites with easy entries, just buy the Bonaire Shore Diving Made Easy book at any dive shop and pick out the sites with easy entries.

 

[darook]

The closest I have to July experience is being there in June once. The weather was sublime. No rain, reasonable winds. I was a new diver so was mostly boat or pier entries. We did do Vista Blue from shore and the entry was cake. I would expect the winds to be calmer in July as they tend to die down later in the summer until the nearly stop for periods in September.

As for Salt Pier, it is definitely worth doing late in the day as the light coming back through the pillars is great and the fish activity is high. It is a VERY fishy site and thus doing just for that. It is generally an easy entry that I have done many times though I got my a$$ handed to me there in February. It was about a 3' surf. The entry was easy, the exit was tough and I got my shin pounded into the iron shore under the water. Still have one last scab from that fiasco. I was prioritizing the safety of my camera which does not heal well. The camera was fine.