Trip Report Bonaire Mar 17 - 31 trip

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Jersey

Contributor
Messages
1,163
Reaction score
334
Location
SE PA/ Southern NJ
# of dives
200 - 499
Just back from 2 weeks (Mar 17 – 31). Delta Phila – Atl – Bon had enough time in PHL and ATL to hit the Skyclub for breakfast, no problem with baggage making flights, no rushing to gates. The ATL – BON flights utilized the nice comfy jets with seat back entertainment systems, reclining seats and the updated overhead storage where roller bags sit on edge.

Buddy Dive for the 12th straight year, we like location, reliability, consistency, ease of booking, ease of tank access, nice house reef. Minor upgrades to units (curtains/cushions) and continued hardscaping of the property, keeping the dust and mud down. Housekeeping was hit or miss, our regular lady didn’t impress me, the fill in was fantastic. Several days we declined service, we had plenty of towels and I can make a bed. Front desk was responsive when we needed things like a colander and cutting board. We do the dive/drive package - convenient transfer, breakfast, 6 boat dives, unlimited Nitrox, rental truck adequate - tires were good and it always started. During my truck rental check out, I was sure to note all the scratches, dings and a loose plastic fender flare on right rear wheel well. Sure ‘nuff fender flare pulled lose during a drive back from Rincon and started flapping in the breeze. My buddy was able to pull out the last pin and we threw it in the truck. Stopped at front desk, brought the fender flare and original paperwork where we noted it was coming off and had no problems or questions.

Stayed in a 1 bedroom as we like more room and do entertain during our stay. The resort was totally full both weeks with very large groups. One group had close to 40 people, 26 divers, and took over 2 dive boats. Another group had 20 something. The first week no problem getting on open boats, couple dives we had a large boat with 5-7 divers. The second week - more people on open boats, but no issues finding a boat. Caught up with old friends from years past. I continue to over pack, came home with a bunch of clean clothes. Maybe 3 pair of clean shorts, bunch of shirts/t-shirts, socks. I spend most days in a bathing suit, cover, or shorts plus t-shirts that get washed in shower almost every day.

Apparently we arrived just after a rainy spell, it was green and buggy. Mosquitoes were about normal, gnats/no see-ums whatever you want to call them were atrocious! Don’t forget your bug spray. Kinda sad to see all the cruise ships. I understand additional ships were diverted to Bonaire due to other islands damaged during the fall hurricanes. Amazed at all the new projects and progress and again, sad to see all the projects and progress. We eat lunch in almost daily, many dinners in, and grocery shopping a joy with Van den Tweels (daily until 8PM), Warehouse and the smaller markets. I find food prices in line with my local suburban Philadelphia market area. Alcohol is actually less expensive on island. Your experience may differ based on your local market.

Diving – relaxing as usual. Fills consistently 2900 – 3100 and Nitrox 31 – 32%. Extra tanks on all the boats. No issues with O rings. Air temps ranged from 70 – high 80’s, water 79 – 81F per my Oceanic ProPlus 2. Conditions varied, we encountered strong currents and surges a couple days, my guess is strong winds, Spring equinox and full moon factored into that. Viz better when things layed down and northern sites that don’t have sand around. I think we saw more juvenile and larger fish than past few years and I know we saw way fewer Lionfish. My buddy is a prolific LF hunter, our take was smaller and fewer fish. Enough to make Ceviche a few times. (As an aside, my Ceviche recipe was on InfoBonaire website a couple months back, message me if you want it.) We’d be happy to never see a LF again, but if they are there, we’ll hunt them. Best success on deeper dives, early morning, late afternoon/night. We made a few 90- 100 foot dives in our search with mixed results. Jellies and other stinging things were in the water, good reason to wear a full length and not just a shorty. I was fine in a fleece lined skin, buddy wore a 2.

Highlight for my buddy was an evening Klein LF hunt with friends, 6 hunters + 1 spotter (me) and took about 30 off the reef ranging from ‘mosquito’ sized (the ELF tip is bigger than the fish) to a couple fatties in the 18 inch (45cm) range. This was a planned multi-site, deep, decompression, tech dive for our friends, they all had doubles or at least 100’s while we had 80’s and we kept to rec limits. Boat pickup after surface and signal via lights and sausage.

Couple better dives - at Small Wall we were accompanied by 2 large Cubera Snapper (3 foot and fat!) found at the cave, they kind of followed us for the rest of the dive, staying deep and just aft of our group. Large Cubera under the hull of the La Machaca. Large Green Morays on several sites, including Hand’s Off where we found 3 separate. Good to see the big eels back. Salt Pier never fails. More Sharp Nosed Puffer than I’ve ever seen! Looking at my GoPro footage, they look like snow littering the screen. Large Rainbow Parrotfish, big Green Moray, Cubera Snapper, couple Grouper, bait ball rounded up by a couple Barracuda, comb jelly with 5 Queen Angels munching away, and the requisite turtle at dive end. Octopus on Buddy Reef, thanks to DM Liz for pointing that out. Did not see the Manta that was wandering around the island, though friends sent me their pics.

Some good GoPro footage, just getting starting in still photography using a Canon G16, Ikelite housing, S&S YS27. I only took the camera on house reef dives, didn’t want to mash it falling on a shore entry or exit. When conditions are benign, Bonaire is a perfect place to practice either video or stills.

Ate in some perennial favorites plus 6 new places, dining highlights later.

Overall very relaxing trip after a very hectic last year.
 
Highlight for my buddy was an evening Klein LF hunt with friends, 6 hunters + 1 spotter (me) and took about 30 off the reef ranging from ‘mosquito’ sized (the ELF tip is bigger than the fish) to a couple fatties in the 18 inch (45cm) range. This was a planned multi-site, deep, decompression, tech dive for our friends, they all had doubles or at least 100’s while we had 80’s and we kept to rec limits. Boat pickup after surface and signal via lights and sausage.

Were many of the 30 taken from below recreational depths? I wonder if the reefs below 130' or so are teeming with them.

Large Rainbow Parrotfish, big Green Moray, Cubera Snapper, couple Grouper

Were they tiger grouper? That's the big (i.e.: not a graysby or coney) species I've seen off Bonaire.

Glad you had a good time.

Richard.
 
Richard -
Short answer, probably more abundant on deeper reefs. I know my 3-some accounted for 11 of the 30, they were recreational. The deepest we pulled about 95, a couple fatties near the start about 80. The last and shallowest we saw was a fatty, floating out in the open at about 45. The dive started after 6:00, we were pulled out little after 7:00, dusk start, twilight finish. By the time our tech friends completed their deco and we picked them up it was dark. I didn't ask their max depth.

To give you an idea of population reduction, 3 years ago we started going out with this group and 7 of us pulled 98 off the reef in an hour, all recreational limits. Zookeepers overflowing. I also belong the FB Bonaire LF hunter group and some of these folks go deep 40-70 meters, way beyond where I'm trained or willing. My thinking is you'll still find some shallow during the day, on out of the way, off-path sites. Typically they are hanging deeper, coming up at dusk and down at dawn so late or early dives may find more in rec conditions. At the end of the day, they are only fish and not worth getting hurt over.

I do believe they were Tiger Grouper, though I didn't get close enough for confirmation. I know they were not Graysby or Coney's both very familiar fish. (Coney behavior is a favorite pastime)
 
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